Sen. Jon Husted Criticizes Senate Democrats for Blocking Electricity Legislation

Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) has accused Senate Democrats of obstructing bipartisan efforts aimed at protecting Americans from rising electricity costs related to data centers. During an interview with Breitbart News on Saturday, he expressed that lawmakers seemed to prioritize political agendas over affordability, particularly as he campaigns against former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

In his exclusive conversation with Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle, Husted recounted how he developed the Ratepayer Protection Act while collaborating with President Donald Trump “six months or nine months ago.” He indicated that the legislation would hold data centers accountable for electricity generation and infrastructure costs, ensuring that these expenses aren’t transferred to consumers.

Husted stressed the bill’s potential to “save them money” and “lower the local electrical rates,” noting that it received overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. “This bill passed the House 417 to three, and 206 Democrats voted for it. Hakeem Jeffries and AOC voted for it, as did the Freedom Caucus. Essentially, everyone’s on board,” he stated.

However, he lamented that once the bill reached the Senate, Democrats didn’t need to vote against it; they simply had to refrain from blocking it, which they did. Husted insisted that Senate Democrats are preventing the advancement of this legislation to avoid giving Republicans a win on affordability issues ahead of the midterms.

Facing off against Brown in Ohio’s Senate race, Husted pointed to campaign events in Dayton and Youngstown as evidence of growing momentum. “The president has been here twice, and during his visits, he brought a lot of supporters along, including my former teammate John Gruden, a Super Bowl-winning coach,” Husted shared.

He also mentioned shifting early voting trends, suggesting that Republicans are closing the gap that Democrats initially had. “The first day of early voting favored Democrats, but since then, we’ve seen more Republican participation. If we maintain this momentum and encourage people to turn out, I believe we can achieve victory come Election Day,” he added.

Husted criticized Brown’s record regarding trade and manufacturing, arguing that his policies favored Chinese producers over Ohio businesses. “Part of the Green New Deal he supported subsidized the purchase of Chinese solar panels, even though we manufacture solar panels right here in Ohio,” Husted stated, highlighting First Solar, a local company.

He attributed Ohio’s economic growth and low unemployment rates to Trump’s policies, stating the state has gained thousands of manufacturing jobs recently. “We’ve added 10,000 manufacturing jobs over the last 18 months across various sectors. Ohio is seeing its lowest unemployment rate at 3.3 percent, and we have the most jobs in the state’s history,” he noted.

As the November elections approach, Husted emphasized that Republican turnout will be crucial for defeating Brown. “We just need to ensure the Republicans who voted last time show up again. We can’t afford to be complacent,” he asserted.

He concluded by urging Republican supporters to engage in voter mobilization efforts leading up to Election Day. “I’m asking for just five minutes a day. Reach out to one person a day for the next 17 days. Vote early. If we all chip in, we can win this,” Husted said.