JD Vance accused of profiting from opioid epidemic in bitter Ohio Senate debate

Opioid abuse is intensely personal in Ohio, where thousands of families have lost loved ones

Tim Ryan and JD Vance taking part in debate ahead of election for US Senate seat in Ohio (Fox 8)

Representative Tim Ryan and JD Vance had a heated exchange during their Monday night debate for Ohio’s Senate seat when asked about opioid abuse after the Democrat accused his Republican opponent of hiring a consultant for his nonprofit who worked for the pharmaceutical industry.

Mr Ryan accused his Mr Vance, the Hillbilly Elegy author, over a story in the Associated Press reported in August that said that he had hired an addiction specialist with ties to Purdue Pharma, which manufactures OxyContin.

“The same drug company Big Pharma, the big drug company that had all the pill mills going, got everybody addicted, one million people died, JD,” Mr Ryan said. “And you started a nonprofit that tried to take advantage of people in Ohio. And you know what, all you did with it was launch your political career.”

Mr Vance responded by taking exception and highlighted by how his mother suffered from addiction and said that Mr Ryan had taken money from pharma companies.

“It's paid by pharmaceutical blood money because the very same corporations that caused this poison to come into our country in the first place have funded your campaign to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars,” the Republican said.

Opioid abuse is intensely personal in Ohio since many people died from addiction in the state. Mr Vance also used the point to accuse Mr Ryan of being weak on immigration.

“Why are the people who've gotten rich off the opioid epidemic funding Tim Ryan and attacking me,” Mr Vance said. “Because this guy is the biggest fan of pharma and he's the biggest fan of illegal pharma, which is the Mexican drug cartels that are bringing this poison into our country.”

Mr Ryan responded by saying that he did not vote with the pharmeceutical industry, noting how he voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which allows for Medicare to negotiate drug prices.

“So time and time again,” he said, “I have voted against the pharmaceutical but this is the smoke and mirrors that our guy likes to put up here.”

Mr Ryan also broke from other Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris for saying that the US-Mexico border is secure and said he wants to label fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction.