DAYTON, Ohio — From the opioid crisis to the coronavirus pandemic, Nan Whaley has seen no shortage of challenges during her tenure as Dayton’s mayor, but when she announced her run for governor on Monday, it has caused a mixed bag of reactions.
What You Need To Know
- Dayton Mayor (D) Nan Whaley is running for governor
- Her announcement is stirring a lot of reaction online — positive and negative
- Some support her candidacy, others oppose, claiming she doesn’t have the trust of Dayton
- The 2022 Gubernatorial Election is Nov. 8
During her announcement, she listed several accomplishments she is proud of while serving as Dayton’s mayor — notably working to help unite the city in the wake of the Oregon District mass shooting.
Dion Green is one of those who was directly affected by the shooting — losing his father Derrick Fudge in August 2019.
Green said Whaley has his full support, because she was there for him when his whole world was crumbling down.
“She’s a true leader,” Green said. “I mean, she has been through it all. Like you said, from the Klan rally, to the pandemic to the tornadoes to the mass shooting, to George Floyd, she shows true grit as a leader. She doesn’t care what people think about her, and stands up for what she feels.”
Another accomplishment Whaley noted is the city’s response to the opioid epidemic, and how it was able to cut overdose deaths in half under her leadership.
Jan Lepore-Jentilson is the Executive Director of East End Community Services, a non-profit that has worked to help those struggling with addiction. Lepore-Jentilson said Whaley worked with them to cut overdose deaths down from 566 deaths in 2017 to 291 in 2018.
“I was there,” Lepore-Jentilson said. “I saw the leadership that the mayor exerted. I know it had a very positive impact in our community.”
Not everyone agrees that Whaley is the right person for the job.
The comment section on her Facebook announcement showed the variation of opinions.
One political figure who doesn’t approve of Whaley is Gary Leitzell, a former Dayton mayor, who is running again for the office.
Leitzell said he just doesn’t trust her.
“I’ll be honest, when I saw the announcement, I laughed,” Leitzell said. “I looked at the comments and said the same thing — a lot more negative than positive.”
Leizell said part of the reason he is running again for mayor is because he said the city of doesn’t trust her anymore.
“The reality is, locally, that she, people feel she didn’t do anything for the citizens of the city,” Leitzell said. “They did a lot of stuff downtown, but they neglected the neighborhoods for the last eight years. So there is a lot of vitriol being spewed about Miss Whaley.”
Green said he believes the Dayton community will back Whaley based on her track record in the face of adversity.
“She’s going to have a lot of support, a lot of support. Because actions speak louder than words,” Green said.
He said she has always supported him and the other victims of the Oregon District shooting when others would have walked away.
“She didn’t have to keep the relationship going on,” Green said. “We speak on a regular basis. She’s always there in support, you know, when I’m doing something for guns, or with Mom’s Demand, she’s right there. I see the passion and drive that she’s got. That’s why I’m happy that she chose to run for Governor because she’s going to be a great leader.”
Lepore-Jentleson said no matter who is elected as governor; strong leadership is needed because Ohio still faces many problems ahead.
“The quality of leadership is critically important on this front in regard to drugs,” Lepore-Jentleson said. “Certainly COVID is going to be with us for a while. I mean, there’s so many issues that the leadership is facing right now and will continue in the future.”
