I started to write this article after I surveyed two of my classes, and of the people I surveyed, only about 4% could name two candidates for Governor. I was worried by this result; some of these people could already vote, and most would be able to in two short years at the latest. So, I’ve racked my brain to come up with a way to get people more interested – or at least lessen the work of voting – and this is what I’ve come up with. I’ve tried to base this of of what teens would be most interested in and affected by. This is a high schooler’s guide to the election.
The issues I have picked are based off of what would affect teens most, what they care about ( as based upon a survey I took of one of my classes) and what are the most pressing issues for Ohioans. My research included campaign websites, Ohio newspaper stories, candidate statements and past bills.
For the purpose of this article, I have chosen not to tell the candidate’s political party in the first part of the story. I have chosen to do this in an attempt for people to open their mind to new ideas, and genuinely think about a candidate’s ideas, plans and credibility.
I sincerely hope this not only makes information more navigable and easy to access, but that it also interests you in the ideas, actions and effects they will inevitably have on our lives.
Voting takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.
*A candidate’s answers to my questions that I asked are in italics. I did contact every candidate I did an overview of, but only some got back to me. If they did, I have published their responses in full.
Richard Cordray – Governor
Overview
Mr. Cordray was born in Grove City. Has a law degree from University of Chicago, a master’s from Oxford University and has clerked for two U.S Supreme Court justices.
Credibility
Mr. Cordray has served as Ohio’s Treasurer, a Ohio State Representative, Ohio’s first Solicitor General, and represented Ohio in front of the State and National Supreme Court. He has served as Ohio’s Attorney General, and served as the first ever Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (a position in which he returned money to taxpayers from large financial institutions).
Education
Mr. Cordray has several priorities including expanding social and health services, reducing state testing, getting adequate funding for schools, attracting and retaining good teachers, purging for-profit charter schools of corruption, making school funding more transparent, and respecting local control.
Let’s reduce standardized testing, and we need to flunk failing charter schools, and get their money back into the public schools — Richard Cordray, Gubernatorial Candidate
Guns
There is a six-step plan Mr. Cordray outlines with the aim to reduce gun violence:
1) Require universal background checks.
2) Ban the sale of high capacity magazines and bump stocks (an attachment that makes a semi-automatic fully automatic).
3) Align minimum age for purchasing firearms as 21 for all guns.
4) Enhance safety in schools and reduce suicide.
5) Appoint a gun violence prevention czar.
6) Create gun violence task forces.
Environmental Issues
Mr. Cordray plans to focus on creating jobs and increasing clean energy use in Ohio, especially investing in solar and wind, and incorporating farmers and schools in these efforts.
Women’s Issues
If elected, Mr. Cordray had promised to create a commission on gender equality for women and girls, with the goal to create equal opportunities for women and girls across the state.
Opioid Crisis
There is a five-step plan that Mr. Cordray outlines:
1) Implement a ‘state of emergency’ protocol, forcing coordination between state, federal and local governments.
2) Further fund research, supplies, training, and continue to expand Medicaid.
3) Expand prevention and treatment.
4) Provide support for families and children.
5) Create broader economic opportunities.
Interview (conducted by me via phone)
How do you plan to improve education in Ohio? Especially for high school students?
First, “We need to do more for early childhood intervention… many students get to kindergarten and are already left behind at that point, so we need more home visits, more early intervention, more strengthening of the foster-care system, which is really overtaxed right now with the opioid crisis.” On K-12, “Let’s reduce standardized testing, and we need to flunk failing charter schools, and get their money back into the public schools.” And beyond K-12 he says, “We need to find ways to make higher education more affordable, in particular training and apprenticeships so people can find pathways to the middle class whether or not they go to college, and particularly without building up a big anchor of student loan debt in order to get skills that are marketable in the workplace.”
Do you plan to address the school shooting problem, and if so, how?
