Determined to keep the Democratic congressional majority in the November midterms, a group of “Hollywood-esque type people who care about politics” is throwing its support behind the U.S. Senate campaign of Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio.
Ryan, who is running against Donald Trump acolyte JD Vance for an open U.S. Senate seat, is expected to raise well over $100,000 at super agent Jay Sures’ Westside house on Wednesday night.
Sures, who was recently promoted to the position of vice chairman and board member at United Talent Agency, told TheWrap that the Ohio race is “certainly one of the most, if not the most important senate race where the Democrats can pick up a seat.”
Co-chairs at the event include UTA founding partner and board member Peter Benedek, Craig Hunegs, operating partner at private equity firm ZMC, and Hunegs’ wife Sara Goodman, a TV producer who worked on “Gossip Girl” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
On Thursday, Ryan will headline a morning gathering co-hosted by actor Brian Tyler Cohen, comedian Howie Mandel and his wife Susan, “Seal Team” producer Sarah Timberman, “21 Jump Street” producer David Levinson and his wife Ellie Herman, a TV writer/producer who worked on “Jericho,” “Desperate Housewives” and “The $treet.”
“I’ve been friends with Tim, and I’m hosting because I think he’s amazing,” Sures said. “He someone I’ve known for awhile. I care about him and I would really like to see him and his family do well.”
Sures acknowledged that some of his motivation was driven by the fact that venture capitalist Vance, who rose to prominence in 2020 after his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” was turned into a Netflix series, is being supported by Donald Trump.
“I don’t like JD Vance,” Sures said. “He’s a full-blown, election-denying Trump guy.”
Sures said he is expecting about 50 people to attend the reception for Ryan.
“It will be the normal crowd: Hollywood-esque type people who care about politics,” Sures said.
