Richard Ojeda |
Richard Ojeda is running for president. Ojeda, a West Virginia state senator and retired U.S. Army major, lost his congressional bid in the state’s 3rd District on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
WHAT HE STANDS FOR: As a state senator, Ojeda led a push to legalize medical marijuana and played a central role in this year’s teacher walkouts that resulted in a rare pay increase for educators. In his congressional race, he ran on a thoroughly pro-labor, progressive platform, despite the partisan lean of the district, framing issues as pitting people against corrupt, out-of-touch elites. He focused heavily on the role of Big Pharma in sparking the opioid epidemic.
Ojeda’s case for his candidacy is straightforward: The Democratic Party has gotten away from its roots, and he has a unique ability to win over a white, black, and brown working-class coalition by arguing from a place of authority that Trump is a populist fraud. He’s launching his campaign with an anti-corruption focus that draws a contrast with Trump’s inability to “drain the swamp.”
Video: https://youtu.be/h-4uJ6MX1I0
ABOUT THE VIDEO: TYT Politics Contributor Ryan Grim spoke with Democratic congressional candidate Richard Ojeda about medical cannabis, the West Virginia teacher's strike, and how Ojeda's 24 years of military service inspired him to run for West Virginia Senate and now for U.S. Congress