“As we’ve seen, it’s not a problem that’s limited to schools — it’s been happening in a lot of places in our society. We have to be able to feel safe, and in schools in particular, I do think school resource officers are helpful… and to me that’s very important for schools.” He also stated in regards to guns, “I don’t think we can talk about gun violence without talking about guns. Cracking down on guns getting into the hands of criminals, and the mentally ill, and domestic violence abusers – which is universal background checks. [They] are well accepted by most people, including most gun owners, as a reasonable approach to reducing gun violence. There are also so called red-flag courts, in which a court can take away a gun if it is ruled they are a danger to themselves or others…it is very clear these save lives.” Mr. Cordray would also like to ban things that turn legal weapons into illegal fully-automatic weapons such as bump stocks or high-capacity magazine clips that modify these weapons.
How do you plan to help minority and LGBTQ youth?
Mr. Cordray says he plans to push towards equality in the state. “For example, it’s still law in Ohio that you can be fired from your job for being LGBTQ or you can be ousted from public housing at any age, if you’re LGBTQ. I think those things are wrong, and I think it’s time we had equality in Ohio.” In regards to youth, he says “I’ve seen legislation proposed… that if a teacher learns that a student is LGBTQ (especially transgender) they can out them to their parents…I think we should have more of a live and let live approach.”
What is your stance on standardized testing for K-12?
“I think that standardized testing has gotten completely out of control in Ohio…it’s too many. We should reduce to the federal minimum, and then seek waivers from the federal government to go below that. It’s been 30 years of standardized testing, and when you get out of school, it’s not a skill that is relevant in a workplace…and that’s what we need to push education more towards.” He also states that teachers know their students, and when teachers are having to teach to prepare students for standardized testing and not what teachers think they should be doing, this inhibits a teacher’s ability to teach and a student’s ability to learn.
How do you plan to advance college opportunities for students going or wanting to go into college?
“So when you say opportunities, it’s not just opportunities but opportunities that are affordable, that are within reach of middle class families. Ohio has slipped down from where we’re now 45th out of 50 states in college affordability, and that’s a dangerous sign for the future of this state.” Mr. Cordray plans to work on offering more college credit availability to high school students, strengthening 2+2 programs, where students start in a community college for two years then transfer their credits to a four-year college or university, work on access to student loans and grants, FAFSA completion, and optimizing good advice for students and families looking into loans or grants, and work with four-year colleges and universities to hold down tuition costs, and avoid pricing out lower – income students.
Richard Cordray’s website is here.
If you wish to contact his campaign, you can do so here.
Mike DeWine – Governor
Overview
Mr. DeWine was raised in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he meet his future wife. He went to Miami University, and has served in many public service appointments in Ohio.
Credibility
Mr. DeWine has served as the Greene County Prosecuting Attorney, in the Ohio State Senate, in the United States House of Representatives, as Ohio Lieutenant Governor and in the United States Senate.
Education
Mr. DeWine has a plan that focuses on these main points – reducing standardized testing, creating a more equitable funding system, modernizing technology in classrooms, incentivizing shared services across districts, assessing accountability for online schooling, K-12 drug prevention, accessing mental health professionals. There is also emphasis on exposure for students to colleges and skill work, as well as supporting low income students and making grants more accessible.
Guns
Mr. DeWine does not outline a specific plan for guns; however on he does outline a plan to keep schools safe (that plan does not include gun control or arming teachers).
Environmental Issues
Mr. DeWine does not outline any plans dealing with environmental issues on his website. However as quoted in the Columbus Dispatch, “DeWine sees a responsibility to protect natural resources and Ohioans’ health, but dislikes what he calls ‘government overreach’ from Washington, D.C. He noted he fought Obama administration action to extend clean-water standards to even small creeks and streams. He also fought against federal attempts to reduce pollution from coal-fired power plants.” Mr. DeWine’s views on coal, also according to the Columbus Dispatch are as follows: “DeWine supports the full range of energy options, including nuclear and natural gas, and wants Ohio to move to develop an energy grid that can provide renewable power for companies that value going green.”
