For Publication:
My name is Matt Diemer – the Ohio Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate for Ohio’s Seventh Congressional District. Our country has real problems, and we need serious public servants capable of delivering bipartisan solutions, regardless of party politics. And I am in this race to Make Congress Work Again. This is not an aspiration; it is a necessity.
Unfortunately, our current Congressman – Max Miller – has proven he is not that person. Instead of pushing his party to move on a bipartisan border deal, Miller is trading barbs with Matt Gaetz on X. Instead of protecting IVF and respecting the majority of our district that voted to secure reproductive freedom, Miller celebrated the fall of Roe v. Wade. And instead of working with the Biden administration to negotiate peace in the Middle East, Miller suggested that Gaza be “eviscerated” and “turned into a parking lot.”
If we want to make Congress work again, then our district needs better than Max Miller. So the question is, who is the best candidate to defeat Miller and ensure our district has a representative who will work for solutions, rather than obstructing them; fight for our values, rather than undermining them; and put the residents of Ohio’s Seventh first, rather than playing partisan games? I am writing today to explain why I am that candidate, address some questions regarding the March 19 Democratic primary, and update you on what I have been doing since I first ran for this seat in 2022.
I was born and raised in Cleveland to working-class parents who taught my siblings and me faith, perseverance, and commitment. Though we struggled, I was able to work my way to a political science degree at the University of Hawaii. From there, I studied for an MBA and launched a successful international career in China and Taiwan before returning home to Cleveland where I run a small business.
In 2022, my team and I launched our first campaign for this seat. From the start, we were underrated, facing an expected red wave in a district already gerrymandered to lean Republican. However, with the coalition we built with grassroots Democratic clubs, citizens groups, and people all over Ohio’s Seventh District, we exceeded expectations. We won the Cuyahoga County portion of this district, and pulled off one of the best-performing congressional races for this district in the past decade.
Even though I lost the race, I refused to sit at home and withdraw. On the contrary, I went out and ensured I was helping in any way I could to advance Democratic ideals within our district. I worked with Dave Brock, the chair of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, to start a YouTube channel and podcast, volunteering my time and expertise to produce them. This allowed us to reach new audiences and tell them about different Democratic candidates, issues, and ideas from people all over our district. I then worked hard on Issue One in August, as well as collecting signatures, speaking with constituents, delivering signs, and standing at polling locations to advocate for abortion rights on the November ballot.
People say that only a moderate can win this district. What exactly does that mean? From a policy standpoint, I am passionate about issues such as healthcare, funding infrastructure, and allowing people to make decisions about their own bodies, while I also hold conservative views on controlling the budget. From an efficacy standpoint, I understand that dialogue with people with whom I disagree is the only way to find common ground. Take, for example, my mother, who is Republican, very conservative, and a Trump supporter. There’s nothing I like better than giving her a phone call and discussing what we saw on the news today. More often than not, we can find middle ground where we both agree, and sometimes our only disagreements are over semantics.
That is the type of moderation I embrace – finding common ground and acting on it, even if my own party disagrees for political reasons. But such moderation cannot come at the expense of the most important issues to me. I will not waver in believing that people deserve good healthcare, nor in supporting labor and working to pass the PRO Act. I will never support a “compromise” 15-week national abortion ban – because doing so is not “moderate,” but rather a death sentence for countless women and families already facing difficult circumstances. I will not sacrifice good, affordable education, or the ability to find a great job in the vocations and trades. And I will always maintain that the United States should prioritize negotiating peace and diplomacy well before supplying different countries with bombs.
Finally, I recognize that Americans are tired of watching our fellow citizens suffer while our tax dollars are misused by Congress. How many times can we hear about dirty water in Flint, Michigan, or see different parts of Cleveland needing infrastructure and investment while taxpayer money goes to build stadiums? How many times can we witness destruction and devastation of our neighbors in East Palestine, Maui, and other natural or man-made disasters across the United States, and just hope that our taxpayer money and resources go to help our fellow Americans? Americans get frustrated when we see red tape, bureaucracy, and
slow-moving progress in aiding our fellow citizens. I will not soften my stance when tragedy strikes; American friends, family, and fellow patriots should come first.
Making Congress Work Again is about finding this voice in Washington, D.C., a place full of super PAC money, lobbyists, insider stock trading, and policies that directly counter the interests and desires of the American people. It’s about not going quietly about my business day-to-day, wishing bad things didn’t happen. It’s about standing up for a better America, the America that we all know can exist if people’s voices are heard and Congress actually acts with the American
people in mind. Congress is broken. And the only way to make it work again is to elect better voices who will challenge everyone in Washington, D.C., to Make Congress Work Again!
As for my “Democratic” primary opponent, there is only one reason he jumped into the race: the Republicans saw the momentum from grassroots Ohioans winning in August and November for the ideas that we hold dear. They know that if we can maintain the same level of enthusiasm and momentum, we can pull off an upset against Max Miller in November. Why else would a registered Republican, who does not live in the district, who has only donated to Republican candidates the past 10 years, sits on the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County’s executive committee, and is on the record praising Bernie Moreno (who just happens to be Max Miller’s father-in-law), run in the Democratic primary?
In 2022, Max Miller outspent our campaign 10 to 1. He spent $3 million to our roughly $300,000 and still, he could not win Cuyahoga County. So, it only makes sense they would send a spoiler into the primary to siphon resources. Because they know that if the grassroots momentum they saw in August and November exists in 2024, then Matt Diemer will be the next congressman for Ohio’s Seventh District.
I want to thank everyone who supported me in the past and for all the hard work everyone has done over the past couple of years on the issues that Ohio is facing. This is not just one man’s campaign, but a grassroots groundswell of people coming together to send a message to Washington. It’s time to Make Congress Work Again. Learn more at www.diemerforcongress.com.
Diemer for Congress, P.O. Box 40042, Bay Village, Ohio 44140
