In Mamdani battle, Vivek Ramaswamy invites crime-hit to Ohio townhall

India Today

2 days ago

In a move seemingly aimed at projecting Ohio as a model state for public accountability, strong law enforcement, and a "refuge from progressive governance", Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy invited victims of crime to a townhall meeting in Cincinnati. The event also seemingly served as yet another indirect jab at Democratic Socialist leader Zohran Mamdani, who is New York City's mayoral primary winner. Mamdani is a vocal critic of traditional policing methods, contrasting with Ramaswamy's tough-on-crime stance.advertisementThe townhall comes just weeks after a digital billboard in New York City's Times Square, funded by the pro-Ramaswamy "Vivek Super PAC – Victors, not Victims (VPAC)," urged residents to flee what it called the socialist "tyranny" of 33-year-old Mamdani and "move to Ohio." The provocative ad campaign in July underscored Ramaswamy's strategy of contrasting Ohio's image with the liberal stance of Mamdani.Ramaswamy's July campaign declared, "For those New Yorkers who have had enough, freedom and prosperity are waiting for you in Ohio," positioning the state as a stark alternative to New York.
This also appears to be an attempt to signal that Ohio offers stronger law and order and greater public accountability – factors often seen as crucial for attracting businesses.In the townhall meeting on Monday (US time), Ramaswamy focused on public safety and addressed mounting concerns over crime in the city.RAMASWAMY CALLS FOR STRONGER LAW ENFORCEMENTThe Indian-American politician spoke directly in the aftermath of a widely circulated street altercation that took place on July 26, describing it as a reflection of deeper issues affecting urban communities across Ohio.In a moving speech, Sarah Heringer, whose husband was stabbed to death in the city, laid blame at the feet of city leadership, accusing officials of "negligence, silence and cowardice" for failing to protect her husband.Ramaswamy emphasised the need for stronger law enforcement support and community-led solutions, as residents voiced frustration over what they see as a growing sense of insecurity in local neighbourhoods.The Republican leader pointed to the recent attack as a wake-up call."We're here because less than two weeks ago... there was a group of people going out in their city who were violently attacked by a violent mob in the city of Cincinnati," Ramaswamy said, Cincinnati-based newspaper Cincinnati Enquirer reported.Numerous guests were invited and attended the townhall, including Cincinnati mayoral candidate Cory Bowman and Heringer, whose husband Patrick Heringer was stabbed to death in Over-the-Rhine earlier this year, WLWT5, a news portal, reported.Heringer gave an emotional speech that recounted the night her husband died and blamed city leaders for the murder.advertisement"Imagine this. You're asleep. You wake up to a man standing over your bed with a weapon. How did he get there? Because someone made a decision, because someone signed a paper, because someone did nothing. That's what leadership looks like in Cincinnati: negligence, silence and cowardice," Heringer was quoted as saying Cincinnati Enquirer."When he needed protection, this city gave him nothing, not even basic safety," Heringer said of her husband. "The city failed him," she added.RAMASWAMY TAKES A SWIPE AT ANTI-LAW ENFORCEMENT CULTURERamaswamy pointed to the suspect's parole status as evidence of deeper flaws in the criminal justice system that he says require urgent reform."We need leaders who are going to act with spine... not sweeping these issues under the rug," Ohio-based public broadcaster, Ideastream Public Media, quoted Ramaswamy as saying.Ahead of the townhall, Ramaswamy also spoke to Fox News Digital, where he condemned what he called an "anti-law enforcement culture", a remark that appeared to be a veiled swipe at Mamdani and other Democratic leaders.A video showing a group of people being badly beaten in downtown Cincinnati led Ramaswamy to speak out, saying there's a growing attitude in the country that disrespects the police and makes crime worse, according to a report in Fox News.advertisementHe called the beating of Holly, a woman in the video who apparently was attempting to intervene to help another victim, "totally unconscionable", according to the report.The video shows a group attacking two people, including Holly who suffered serious brain injuries. The assault happened in the early hours of July 26 near the corner of Fourth and Elm streets, just outside a well-known nightclub.Ramaswamy shared that he has been in contact with Holly after first reaching out to her to check in on her well-being after the beating. He previously revealed Holly told him that no local elected officials reached out to her after the incident, Fox News reported.Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced at a press conference that six people were injured in the incident. So far, six suspects have been charged, with four already in custody. The city's fugitive task force is actively searching for the remaining two who are still on the run.Concerning the many onlookers who failed to act during the beating, Ramaswamy commented, "It is sad to see the anti-law enforcement culture, the anti-rule of law culture spread across our country."advertisement"I think there are deeper issues relating to just people being agnostic to the rule of the law, people being desensitised to this kind of violence," he was quoted as saying by Fox News."At our best as human beings, that's not who we are. We feel compassion when something like this happens. Ignoring it is not compassion. Ignoring is cruelty," he added.He called for more "open dialogue" rather than "sweeping these issues under the rug", Fox News reported.PROTESTERS RALLY AGAINST RAMASWAMYProtesters assembled across the street from the townhall to express their opposition to Ramaswamy and criticise how he and other conservative leaders had portrayed the July 26 incident.Larry Feist is a Cincinnati resident who came out to protest Ramaswamy. He called the July 26 fight "very unfortunate" but felt it was a complex situation that has been used for political ends by Ramaswamy and others, Ideastream Public Media reported."They take one incident out of context and it's really, really upsetting," he said.Protesters held signs that said that "we love our city," and "Cincinnati is united against racism," WLWT5 reported.The protesters' main point was to argue that Cincinnati is safe to live, work and play. Many said they feel safe and live within the city, according to the report.- EndsMust Watch