Republican Cuyahoga County executive candidate Lee Weingart has landed the endorsement of a Cleveland Democrat.
Basheer Jones, a former Cleveland City Council member and 2021 mayoral candidate, announced his support for Weingart on Thursday on a street corner in Hough, the neighborhood he once represented on council.
Jones accused Democrats of not doing enough for the county鈥檚 Black neighborhoods. He said he was backing Weingart despite the 鈥渂aggage鈥� of his disagreements with the national Republican Party.
鈥淩esources, that鈥檚 it. That鈥檚 the only 鈥楻鈥� that I care about, is resources,鈥� Jones told media at the corner of East 79th Street and Hough Avenue. 鈥淲hat resources will come into our community?鈥�
The former councilman said he met with Weingart, the head of lobbying firm LNE Group, and believed the Republican understood his concerns about his neighborhood.
鈥淚鈥檓 not turning in my Democratic card, so to speak,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淏ut I am putting the party, locally and nationally, on notice. And that is that there is a shift happening within the Black community. And that shift is, we deserve much more than we鈥檝e been receiving.鈥�
Jones served a single term on council and finished fifth in the seven-way mayoral primary last year. He said he would spread the word about Weingart in the wards that he won last year, which cover the near east and northeast sides of Cleveland.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to be letting them know, 鈥楬ey, don鈥檛 worry about Republican or Democrat. I want you to listen to Lee, hear what he has to say, and if it鈥檚 makes sense, I鈥檓 asking you to follow your heart,鈥� he said.
Jones, who has a substantial social media following, made a similar pitch for then-Council President Kevin Kelley in last year鈥檚 mayoral general election. But that did not stop Justin Bibb from notching substantial victories in majority-Black city neighborhoods.
Weingart said his campaign hopes to win over Democratic voters, particularly on the city鈥檚 East Side. Republicans face an uphill climb in the heavily Democratic county. GOP candidates have lost all three races for Cuyahoga County executive since the position was created as part of a county government overhaul in 2009.
Jones left office when he term was up at the end of 2021. Earlier this year, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish appointed him to serve on the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board.
