Representative Tim Ryan and JD Vance had a heated exchange during their Monday night debate for Ohio’s Senate seat when about opioid abuse after Mr Ryan accused Mr Vance of hiring a consultant for his nonprofit who worked for the pharmeceutical industry.
Mr Ryan, the Democratic nominee, hit Mr Vance, the Republican, for a story in the Associated Press reported in August that said that Mr Vance hired an addiction specialist who had ties to Purdue Pharma, which manufactures OxyContin.
“The same drug company Big Pharma, the big drug company that had all the pill mills going, got everybody addicted, 1 million people died, JD,” he said. “And you started a nonprofit that tried to take advantage of people in Ohio. And you know what, all you did with it was launch your political career.”