He Launched His Political Career in Cincinnati -- Now He's Fighting for Health Care Access While

He Launched His Political Career in Cincinnati — Now He's Fighting for Health Care Access While Battling ALS


When Indian Hill resident Victoria Wulsin first met Ady Barkan during her run for a suburban Cincinnati congressional seat in 2006, she was struck by his enthusiasm, eloquence and — perhaps most of all — his talkative nature.

Gearing up for her first general election campaign against incumbent Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District, she enlisted the young Columbia University graduate as her communications director.

“At parades, he’d be the most active person, waving around, passing out flyers up and down the parade line,” Wulsin says. “But, most importantly, his eye was on the prize. ‘What is this about?’ It’s about better government. ‘People before politics:’ he came up with that. Other people have said it, but it’s sort of his brand.”

Barkan is still active and energetic. But he’s working against a relatively new obstacle.

In 2016, four months after the birth of his first child, Barkan was diagnosed with ALS — a progressive neurological disease that breaks down nerves controlling muscle activity. He has dedicated what may be his last days to fighting for affordable health care.

Read more: https://www.citybeat.com/news/news-feature/blog/21020927/he-launched-his-political-career-in-cincinnati-now-hes-fighting-for-health-care-access-while-battling-als