{"id":18264,"date":"2026-01-15T18:53:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T18:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=18264"},"modified":"2026-01-15T18:53:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T18:53:40","slug":"adding-the-right-flavor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/15\/adding-the-right-flavor\/","title":{"rendered":"Adding the Right Flavor"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Donald Perryman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Rev. Donald L. Perryman, Ph.D.
\nThe Truth Contributor<\/p>\n

Variety\u2019s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor. \u2013 <\/em>William Cowper<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Amy Acton named David Pepper as her gubernatorial ticket running mate, the reaction across Ohio\u2019s political class was immediate and pointed: Why him?<\/p>\n

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, endorsed by the Toledo Blade and with a string of three consecutive municipal victories, seemed the conventional choice. On paper, he closely resembled Acton\u2014an efficient manager, especially during tough times.<\/p>\n

Yet statewide campaigns aren\u2019t won on paper. They are won through strategic variety and perfectly-accentuated contrast. David Pepper brings a different flavor, harmonizing experience and expertise in network, fundraising, media access and timing \u2014factors that appear to have determined Acton\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

Early fundraising numbers set the scene. Acton\u2019s campaign raised $1.35 million from nearly 33,000 donations, averaging $24, with over 90 percent under $50, according to published finance reports. Contributions came from all 88 counties, signaling broad grassroots support.<\/p>\n

That enthusiasm faces a hard financial truth, though. Acton\u2019s $1.35 million trails her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, who raised nearly $10 million in late 2025 and almost $20 million for the year, per news reports. So, Acton has work to do to close this gap, raise visibility and maximize funds.<\/p>\n

That is where adding the Pepper fits, like a \u201cflavor harmonizer in a carefully prepared dish \u2014 amplifying umami and adding structure that turns an ordinary dish into a star attraction\u201d \u2014 Pepper brings strategic balance to the ticket.<\/p>\n

A former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party and a nationally recognized author of multiple books on American politics, elections and threats to democratic institutions, Pepper contrasts distinctly with Kapszukiewicz, whose accomplishments are mainly based in local achievements and city governance.<\/p>\n

Kapszukiewicz\u2019s strengths\u2014like Acton\u2019s\u2014reflect crisis management and leadership within a defined jurisdiction. Acton\u2019s statewide experience as Ohio\u2019s medical director during COVID demonstrates her capacity for coordination at the state level, and Pepper adds depth and complementary breadth with statewide party leadership and nationwide political experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is ‘savvy,’ offers powerful media and donor connections, can be featured on national outlets like Fox News or CNN, draws support from ultra-wealthy out-of-state donors and energizes Democratic primary voters with a focus on democracy, institutional integrity and political reform,\u201d as one political insider told me.<\/p>\n

That difference matters as Ohio elections grow more nationalized. The race\u2019s high cost increases the value of a running mate who draws earned media and national donors.<\/p>\n

Another campaign source put it bluntly: \u201cPepper\u2019s got more ‘cred.’ He can raise more money, has a national perspective and appears on national shows like CNN. He offers ‘scale.’ Kapszukiewicz wins locally, but can he appeal beyond Toledo to independents in places like Monclova?\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Blade\u2019s endorsement of Kapszukiewicz, then, rests on Wade\u2019s leadership in local governance, executive experience and strong regional ties\u2014qualities essential for a mayor. In contrast, Pepper addresses the needs of a statewide campaign: amplifying messages across media markets, growing diverse donor bases, and bridging philosophical divides\u2014skills better suited to reaching voters beyond a single region.<\/p>\n

Still, the Acton\u2013Pepper ticket faces an uphill battle.<\/p>\n

With tensions rising and cities on edge, the ticket must turn support into steady funding and visibility to win Ohio votes.<\/p>\n

In a state decided by small margins, David Pepper brings the essential seasoning \u2014and the spark \u2014 that can turn a decent ticket into a winning one.<\/p>\n

Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, PhD, at <\/em>drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Rev. Donald L. Perryman, Ph.D. The Truth Contributor Variety\u2019s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor. \u2013 William Cowper   When Amy Acton named David Pepper as her gubernatorial ticket running mate, the reaction across Ohio\u2019s political class was immediate and pointed: Why him? Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, endorsed by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,252],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[330],"class_list":["post-18264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-opinion","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18264"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18265,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18264\/revisions\/18265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18264"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=18264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}