Tim Ryan Isn’t Registered as a Democrat — And That’s Might be a Good Thing

The “Scandal” That Isn’t

So apparently the big “scandal” is that Tim Ryan — yes, that Tim Ryan — isn’t registered as a Democrat. He’s an unaffiliated voter in Ohio, even though he’s thinking about running for governor as a Democrat.

People are treating this like it’s some massive revelation. But let’s remember who we’re talking about. Tim Ryan spent two decades representing the Youngstown area in Congress. He ran one of the most hard-fought, well-funded Senate campaigns Ohio has seen in a generation against J.D. Vance — and lost, sure, but he ran that race on ideas. He ran it talking about working people, unions, manufacturing, and bringing jobs back to Ohio.

Now, because he’s not a registered Democrat, people are clutching their pearls like he betrayed the tribe. It’s ridiculous.

Honestly, I think it’s refreshing.

The Trap of Party Politics

Party politics today is a straightjacket. It boxes people into red or blue, D or R, and that’s it. There’s no oxygen left for ideas, only identity. It’s not, “Who’s got the best plan for Ohio?” anymore — it’s, “Which team are you on?”

And when that’s all people care about, real debates die. Candidates used to have to stand up, defend their ideas, argue policy, and win people over. Now? They just hide. They refuse debates because nuance doesn’t fit into a soundbite. Voters don’t reward thoughtfulness anymore — they reward slogans.

It’s “Vote blue no matter who.” It’s “MAGA or bust.” It’s political tribalism at its dumbest.

How the System Is Rigged Before You Even Vote

Here’s what’s really broken: even before a single vote is cast, the game is rigged.

Redistricting makes sure certain candidates win and others can’t. Party insiders decide who “their person” is long before the public even knows there’s a race. Endorsements are handed out months before filing deadlines. Donors follow the party signal. And suddenly, we’ve got what looks like an election but is actually just a coronation.

You’ll hear Democrats brag about protecting democracy, but then watch them undermine it in their own primaries. The party puts its thumb on the scale every single time — whether it’s for a congressional seat, a statewide race, or even the head of the Ohio Democratic Party!! **Cough cough**

Look at what Republicans did in the Ohio gubernatorial primary. They cleared the field for Vivek Ramaswamy and endorsed him way before the filing deadline. They pressured, bullied, or “convinced” everyone else to drop out early and “unify” the party.

That’s not democracy. One choice isn’t democracy.

You’d never walk into a grocery store, see one brand of soda, and say, “Wow, what freedom.” You’d call that what it is — control.

And Democrats are starting to play the same game. Endorsing before primaries. Limiting debates. Picking their favorites and shutting down anyone who challenges them.

Why Being Unaffiliated Takes Courage

So here comes Tim Ryan, unaffiliated, and everyone acts like he’s committed some political sin.

But let’s look at what that really means. It means he’s not just doing “all the Democrat things because that’s what Democrats do.” It means he might actually be trying to reach across the aisle — not as a gimmick, but because he knows Ohio is purple.

He’s not hiding from conservative voters or pretending the other half of the state doesn’t exist. Maybe he talked to a Republican candidate who had a better plan for the local community. Maybe he believes in ideas that aren’t stamped with a D or an R.

That doesn’t make him less of a Democrat. It makes him a realist.

The Problem With “Holding Your Nose”

We’ve all done it — voting for the lesser of two evils. Holding your nose and filling in the bubble for someone you don’t believe in because, “Well, at least they’re a Democrat.”

I’m done with that.

If the choice is between a good Republican and a bad Democrat, I’ll vote for the good Republican every time. I’d rather vote for competence, honesty, and genuine leadership than for a letter next to a name.

We keep talking about “restoring democracy,” but democracy starts with choice. With real primaries. With candidates who have to earn your vote, not inherit it because of backroom deals and donor nods.

What Real Democracy Looks Like

If Democrats want to say they’re the party of democracy, then they’ve got to model democracy. That means no more preordained candidates. No more fake primaries. No more “It’s their turn” endorsements.

We need a robust Democratic primary for governor in 2026. I want to see Tim Ryan on that stage. I want to see others, too — people with real ideas, real plans, and the guts to debate them.

Ohio deserves that.

The only way to pull voters back from the fringe is to show them there’s an alternative — a party that can govern like adults, that listens, and that fights for Ohio’s future without becoming a cult.

But we can’t do that if our own system is rigged.

So yeah — Tim Ryan’s unaffiliated status doesn’t make him a traitor. It makes him independent. It means he may not be just a company man for the Democratic Party.

It tells me he’s willing to stand in the gray area, to have conversations with people who don’t already agree with him. It tells me he’s still thinking.

And if that’s the kind of candidate who steps into the 2026 governor’s race, then good. We need more of that. We need Democrats who are Democrats by principle, not by paperwork.

Because if democracy means anything at all, it means choice. It means competition. It means ideas.

One choice isn’t democracy. It’s control. And Ohio Deserves Better.