BILLY SHARP
Ohio House District 10 | Cleveland | billysharp2018.com
Eight Democrats are running for their party’s nomination in House District 10, which includes Downtown Cleveland and neighborhoods such as Ohio City and Tremont. The winner will have no Republican opponent in November. Activist Billy Sharp, who also could become the first openly gay black state lawmaker, is endorsed by Cleveland Stonewall Democrats. Among his priorities, he says, are jobs and job training, healthcare, and bringing state resources back to the district.
MARY B. RELOTTO
Ohio House District 24 | Columbus | votemaryb.com
“Running for office is the most important thing I will ever do in my lifetime,” says Mary B. Relotto, a lesbian Democrat running for the Ohio House in District 24, which includes the Clintonville area of Columbus and the suburbs of Upper Arlington and Hilliard. Relotto, the founder of Dames Bond, a women’s business network, has identified small-business development, education, equality and mental health as issues she wants to address. She’s running against two other candidates in the Democratic primary. Former Upper Arlington City Council member Erik Yassenoff is the Republican candidate.
JOHN MCMANUS
Ohio House District 41 | Dayton | FB: John McManus for State Representative
The vice president of the Dayton Board of Education says he sees first-hand the impact of state policies on local schools. “We need less testing and more room for creativity and career education in our local schools,” he says. McManus is a gay Democrat challenging incumbent Republican James Butler in Ohio House District 41, which includes the Dayton neighborhood of Belmont, the suburbs of Oakwood and Kettering, and the community of Centerville.
ZACH DICKERSON
Ohio House District 42 | Miamisburg | votezach.com
Civility between Democrats and Republicans is important to Zach Dickerson. He’s a Democrat, and his family are Republicans. The openly gay market research manager for LexisNexis faces Wright State University student Autumn Kern in the May primary. Four Republicans, including incumbent Niraj Antani, are running for the GOP nomination. The 42nd District includes Miamisburg, West Carrollton, Moraine and other parts of southern Montgomery County.
GARRETT BALDWIN
Ohio House District 85 | Mechanicsburg | FB: Garrett Baldwin for HD-85
Garrett Baldwin could start his political career before he begins his actual career. The Mechanicsburg High School senior is unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face the winner of a four-way GOP primary that includes incumbent Nino Vitale. The district includes Urbana, Bellefontaine and parts of Champaign, Logan and Shelby counties. Baldwin’s priorities include public education and directing adequate resources to fight Ohio’s opioid crisis.
TAYLOR SAPPINGTON
Ohio House District 94 | Nelsonville | sappingtonforohio.com
“Person by person, street by street, we are going to reach out…to help empower residents in Southeast Ohio,” promises Taylor Sappington, a Nelsonville City Council member who is challenging incumbent state Rep. Jay Edwards, a Republican. Sappington, an openly gay Democrat, is running in Ohio House District 94, which includes Athens and portions of Athens, Meigs, Washington and Vinton counties. Among his proposals: closing tax loopholes in order to raise money to improve roads and rural internet access.
NICKIE ANTONIO
Ohio Senate District 23 | Lakewood | nickieantonio.com
The first openly gay person elected to the Ohio House is running this year to become the first openly gay person elected to the Ohio Senate. Nickie Antonio, a Lakewood Democrat, has served four House terms and has introduced nondiscrimination bills in every session. She vows to continue advocating for the LGBTQ community in the Senate. She faces a primary challenge from fellow state Rep. Martin Sweeney of Cleveland. The winner will have no Republican challenger in the fall. The 23rd Senate District includes West Side Cleveland neighborhoods, Lakewood, Parma and other areas of Cuyahoga County.
MELINDA MILLER
Ohio Senate District 31 | Granville | melindaforohio.com
Melinda Miller touts her experience as a teacher, waitress, line cook, small-business person, mom and community organizer. Her opponent, incumbent state Sen. Jay Hottinger, has held public office since 1992. The bi Democrat, who’s unopposed in the May primary, wants to raise the minimum wage, strengthen environmental protection and emphasize treatment over punishment in addressing Ohio’s opioid crisis.
RICK NEAL
U.S. House District 15 | Columbus | rickneal.com
Out and Running
Eleven LGBTQ candidates are seeking local, state and federal offices this year. By Bob Vitale Even in bright red Licking County, where Donald Trump won 62 percent of the vote in 2016, Jeremy Blake sees a blue wave building. “There’s just so much energy, particularly among people who have been marginalized,” says the Newark City Council member, who’s running this year for a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives. If that anti-Trump wave washes over Ohio—we’ll get our first indication in the state’s May 8 primary—about a dozen LGBTQ candidates could benefit. Blake, who would become the first openly gay black member of the General Assembly, sees LGBTQ voters as part of the coalition that’s fired up and ready to send a message when they cast ballots this year. While more LGBTQ legislators in Columbus would boost the prospects for long-stalled legislation to expand Ohio’s nondiscrimination laws, it’s broader issues such as healthcare, jobs and government inertia that candidates are talking about. In Newark, cuts in state aid to local governments have reduced police and fire staffing to their lowest levels in 30 years. “Decisions happening at the Statehouse are not helping people,” Blake says. “We need a change in leadership.”
Taking on the Republican who’s running his party’s efforts to maintain control of the U.S. House is no small task. But pundits keep re-evaluating Democrat Rick Neal’s odds against four-term Rep. Steve Stivers. Neal is talking about jobs, healthcare, infrastructure and education, but the contrast with Stivers also is pronounced on LGBTQ issues. The Democrat is openly gay and endorsed by the Victory Fund; Stivers has not scored a single point in Human Rights Campaign ratings over four terms in Congress.
LIS KENNETH REGULA
Portage County Auditor | Kent | regulaforportageauditor.com
The first transgender Ohioan to seek elected office, Lis Kenneth Regula is running for auditor in Portage County. He’s a biologist and University of Akron faculty member, a mentor at Kent State University’s LGBTQ Center and former chairman of the Kent Environmental Council. Regula says he would work to modernize county government processes and make it more efficient.
JEREMY BLAKE
Ohio House District 71 | Newark | jeremyblakeforohio.com
Bob Vitale is the editor of Prizm. Follow him on Twitter @Bob_Vitale or email him at bobvitale@prizmnews.com.
Jeremy Blake, who works for Denison University, is a Democrat running in Ohio House District 71, which covers Newark and other parts of Licking County east of Columbus. He’s unopposed in the primary and will challenge incumbent Republican Scott Ryan in November. The second-term Newark City Council member wants to address healthcare and job opportunities, and he says the state needs to be a partner again with local governments in Ohio.
April 2018 PRIZMnews.com |
19