Ohio 11th Forum: Experience vs Engagement
Yesterday, I watched the League of Women Voters forum for Ohio’s 11th Congressional District. It was a race between incumbent Shontel Brown and challengers Sean Freeman and Ardelia Holmes.
All three candidates came prepared. They brought their own perspectives, their own ideas, and they were all capable on stage.
Whoever wins this race is going to Congress. There is no real Republican challenge in this district. And I’ll say it bluntly, you could run Jesus, the Buddha, or Gandhi on the Republican side and it wouldn’t change the outcome.
Shontel Brown: Experience Without Presence
Starting with Brown, she showed exactly what you would expect from an incumbent.
Her opening statement was polished and straight to the point. It was filled with Democratic sound bites, the kind of lines that feel like they’re built to be clipped and shared.
Throughout the forum, she leaned on experience. She has a track record, legislation, and time in Congress to pull from, and it showed. She sounded like someone who knows what she’s talking about and someone who understands the system she operates in.
But, she looked bored and annoyed to be there at times. Especially compared to the other two candidates who were clearly more engaged.
The PAC question, specifically around AIPAC, was the weakest moment. She completely dodged it. Everyone knew what the question was getting at, and instead of addressing it directly, she deflected and gave a generic explanation about PACs being groups of individuals pooling money together. That might be true in a sense, but it ignores how super PACs actually function, and she knew that. It came off as evasive, and honestly, it was embarrassing.
Her closing message was about showing up, even when it’s hard.
But if you look at her district, turnout is abysmal. And I would argue she is not present in the way that message suggests.
They Don’t Show Up Because Nothing Shows Up for Them
Another article comes out about the abysmal turnout in Cleveland, and at some point we have to stop pretending this is some mystery. Brent Larkin
Sean Freeman: Thoughtful but Less Polished
Sean Freeman came across as less polished, but more grounded in thought.
I’ve met him before, and I think he’s a good person. He’s run before, and it shows in how he approaches policy. His ideas didn’t feel like talking points. They felt like they came from actually thinking through problems and trying to figure out how to advocate for policies that help people.
He also called Brown out a couple of times, which goes against the League of Women Voters format, and they reminded him of that. That’s appropriate from a rules standpoint.
But it highlights a real issue. If candidates aren’t allowed to challenge each other directly, then some of the most important truths don’t get said. The format keeps things civil, but it limits accountability. If the candidates don’t point out flaws, then who is?
Freeman wasn’t as smooth, but he was willing to push.
Ardelia Holmes: Engaged, Balanced, and Present
Ardelia Holmes stood out in a different way.
She was the only person on stage who looked like she was actually enjoying herself. She smiled, engaged with the moderator, and seemed like she genuinely wanted to be there. That energy was felt, especially in a setting like this.
At the same time, she was composed, thoughtful, and had strong answers. She clearly understands the issues facing her district.
What stood out most was her approach to the minimum wage question. She supports raising it, but she also brought in the perspective of small businesses and the challenges they face. She was the only one who added that level of nuance to the conversation.
She wasn’t just giving answers. She was thinking through the impact.
The Reality
Throughout the forum, both challengers took shots at Brown in different ways. Whether it was campaign finance, lack of presence, or disconnect from the district, the critiques were there. And they weren’t wrong.
But here’s the reality. This is not a competitive race.
Not because Freeman or Holmes aren’t capable, but because the party structure makes it that way. Brown has incumbency, funding, and the advantage of a system already aligned in her favor.
So while all three candidates were knowledgeable, and while the challengers showed they are capable and, in my opinion, more engaged, it’s hard to see this changing the outcome.
And that’s frustrating.
Because watching this, it’s clear there are candidates who are just as capable and who seem to care more about being present and engaged with the district.
And that should matter, and I hope it does, but it probably won’t.