Minneapolis reckoning coming to Ohio’s 9th District
Candidates for Congress mostly quiet about Border Patrol, ICE agents killing people
SANDUSKY — As federal agents in Minnesota pull back from a week of lethal escalations, the shockwaves of “Operation Metro Surge” are crashing directly into the Republican primary for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District.
The death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old VA intensive care nurse shot 10 times by Border Patrol agents on Saturday, has ignited a firestorm in Washington. But in Northwest Ohio—where the former #2 official of the agency involved is running for Congress—the reaction from the GOP field has been a study in selective silence and strategic de-escalation.
The 9th Congressional District includes Sandusky and Erie County, Ottawa, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Putnam, Paulding and Williams counties, and part of Wood County.
‘Helper’ becomes victim
Alex Pretti wasn’t a “domestic terrorist,” as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House advisor Stephen Miller initially claimed. He was a licensed gun owner with no criminal record who spent his days caring for American veterans. Bystander video, now viewed by millions, shows Pretti being tackled while holding a cell phone—not a weapon—as he tried to shield a woman who had been pepper-sprayed by agents.
The killing is the second within a month. On Jan. 7, Renee Good, a mother of three, was killed by ICE agents in her car just after a school drop-off.
Sheahan on duty
For candidate Madison Sheahan, the timing is catastrophic. The Lucas County native resigned as Deputy Director of ICE on Jan. 15 to launch her bid against Marcy Kaptur.
While Sheahan frames herself as a “Trump conservative,” she was in the chain of command during the Renee Good shooting. Her silence now is a gamble. Having just entered the race, she lacks the established “Cash on Hand” of her rivals. While Democratic incumbent Marcy Kaptur sits on a $1.25 million war chest, according to to Federal Elections Commission filings, Sheahan is starting from zero at the exact moment her former agency is accused of committing “egregious homicides.”
Sheahan is from Curtice, Ohio, in Ottawa County.
Play it safe
The established GOP contenders are currently in a “wait-and-see” defensive crouch:
Derek Merrin: The 2024 nominee leads the GOP pack with $348,948 in the bank, according to the FEC. His silence suggests he is unwilling to risk establishment donor support by weighing in on the administration’s tactical failures. Merrin is from Monclova Township, in Lucas County.
Josh Williams: With $207,446 on hand and the backing of J.R. Majewski, Williams is positioned as the grassroots alternative. However, Majewski’s “vile” Facebook posts regarding the Minneapolis deaths may create a “toxicity tax” that Williams is currently trying to avoid by staying quiet. Williams represents the 44th Ohio District and he’s from Sylvania Township.
Nadeem breaks rank
Alea Nadeem, a lieutenant colonel and Commander of a Security Forces Squadron in the Air National Guard, was the first candidate to blink. The Toledo native seems to be taking up some middle ground.
“Minnesota state and local officials need to work with federal officials to enforce immigration law and protect the American people from violent illegal immigrants who need to be deported, Alea Nadeem told StayTunedSandusky on Monday. “Elected Republicans and Democrats need to work together to lower the temperature and discourage the type of violent confrontations that put lives in danger and lead to the tragic events we’ve seen in Minneapolis.”
With $110,425 in cash on hand, according to the FEC, Nadeem is currently in third place financially. By telling StayTunedSandusky that both parties must “lower the temperature,” she might be trying to carve out a role as the moderate, de-escalating conservative—a stark contrast to Sheahan’s “Surge” legacy.
Kaptur counter-punches
Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, isn’t waiting for the GOP to find its voice. Calling for a “shakeup in Washington,” Kaptur has demanded the resignation of Kristi Noem and a full investigation into the “implementation of the policy that allowed this tragedy.”
In a statement issued Jan. 22 — two days before Pretti was killed by federal agents — Kaptur called for reform of ICE after voting against a funding bill for ICE.
“The rule of law protects everyone—officers and citizens alike. Law enforcement must be identifiable and accountable. Masks with no badges, no body cameras, and no oversight have no place in a democracy. ICE officers should follow the same excessive-force protocols as every police and Sheriff department in this country, wear visible identification, and use body cameras,” Kaptur said after the vote.
It could happen here
For Sandusky residents, the news of “Operation Surge” isn’t just a national headline; it’s a stark reminder of the Corso’s Flower & Garden Center raid. That 2018 operation, which saw over 100 workers arrested by ICE, left a permanent scar on the local community, tearing families apart.
🌐 Coming up
What if ‘Operation Surge’ comes to Ohio? We ask local officials, ‘Are we prepared for that?’
Please write daily about this horrendous candidate, Matt. Plaster it all over!!!! Thank you!