Editor’s note: Greg Landsman won his race by a margin of 5%; through our readers, Blue Tent raised $8,975 for Landsman. To see how other Blue Tent recommended candidates performed this cycle, read our full 2022 midterms rundown.
A former public school teacher turned Cincinnati City Council member, Greg Landsman is fighting for one of the only competitive congressional seats in Ohio. After a convoluted redistricting process in the state, the 1st District is now more Democratic than it used to be, putting longtime incumbent Steve Chabot, an old-school establishment Republican, on the defensive. It’s an opportunity for Democrats to pick up a seat in a state where they haven’t had much good news lately.
Blue Tent views giving to Landsman's campaign as a high priority. Below, we explore three key questions that small and medium donors should answer before supporting candidates. (See how we evaluate candidates.)
Is this race important?
It would be nice to take a longtime Republican incumbent down in Ohio after everyone was predicting doom for Democrats earlier this year. But a seat is a seat, and even if they win here, Democrats are likely to lose the House. Maybe a bigger reason to back Landsman is that replacing Chabot with a younger, more liberal politician would be a great moral victory — and of course, it will make retaking the House easier in 2024.
Can Landsman win?
Both Sabato’s Crystal Ball and Cook Political Report rate this as a toss-up, and one poll (albeit one sponsored by Landsman) shows the Democrat with a three-point lead. Landsman certainly has an opportunity here, thanks to redistricting. Voters within the new lines went Biden +8.6 in 2020.
Does he need money?
As of the latest campaign finance report, Landsman had pulled ahead in both spending and raising, which is a good sign for the Democrat. The fact that Chabot doesn’t have a money advantage shows how viable Landsman is. Blue Tent rates him a priority for donors.