CANTON, Ohio — When Canton’s William McKinley won the presidency in 1896, it was a victory fueled in part by the Depression that occurred on the watch of his predecessor Grover Cleveland in 1893. Yes, even in the 1800s, pocketbook issues were as motivating a factor with voters as they are with the ones we spoke with on Monday.
"Basically jobs and the economy,” said one Massillon resident.
”Definitely the economy is the number issue for me,” said another.
Hattie Dulaney-Young of Alliance also said it’s the economy, adding fun has been casualty of inflation for her.
"There's no fun. There's no money for fun," she said.
A recent Baldwin Wallace University poll of Ohio identified the economy as the issue most likely to sway voters in their midterm choices, with differences by gender and party affiliation. The economy was considered of "high importance" in vote choice by 71% of respondents, including 82% of Republicans, 63% of Democrats and 66% of independents.
September didn’t help matters as the stock market recorded its biggest monthly losses since March 2020, losing roughly 9% of its value in the month. Stocks rallied Monday with the Dow up 765 points to close at 29,490.
Stark County is a "pivot county," one of only eight in Ohio to vote twice for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, then twice for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.
The economy as it relates to energy will impact Canton man Eric Mutchler’s vote.
"I think we have a lot of energy resources within our own country that we can take advantage of that's being blocked," he said.
Susan Fisher Thompson of Canton puts the economy just behind abortion on her list as she researches her November choices.
"I want to make sure that we have good candidates, so I'm really reading through their qualifications,” she said.
Several voters we spoke with in this pivot county wish their representatives in Washington had more of a pivot mentality to work with each other once in a while — not always against.
"The two-party system, they are divided. You know you got the Republicans and the Democrats — we got to get somewhere in between,” said Pat Wyatt of Canton.
Robert Harman of Massillon agreed.
"To me, it's almost like we need a third party, something that's more honest and can put out there some kind of belief to help the people,” he said.
Dulaney-Young added, "It isn't voting Democrat or Republican, it's getting the right people in office that's gonna make the change."
Early voting starts here and across the state next week.
