Former Miami Twp. Trustee Mike Nolan, a Republican, and former Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell, an independent, are challenging Foley on the Nov. 4 ballot.
“I know Dan Foley and I think he’s doing a good job,” Hobson said. “I think he’s a very effective county commissioner.”
Hobson said he’s always tried to be bipartisan, and when he and Hall were colleagues in Congress they would work together on issues.
“I’m Republican in philosophy and I support probably predominant Republicans, but there are Democrats that I’m supportive of,” Hobson said.
Co-chairs also include J.P. Nauseef, former president of the Dayton Development Coalition, and businessman Lee Schear, both of whom have typically contributed campaign donations to Republican candidates, according campaign finance reports on the Ohio Secretary of State website.
Foley said he is “proud of the bipartisan support” he’s received and noted that businessman Clay Mathile and his son, Mike, both regular Republican donors, contributed $15,000 to his campaign. The are not co-chairing the fundraiser.
“The reason I’m getting a lot of bipartisan support is because people realize I’ve taken the job seriously,” Foley said. “Economic development, community development, riverfront development - we’ve done a good job of having more eggs in more baskets so we’re not so reliant on one industry sector.”
Word of Foley’s bipartisan support prompted a charge from Nolan that Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley “brings illegal aliens here,” an allegation branded as false by Democrats.
“One party rule means Dan Foley can’t stand up for working people and taxpayers when Mayor Whaley brings illegal aliens here and puts our community at risk for more crime, more disease and higher unemployment,” Nolan said via email. “It also means he gets more campaign contributions. That trade off might work for Dan Foley but it doesn’t work for the rest of us.”
Nolan said he was referring to a controversy last month when Whaley was criticized by some Republicans when she and the rest of Dayton City Commissioners said they would consider a federal request to house in Dayton children caught crossing the border of the southwestern U.S. Federal officials had considered several cities for housing the children but then dropped the idea.
Nolan is “inventing things,” said Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman Mark Owens. “Number one, she’s never brought in illegal immigrants. If that’s the issue he wants to run his campaign on for county commissioner it’s a pretty sad statement of what his candidacy is all about.”
Whaley said it is “disappointing that Mr. Nolan would stoop to Fox News talking points when we have real work to do in this city.”
“This region has weathered an unprecedented downturn during the Great Recession and we need all hands on deck to move our community forward, not Washington-style politics,” Whaley said.
Leitzell said Hobson’s support of Foley “obviously demonstrates the lack of faith some have in the Republican candidate.”
“It also indicates to the average citizen that the Democrat is the only other politician that can be bought,” said Leitzell. “My term as mayor proved that candidates with big money don’t get results. That takes independent thinking.”
Owens said he is not sure what Leitzell means, as he was unseated after one term, but said, “I think the fact that Dan has won support from both sides of the aisle is what politics should be about.”
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