Trump rips Tim Ryan after he drops out of Democratic race

President Trump knocked Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan after he dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary race in a series of tweets Friday, mocking him for his low polling numbers and asserting that he wasn’t “effective” for American workers.

“So Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio has finally dropped out of the race for President, registering ZERO in the polls & unable to even qualify for the debate stage,” Trump tweeted early Friday, a day after Ryan withdrew from the race.

{mosads}“See Tim, it’s not so easy out there if you don’t know what you’re doing. He wasn’t effective for USA workers, just talk!” the president continued.

Ryan framed himself as a progressive working on behalf of middle-class Americans, but his campaign failed to gain any traction and he announced Thursday he would drop out of the race and instead run for reelection in the House.  

Ryan did not qualify for the September or October debates and had difficulty fundraising.

“I got into this race in April to really give voice to the forgotten people of our country: The workers who have been left behind, the businesses who have been left behind, the people who need health care or aren’t getting a quality education, or are saddled by tremendous debt,” Ryan said in a video announcement Thursday.

“I’m proud of this campaign because I believe we’ve done that.”

On Friday, Ryan responded to Trump’s jab by tweeting a picture of the shuttered GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio, which is part of the lawmaker’s congressional district.

This is the view from where I live Mr. President. Empty parking lot. Used to be thousands of jobs. All on your watch. You said not to sell our houses. Same with FoxComm, Carrier. You don’t care about us. Put your phone down & start doing some work for someone other than yourself. https://t.co/6f9AIJLFVG pic.twitter.com/17h8IXaSFS

— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) October 25, 2019

Trump on Friday also likened Ryan to Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who dropped out early on in the race in July, following the first round of debates.

“Another big dropout of the Presidential race was, along with 0% Tim Ryan, 0% @RepSwalwell,” Trump tweeted.

“Such talk and bravado from both, and nothing to show. They stood for nothing, and the voters couldn’t stand by them. Obnoxious and greedy politicians never make it in the end!” he wrote.

Polls have shown former Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren leading the Democratic field, with Warren surging in recent weeks.

Trump has used his campaign rallies to attack specific candidates, including Biden and Warren, and has claimed the economy would falter if any of the Democratic contenders are elected in 2020. 

Updated at 1:38 p.m.