Women’s Issues
Mr. DeWine has stated that finding rape kits were a priority. One of his spokesmen, according to the Toledo Blade has said “It’s no secret that Attorney General DeWine is anti-abortion and supports measures restricting abortion. But Mr. DeWine also championed efforts to secure justice for victims of sexual violence, the majority of which are women.”
Opioid Crisis
Mr.DeWine has a 12 point plan to help overcome the drug problem in Ohio:
Point 1: Pass legislation to give the Governor the ability to declare a public health emergency statewide or in specific areas.
Point 2: Create a 21st Century law enforcement data infrastructure.
Point 3: Expand proven drug task force models.
Point 4: Create at least 60 more specialized drug courts.
Point 5: Implement Proven K-12 grade drug prevention education in all Ohio schools.
Point 6: Double substance use treatment capacity in Ohio.
Point 7: Expand workforce of critical specialists.
Point 8: Empower employers to help employees with substance abuse disorder to seek treatment while remaining employed.
Point 9: Help business owners hire employees in recovery by offering employers incentives and reducing risks.
Point 10: Roll-out a statewide drug prevention media campaign.
Point 11: Create a special position reporting directly to the Governor.
Point 12: Expand early intervention programs that target Ohio families and children in foster care.
Mr.DeWine’s website is here.
You can contact Mr. DeWine here.
Travis M. Irvine – Governor
Overview
Mr. Irvine was born in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Ohio University. He also has a degree from the Columbia Journalism School. His political writings have been featured on Guardian, Vice, and HuffPost.
Credibility
Mr.Irvine has run for Mayor of his hometown, interned on Capital Hill and run for U.S Congress, 12th district.
Education
Mr. Irvine has called for increased accountability in the schooling system, more local control, and flexibility for individual students, with assessments being used to ascertain individual needs.
School performance should be evaluated on measuring the actual advancement of students, not just a percentage of the student body that reaches some arbitrary line, in the same way that school funding should not be based on just the property taxes of a district. — Travis M. Irvine, Gubernatorial Candidate
Guns
Mr.Irvine supports the second amendment, and people’s right to own a gun for hunting and self defense and supports training being required to own a firearm.
Environmental Issues
I could not find a statement from Mr.Irvine or a spokesperson on this issue; however if you are interested, you can contact his campaign here.
Women’s Issues
I could not find a statement from Mr.Irvine or a spokesperson on this issue; however if you are interested, you can contact his campaign here.
Opioid Crisis
Mr.Irvine wants to legalize marijuana – which has been claimed will help the crisis – as well as rolling back medicaid and implementing “free markets” to drive down costs.
Interview – (conducted by me over email)
How do you plan to improve education in Ohio? Especially for high school students?
“We need to allow the variety of schools in our state to determine how best they can improve the K-12 education in their own districts and then remove any restrictions that keep them from doing so. We cannot pursue a top-down approach and must reform how our schools are funded, so that poorer districts still have the monetary means to maintain their programs as they see fit and richer districts don’t reap all the benefits. There cannot be a ‘one size fits all’ approach to school funding or curriculum, and we need to reduce the amount of standardized testing on students, increase parents’ access to school choice and reduce the amount of corrupt charter and online schools that only waste taxpayer money without producing any real results. Ohio’s schools have plummeted in the nationwide rankings under the Republicans, but the typical Democrat solution of throwing more money at the problem won’t solve it — we need real, innovative education reform to set the standard for the rest of the nation.
This is an issue that has solutions on many levels — as someone who prospered academically in a well-funded public school in a wealthy suburb (although my parents were certainly of modest income) I was able to start in kindergarten with a good start thanks to the preparation I received at home and I never had to attend a preschool. This being said, I understand that low-income children may not be so lucky, and that’s why we need to cut spending from other inefficient areas in our state’s education system and invest what we can afford into more of these programs in the districts that need them. These tax dollars will indeed be better used in this capacity and pay higher dividends in the long-run, as these types of programs are certainly a better investment than entities like ECOT. Let’s not forget that it would also be good to relieve as much of the economic pressure as possible that low-income families feel in their districts by improving the state’s economy to work for everyone and reducing the drug crisis that ravages many of these communities, leaving some children without better options before they get to school.
