President Barack Obama woos Cleveland at massive rally to promote Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate and Dr. Amy Acton for Ohio governor...Thousands rock Public Auditorium in Cleveland at the rally...By Clevelandurbannews.com, Ohio's Black digital news leader.
\\By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher
CLEVELAND, Ohio-With roughly 10 days left until the Nov. 3 general election, more than 30,000 people packed Public Auditorium to capacity in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, on Sat., Oct. 24, 2026, to hear former President Barack Obama rally his fellow Democrats and stomp for Sherrod Brown for the U.S. Senate, Dr Amy Acton for Ohio governor, and Ohio's statewide Democratic ticket.
It was no doubt the largest rally by Democrats in Cleveland and possibly in Ohio. It exceeded the crowd that gathered in Cleveland for the 2016 Republican National Convention when President Donald Trump was the Republican nominee and went on to beat Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to win both the electoral college and the popular vote.
Before Obama took the stage, several Democrats spoke, including 11th Congressional District Congresswoman Shontel Brown, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Chris Roynane, and AFL-CIO President Liz Schuler.
Dr Acton and Sherrod Brown, a seasoned Democrat seeking a comeback this November after losing his U.S. Senate seat two years ago, also spoke before Brown introduced Obama to applause.
Even Obama seemed somewhat surprised by the unprecedented level of attendance at the rally, likely one of the most well-organized in Cleveland history.
"People are sick and tired of being sick and tired," said Obama, after giving a laundry list of what he says Trump and Republicans have done to hurt America, including a debilitating economy and unnecessary war in Iran. He did not, however, mention Trump by name, instead calling the current president "they," or "them."
He said that Cleveland is the cornerstone of politics, though he failed to mention that Cleveland elected the first Black mayor of a major American city. That being the late Carl B. Stokes, the first Black mayor of Cleveland and of a major American city.
Obama's visit to Cleveland on Saturday was simply icing on the cake for Ohio Dems and their political engine. Both Sherrod Brown and Dr Acton are leading in the polls as the Nov. 3 election nears, alarming Republicans.
A Fox News poll issued just two days ago puts Brown ahead of incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, 57% to 47%, and a Marist Poll released Tuesday shows Acton leading opponent Vivek Ramaswamy, 50% to 43%, among likely voters.
Ohio's former health director under outgoing Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, Acton would become the state's first Democrat to hold the gubernatorial post since Ted Strickland left office in 2011 if she wins this November.
Aside from the key races for governor and Senate, Ohio voters will also decide races for all fifteen of Ohio’s U.S. House seats; statewide offices of attorney general, auditor, treasurer and secretary of state; seats in the Ohio General Assembly; two spots on the state Supreme Court; and a statewide issue that would amend the Ohio Constitution.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most-read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio and in the Midwest.Tel. 216-659-0473. Email-editor@clevelandurbannews.com
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