U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, left, speaks to fellow Republican and primary challenger Bob Carr Tuesday during the Washington County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

MARIETTA – The Washington County Republican Party held its annual Lincoln Day Dinner Tuesday at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta with local and state candidates on hand to speak to those in attendance.

Belpre Mayor Suzan Abdella opened the event by saying she was amazed at how closely the county’s communities are working together, regardless of location, to achieve common goals and improve quality of life for residents. That collaboration, she said, is central to the county’s progress and future success.

“It amazes me how well our county works together no matter what, we’re working together for the same cause,” Abdella said. “We’re helping each other. We’re going to move our county forward.”

U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, from Ohio’s 2nd District, delivered a wide‒ranging speech blending personal biography, family history and a forceful call for rural Ohioans to turn out in the upcoming elections. He said the reason Republicans are in a good position at the moment was because rural America showed up in the last election.

“If the enthusiasm of rural America fails, this moment in history will be lost,” Taylor said. “Rural America has put us in this position to right the ship. Now it must ensure that we do not divert from our course. We must show up”

Washington County Commissioner Eddie Place introduced U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, the keynote speaker at the Washington County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner, Tuesday at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Redistricting will move Washington County from the 6th District to the 2nd in the upcoming term. Taylor framed the 2nd District as firmly aligned with Trump and the “America First” movement.

“Our 2nd District … we love Donald Trump,” he said. “We love the America First agenda. We want to get those things across the finish line. If we don’t maintain the House, we’ll give him half of a presidency. So his name is on the ballot, even though his name won’t be on the ballot”

Taylor defended Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, saying it has been mischaracterized by Democrats.

“What I get tired of hearing from the Democrat side is that this is a tax break for billionaires. It couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said.

Taylor emphasized provisions he said directly benefit working and middle class families, particularly those who take the standard deduction and rely on the child tax credit.

Ohio State Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, spoke to people gathered at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta Tuesday for the Washington County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Roegner is running for state treasurer and faces Jay Edwards in the GOP primary. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“Billionaires don’t use the standard deduction. Lots of people in the 2nd District use the standard deduction that was doubled by the bill,” he said. “Billionaires don’t care about the child tax credit, which was doubled and made permanent.”

Taylor underscored that “every single Democrat voted against” the bill and argued that Democrats’ broader priorities are misaligned with rural America.

He pointed to bills he has sponsored to prioritize rural water infrastructure as ways he’s helping his district.

“As for southern Ohio‒specific priorities, my team and I have sponsored bills to make sure rural Americans get their fair share of federal funding for vital water infrastructure,” he said, noting that one such measure has already passed the House and is now in the Senate.

Taylor also talked about the passage of legislation he called the “Deporting Fraudsters” bill aimed at deporting criminal undocumented immigrants who defraud federal benefit programs. He said this bill will deport “criminal illegal aliens who steal federal benefits that are meant for American citizens” and make sure that they can never enter the country again.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Daniel Hawkins spoke to people at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta Tuesday for the Washington County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

He criticized the large number of Democrats who opposed the measure.

“Believe it or not, 20 Democrats voted for it,” he said. “One hundred eighty-six of them voted against it. One hundred eighty-six of them voted to make sure that illegals continue to be able to steal your SNAP benefits, your Medicaid benefits, your Social Security.”

Taylor is being challenged in the GOP primary by Bob Carr, who also attended Tuesday’s dinner.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com

U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, was the keynote speaker Tuesday at the Washington County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Bob Carr, Republican candidate for Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District, spoke to people gathered Tuesday at the Washington County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)