I certainly support school choice and leaving decisions on how best to educate children to parents. We also must find a way to reform school funding and not punish people who send their children to private schools or home school by essentially making them pay twice — via property taxes and any additional fees. They should be able to have a tax credit applied as needed based on where their children receive their education. That being said, as the ECOT scandal shows, charter schools or any other online school that receives taxpayer funds must be properly audited in how they use our money — then we’ll know how they’re using it and if our funds are being abused for the personal wealth of rich donors to Republicans and Democrats.”
Why are you a better alternative than a main party candidate?
“I am running because we desperately need a pro-freedom alternative to the political duopoly that has failed Ohio and America for the last 50 years or so. As a millennial entrepreneur, no other candidate for governor has the vested interest in Ohio’s future that I do. I plan on improving our state’s economy by reducing taxes and regulations on small businesses, and will cut wasteful spending from our state’s budget. I also would like to legalize marijuana for adults and implement common sense criminal justice reforms to battle our state’s opioid crisis, which will save both money and lives in the long run. I will work to rollback the costly and corrupt Medicaid expansion program over an appropriate amount of time, and create free market based healthcare solutions to bring down the costs of insurance and prescription drugs. Ohioans deserve a fresh voice against the establishment Republicans and Democrats in Columbus, and it is vital that we maintain ballot access for the Libertarian Party for the next four years so voters can have another option besides the status quo. After 2016, politics in our country have changed forever — millennials are responding to the Libertarian Party message and I believe we are the future of politics in America.”
Do you plan to address the school shooting problem?
“We need to empower schools, teachers, and school counselors to identify students who are being bullied or who may have serious mental health problems and get them the help they need to feel safe and get better and to protect all students. Gun-free zones are not effective and gun control efforts don’t reduce gun violence, as gun violence is only committed by those who don’t obey the existing laws against murder and assault anyway. It’s yet another area where I and my liberal friends disagree, and while I’m no fan of the NRA or it’s lobbying efforts, at the end of the day the only thing that ends up stopping a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun. Any laws that would restrict gun ownership by citizens who have the right to self defense will not happen on my watch — we have very low gun violence compared to other states, and the best way to keep it that way is by maintaining responsible and constitutional gun access laws in our state. We simply cannot reduce gun violence by restricting lawful citizens’ access to guns.”
How do you plan to help minority and LGBTQ youth?
“Libertarians believe that each and every individual has the right to be in charge of his or her own life, and for that reason we tend to think of people and their rights not in terms of groups but in terms of individuals. People should have the right to identify with and be part of any group they wish as long as everyone’s choices are voluntary, and no one should be bullied or punished for voluntary, peaceful actions or beliefs, so schools should be a safe place where everyone’s potential is encouraged and no one should be persecuted or given preferential treatment. From its founding in 1971, the Libertarian Party has opposed government defining or restricting marriage or other relationships between consenting adults, something the other parties are just now catching up with after 40 years.”
What is your stance on standardized testing across K-12?
“School performance should be evaluated on measuring the actual advancement of students, not just a percentage of the student body that reaches some arbitrary line, in the same way that school funding should not be based on just the property taxes of a district. It is imperative that students continue to advance academically, regardless of their starting point or what economic background they come from. By removing ‘one size fits all’ standardized tests that prove nothing and instead measuring individual student advancement in districts across the state, then schools can evaluate where certain students need extra assistance and can tutor them accordingly. Above all, I don’t believe a Governor has all the answers to our educational woes and that’s why I oppose Kasich’s proposed plan to bring the control of schools to be under the governor’s office, and I also oppose any Democrat plans to just throw more money at the problem. We need serious education reform in this state in terms of how we fund our schools and how we rank them to make them better, and we must eliminate any wasteful spending on online and charter schools that only makes the problems worse.”
