Ground Level, High Stakes: A Conversation with Clermont County Young Democrat Brendan on the Future of Ohio Politics (Featuring Brendan Fraser’s Cinematic Echoes)

• Rainbow_Rocks
• August 2, 2026
• Editorial Features, Politics
• #ColumbusOhio, #DragIsArt, #IndependentJournalism, #RainbowRocks, Brendan Frasier, LGBTQIA+, Ohio Democratic Party, UC
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News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks | RainbowRocks.Space | August 2nd, 2026

With roughly 92 days left before the crucial November elections in Ohio, the political pressure cooker is officially hitting a boiling point. Down in Columbus for the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee meeting ahead of the annual Ohio on the Rise dinner, I sat down for an exclusive, wide-ranging conversation with Brendan, a dedicated Young Democrat hailing from Clermont County.

In an era dominated by hyper-partisan noise and digital outrage, our discussion cut straight to the core of what everyday Ohioans are facing: economic anxiety, rural devastation, bridging political divides, and the looming legislative threats facing the LGBTQIA+ community.

Rooted in Reality: The Economic Devastation of Rural Ohio

News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks: Growing up and living in Clermont County, what do you think people on both sides of the aisle misunderstand about each other the most?

Brendan: People always forget about the local issues that matter. With how our country is still polarized right now, people are talking and ignoring the real issues of education, lack of education, lack of funding for our law enforcement, the poverty rate skyrocketing, and the lack of jobs, especially in Appalachia, that results in mass poverty. And the people in charge, especially Republicans after 16 years of the supermajority, are trying to distract people using culture wars and all that, while ignoring the topic that’s actually facing Ohioans right now.

News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks: Clermont County, Ohio has been dealing with a lot of heavy job loss recently, too.

Brendan: Absolutely. We have done a little bit better with, you know, the suburban area, but in rural areas, it’s absolutely awful. With the closure of Beckjord and Zimmer, that’s caused massive economic devastation, especially in my community. When I went to New Richmond, Ohio, I saw teachers get fired. We had to close the elementary school. So, during that situation, especially in rural Ohio, it’s still having effects on us today.

Finding Common Ground: Economics Over Culture War Distractions

News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks: As a Young Democrat in a Historically Conservative Area in Clermont County, Ohio, how do you approach discussing Local Issues with Neighbors who hold very different political views?

Brendan: So when we talked about the Data Centers in Clermont County, Ohio, people from the Left and Right came together during this massive situation and actually saw that, hey, whether you’re Conservative or a Liberal, you are a human being and that we are facing the same issues, and all we want is to make this Country a better place. Focusing on those local issues in Clermont County, Ohio, and Statewide In Ohio really helps to gain connection between people, putting them on the same side.

Bridging the Gap on LGBTQIA+ Rights and Civil Liberties

When the conversation shifted toward Campus Life, Student Activism, and LGBTQIA+ Advocacy, Brendan offered an honest, grounded perspective on the disconnect sometimes felt between Regional Grassroots Organizers and Campus Movements—while expressing a strong willingness to learn, listen, and build bridges within the LGBTQIA+ Community in Ohio and Southern Ohio.

News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks: When it comes to LGBTQIA+ advocacy, what are some of the practical, day-to-day challenges that you see students facing on campus?

Brendan: I’ve seen a lot of the LGBTQIA+ Ohio UC Campus Students outside on Main Street, protesting. So they’ve been very vocal about it, using their First Amendment rights. But that’s all I know so far because, again, I’m not really close to that group. I don’t really know their LGBTQIA+ Community Issues. But I wouldn’t be opposed to talking to those in the LGBTQIA+ Community when I get back from break on Campus and Statewide. I am willing to understand what’s going on with the Ohio LGBTQIA+ Community issues. I would love to learn more.

Note from the Reporter: This moment underscores a vital truth for Modern Organizing for the Ohio LGBTQIA+ Community. True Allyship isn’t about having all the answers on day one; it’s about humility, listening, and being willing to lock arms with marginalized communities like the LGBTQIA+ Community in Ohio to fight back against Legislative Overreach.

Brendan: Let’s talk about Gay Marriage and how people came together from that. Most people, especially conservatives, saw that it’s all about liberty. They do not want the government telling them what to do. If we control how people get married, it results in: Hey, what else are they going to control? What else are they going to limit? Focusing on Freedom, Smaller Government, and how people can control their own lives really resonates with voters, and it applies directly to current fights.

The Shadow of House Bill 249

News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks: With the Senate holding a Republican Majority, in the Ohio Senate, what do you think House Bill 249 is going to do to the Ohio LGBTQIA+ community if it goes through?

Brendan: That’s a very good question. I haven’t read through all of the House Bill, but willing to read it and learn about how it affects the Ohio LGBTQIA+ community.

News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks: But I can give you a little backstory: they’re basically going to ban drag. I mean, during this crucial time, like, that’s a First Amendment right issue. If you want to walk and do drag, that’s your right, unless you’re on someone else’s private property, obviously. But that’s overboard. It’s kind of sad that we went from the movie Mrs. Doubtfire to this; it’s just a complete change in cultural differences, and it’s kind of hypocritical at this point.

News Reporter – Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks: And the big thing that’s going to change is how Pride looks if it goes through in Ohio. That’s why the LGBTQIA+ Community in Ohio is looking toward leadership like Democratic nominee Amy Acton as Governor to potentially veto it, and the surrounding backlash around her is so crazy.

Brendan: Yeah, absolutely. I have confidence in Democratic Nominee Amy Acton. I believe that she will veto that Legislation in Ohio because she realizes, Hey, this is a violation of Individual Civil Liberties. They have a right to do that if they want. So I have really good confidence that she has the ability and will fight to get people’s rights back.

The Ground Game: Messaging and County Fairs

As the Evening’s Ohio on the Rise dinner approached in Columbus, Ohio, Brendan emphasized that the key to turning the tide in November isn’t just about high-profile ads—it’s about physical presence in forgotten Communities.

Ohio Democratic Party

Brendan: For communities in Southwest Ohio to thrive moving forward, we need to get better at messaging. Also, communicating with people—like actually going and telling people. Honestly, my biggest criticism of ODP is the lack of going to County Fairs. For example, [Republicans] went to the Clermont County Fair yesterday, and there were no Democratic candidates there. I wish Ohio candidates statewide would actually go to county fairs and talk to people there because county fairs are mass gatherings for local communities. Seeing a major candidate in a local area really resonates with people.

This concludes Part 1 of our coverage. With just weeks left before the November showdown in Ohio, News Reporter Kyle Williams – Rainbow Rocks plans to catch back up with Brendan via Zoom for a deeper, part-two dive into grassroots organizing, Clermont County strategy, and protecting queer liberation across the Buckeye State a few weeks after UC in Ohio University begins.