Failed Senate candidate Tim Ryan has found a new role playing a fictional senator on PBS, sparking ridicule from Republicans and raising questions about his political relevance after losing to JD Vance in 2022.
At a Glance
- Former Rep. Tim Ryan has joined PBS’s “Breaking the Deadlock: A Power Play” as a fictional senator dealing with a fictional president
- Republican strategist Andrew Surabian mocked Ryan’s participation as “humiliating” and “the closest he will ever get to the US Senate”
- Ryan currently serves as senior adviser for the Progressive Policy Institute’s Campaign for Working Americans
- The show aims to foster bipartisan dialogue by exploring political scenarios outside typical partisan talking points
- Ryan lost his 2022 Senate bid to JD Vance, who is now Vice President
From Failed Senate Bid to Fictional Senator
Former Ohio Representative Tim Ryan has taken on an unusual new role that has conservatives questioning his political judgment. After losing his 2022 Senate race to JD Vance, Ryan has joined PBS’s “Breaking the Deadlock: A Power Play,” where he portrays a fictional senator interacting with a fictional president. The role-playing program is designed to explore political scenarios and potential solutions outside the constraints of actual government positions, but has drawn sharp criticism from Republican commentators.
Republican strategist Andrew Surabian didn’t hold back his assessment of Ryan’s new television role, posting: “Lol Failed former Ohio Senate candidate Tim Ryan has been reduced to playing a US Senator in some crappy show on PBS. Pretty humiliating, but certainly the closest he will ever get to the US Senate.”
Ryan’s Current Political Position
Beyond his PBS role, Ryan currently serves as a senior adviser for the Progressive Policy Institute’s Campaign for Working Americans. The Progressive Policy Institute has deep ties to the Democratic Leadership Council and is associated with the “center-left” Third Way movement, positioning Ryan within the moderate wing of Democratic politics. This advisory role allows him to continue influencing policy discussions despite his electoral defeat.
“We’re like a fighter who’s been fighting too long and they just want to be in a fight. Just like you punch drunk and you’re just throwing punches just to throw them because people are anxious. Okay, let’s kind of get our footing here. We’ve lost a really big election to a guy we shouldn’t have lost to twice. Maybe it’s us, maybe some self-reflection is in order here.”, said Tim Ryan.
Ryan’s comments reflect his belief that Democrats need substantial self-reflection after major electoral losses. This perspective helps explain his willingness to participate in experimental formats like the PBS show, which he hopes will foster deeper political conversations beyond partisan talking points.
The Purpose Behind “Breaking the Deadlock”
Despite the mockery from Republican circles, the PBS program has a stated purpose of encouraging more thoughtful political dialogue. According to Aaron Tang, one of the show’s creators, “Breaking the Deadlock brings together people from across the political spectrum in a way that requires them to go beyond the usual talking points and speak to our core values as Americans.” Ryan appears to view his participation as an opportunity to model bipartisan problem-solving rather than merely partisan posturing.
“Ohio has always been a bellwether, as you know, and there are certain counties, like Stark County and Canton has for years. Tim Russert used to talk about what’s happening in Stark County because that was the bellwether within the bellwether. So the national influence has a great deal of impact on Ohio. There’s 13 different media markets that make their way into Ohio. It’s a very expensive place to run. So the national media has a very big impact here, especially in the rural areas.”, added Ryan.
Ryan’s deep understanding of Ohio’s political landscape and the factors that have shifted it from a swing state to a Republican stronghold informs his perspective on national politics. His experience in the politically volatile Midwest gives him unique insights that he likely brings to both his PBS role and his advisory position with the Progressive Policy Institute.
Ryan’s Political Evolution
Ryan represents a traditional Democratic profile that has become increasingly rare in national politics. Throughout his career, he has maintained skepticism toward free trade agreements that he believes hurt American workers, while evolving on social issues like abortion, moving from a historically pro-life position to pro-choice. He has frequently distanced himself from progressive social agendas that might alienate working-class voters in the Midwest, positioning himself as a moderate within the Democratic Party.
During his failed Senate campaign, Ryan employed a strategy of appealing to what he called the “exhausted majority” of voters tired of extreme partisan politics. His campaign was notable for appearances on Fox News and advertisements featuring Fox personalities praising him, despite being funded largely by progressive donors. This balancing act between progressive financial support and conservative outreach exemplifies the political tightrope Ryan continues to walk in his post-congressional career.
