Rep. Tim Ryan, a potential 2020 contender, announced his support for legalizing marijuana on Friday.
“I’ve been hesitant to support legalizing marijuana in the past,” the Ohio Democrat wrote in an op-ed published by CNN. “But after meeting with countless Ohio families and youth whose lives have been irreparably harmed by a marijuana arrest, I find the social and economic injustices of our marijuana policy too big to ignore.”
“I firmly believe no person should be sentenced to a lifetime of hardship because of a marijuana arrest,” Ryan wrote. “It is morally wrong and economically nonsensical. That is why I am calling for an end to marijuana being used as an excuse to lock up our fellow Americans.”
Ryan remains coy about his 2020 prospects, but he’s left the door open. And many of his colleagues say he’s laying the necessary groundwork for a presidential bid. Ryan’s op-ed pushing for marijuana legalization is another sign that the Midwest lawmaker is interested.
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“The War on Drugs failed the American people,” Ryan said. “It is time for us to take the necessary steps to right our nation’s wrongs.”
The Friday op-ed, however, is unlikely to sway votes in the Democratic caucus if Ryan decides to challenge House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for a second time. The recent primary defeat of Rep. Joe Crowley in New York has created a frenzy among members in the caucus who want to rise up the leadership ranks.
