No town halls scheduled for Ohio
It's unclear what senators, House reps are doing during their summer break
SANDUSKY — If you’re hoping to catch Ohio’s U.S. senators at a town hall during Congress’ summer recess, don’t hold your breath.
Sen. Bernie Moreno and Sen. Jon Husted have kept a low profile since taking office in January. Neither has responded to interview requests, and no public events or constituent meetings have been announced as Congress takes its traditional summer break, which began Aug. 4 and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 2.
Repeated inquiries to Moreno’s top staff — Chief of Staff Philip Letsou and Communications Director Reagan McCarthy — have gone unanswered. Earlier this year, Letsou suggested an interview could be arranged if a reporter agreed to submit the article for pre-approval — a condition rejected as inappropriate. Since then, no further communication has been received.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, whose district includes Sandusky and much of Erie County, also has not indicated any plans for summer outreach events. Kaptur did not respond to an inquiry about her plans. Her district has been a longtime target of Republican gerrymandering efforts.
Ohio Republican Party officials — including Chair Alex Triantafilou and the party’s communications director — likewise declined to answer questions about any upcoming town halls by GOP members of Congress. Republicans currently control 10 of Ohio’s 15 House seats.
Erie County Republican Party Chairman Caleb Stidham said he’s not aware of any such events on the local calendar.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of any federal elected official having a town hall in or around Erie County,” Stidham said. “I’m sure some have occurred in the past, but none come to mind.”
Stidham noted that town halls have become politically risky, often going “viral” when public dissatisfaction erupts. “Since then, it seems very few in either party hold town halls — especially when their party is in power,” he said.
That was also true when Joe Biden was president, he said.
“How many town halls did Senator (Sherrod) Brown and Rep. Kaptur host during the Biden Administration, for example?” he asked.
Who is Alex Triantafilou
Alex Triantafilou is the Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, a position he assumed in January 2023. Before that, he was a prominent political figure in southwest Ohio, especially in Hamilton County (Cincinnati area).
Key background:
Previous role: Chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party for over a decade.
Legal background: Former municipal court judge and assistant prosecutor in Hamilton County.
Known for being a staunch conservative and loyal supporter of former President Donald Trump.
As party chair, he’s responsible for shaping GOP messaging, recruiting candidates, and organizing party operations statewide — including efforts to maintain or expand Republican majorities in the Ohio legislature and congressional delegation.
Triantafilou (pronounced tree-ANN-tuh-fee-loo) is active on social media and often comments on national and state politics, typically in support of conservative causes and candidates.