Dayton-area Republicans energized, party chairman says

They stood by the dozens and applauded and cheered when the first Republican president in eight years was sworn into office on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Friday.

Watching on television screens, a crowd of more than 200 gathered at the Dayton Country Club as Donald J. Trump became the 45th president of the United States.

“After the speech, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” said Phil Plummer,

Montgomery County sheriff and chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Party. “So there’s a lot of energy here. People feel relieved. They feel like we’ve got our country back. Let’s give the man a chance.”

Connie Amos, 80, of Centerville, came to the party optimistic about Trump and the nation’s future.

“He was a ray of hope,” the retired Dayton school teacher said. “There was a light at the end of the tunnel that has been closed for quite a while now and I think he’s going to do a great job.”

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On the other side, Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman Mark Owens who had pushed for Clinton to occupy the White House wasn’t as hopeful. He said he was most concerned about Trump’s push to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, without an equal replacement in place.

“What he’s going to do is kick off 18 million to 20 million people and it’s going to be a disaster for our economy and a disaster for our human beings that need the health care,” he said.

Ronald C. Todd II, 49, a former sports agent and a third generation Republican, took heart Trump was president.

“People can have hope now because you have a guy who was never ever a politician at all and became president,” he said. Todd backed Ohio Gov. John Kasich in his Republican presidential bid, but switched to Trump when the businessman won the nomination.

Todd, a member of the Republican National Committee African American Leadership Council, was hopeful Trump will make a difference to empower education, and revitalize and restore hope in urban America.

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“If he has his hand out, the people who feel disenfranchised have to have their hand out too and let’s talk,” he said. “We’re not going to agree on everything, but we’ve got to know what’s best for the country in total.”

Plummer said Trump will restore the power of the people in politics.

“He’s going to take power from politicians in Washington, D.C., and give it back to the people where it belongs,” he said. “That’s tremendous. He’s going to rebuild our schools. He’s going to make our cities safe again. He’s going to give job opportunity and that’s stuff all Americans want.

“We need to rebuild our inner cities,” Plummer added. “We’re all struggling there. There’s a lot of poverty, a lot of gangs, a lot of violence, a lot of drugs. I think (Trump’s) going to really take that seriously. Me, I’m a law and order person so I really liked his law and order perspective on things. We have to secure our borders. We have to make America safe.”

Gary Goldflies, 69, of Centerville, was optimistic Trump had inspired business people and would put the country on the right track and create jobs.

“I think he’ll go something for the economy, which is great,” the former vending machine business owner said.

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