DAYTON, Ohio — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other U.S. representatives spent Tuesday in Ohio, beginning at Wight-Patterson Air Force Base.

What You Need To Know

  • House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other U.S. representatives spent Tuesday in Ohio

  • McCarthy spent the day with various representatives, including Mike Turner, Troy Balderson and Mike Carey

  • Items discussed included national security, gas prices, inflation and drug trends

“There’s new things happening all the time here that are critical for our security and that’s why it’s important not just to read about it but to be on the ground,” said McCarthy.

McCarthy, CA-23, toured the base with Rep. Mike Turner, OH-10.

Turner is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, and McCarthy voiced his support for Turner to lead that committee if Republicans gain control of the house in November.

Turner explained why he believes the Biden administration’s approach to national security affects Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 

“The signals he’s made around the world of just U.S. weakness are certainly of great concern,” said Turner. “But, here at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, we’re here to strengthen the mission.”

With Memorial Day weekend coming up and many Americans set to travel, McCarthy also addressed gas prices and inflation.

He then headed to Columbus, hosting a round table about the opioid crisis. 

“Fentanyl is now the number one killer of Americans between the age of 18 and 25,” said McCarthy.

Joining him in Columbus were some of Ohio’s Republican U.S. congressional representatives, including Reps. Troy Balderson, OH-12, and Mike Carey, OH-15.

Attorney General Dave Yost was also there, showing Ohio’s drug trends.

“The red line is fentanyl,” said Yost. “You can see this is spiking up again after an initial decrease.”