How do you plan to advance collage opportunities for students going or wanting to go into collage?
“As a millennial who is $50,000 in student debt myself, I know that this crisis is looming over my generation and only getting worse to the tune of over $1.3 trillion total. We need to hold more colleges accountable so they don’t waste student dollars on frivolous spending and control their operating costs — then they don’t need to charge young people such large amounts of money for what is sometimes an inefficient education. We must also make it easier for students to earn more AP credits in high school, opt for vocational training or get into community colleges since the education provided at some of these alternative institutions is often more beneficial than the education they get at the more expensive schools.
I want to grow the relationship between community colleges and the business community. We have schools across the state that are geared toward efficient post-secondary skills training, but we need to be sure those schools are actively pushing training that our businesses are asking for. We must ensure that state programs built around increasing jobs are open and transparent, to increase the trust in them and account for how taxpayer dollars are being spent. We also need to deregulate small businesses and allow the young workforce to connect with business leaders who need the skills they’re looking for — many young people in Ohio are certainly skilled, but it’s a matter of letting them figure out their own innovative small businesses or bringing the right businesses to Ohio for them to work for. We need to provide an environment that allows the business leaders of the future to flourish and develop their skills as they see fit — not just focus on the skills and business leaders of the past.”
Mr.Irvine’s website is here.
You can contact Mr. Irvine here.
Constance Gadell – Newton – Governor
Overview
Mrs. Gadell-Newton was born in Belleville, Illinois. She graduated from Ohio State with a bachelor’s degree in 2002. She has a law degree from Penn State. She was admitted to the Ohio Bar, and practices law in Columbus. She specializes in cases involving parents or children suffering from neglect or abuse situations.
Credibility
Mrs. Gadell – Newton holds a bachelor’s and a law degree. She has practiced law in Ohio in multiple court systems since 2008. She also advocates and works on behalf of her party.
Education
Mrs. Gadell-Newton wants to provide more relief for college debt, funding for college students, public schools (K-12) teachers, and provides funding for gifted/advanced programs, arts, and extracurriculars. Mrs. Gadell – Newton also plans to engage performance reviews and academic standards and use the information to work towards learning goals, remove the tax-based formula for allocating state funding to district and charter schools, and remove profit motive in public education by imposing a ban on the funding used to hire for-profit entities.
I would revise statewide academic standards to establish instructional and assessment approaches that ensure successful attainment of learning outcomes. This can only happen with support for teacher professional development, teacher promotion, and improved school performance through a peer-based system of review and teacher mentoring that eliminates the incentive to ‘teach to the test.’
Guns
Mrs. Gadell-Newton plans to advance common sense gun laws while “protecting the Second amendment right of Ohioans”. This includes requiring background checks, a ban on high capacity magazines, and restricting ownership when behavior such as domestic abuse, hate crimes, or bullying has been displayed in the past.
Environmental Issues
Mrs. Gadell-Newton plans to adjust to clean energy fields and away from coal, impose a ban on fracking, develop large scale renewable energy, stop exploitation of natural resources, and invest in measures to combat climate change.
Women’s Issues
Mrs.Gadell-Newton plans to “safeguard” a woman’s reproductive rights and rights to privacy, and oppose legislation that infringes upon these rights.
Opioid Crisis
Mrs.Gadell-Newton would oversee an emergency task force, expand community treatment and recovery programs, improve system of tracking prescription drug use, work towards universal health care, and launch investigations into big pharmaceutical companies that have worsened the crisis.
Interview – (conducted by me over email)
How do you plan to improve education in Ohio? Especially for high school students?
“I will provide public pre K-12 school funding that is equitable and sufficient to secure a quality education as a basic right of all Ohioans while eliminating the unconstitutional property tax-based formula for allocating state funding to Ohio’s district and charter schools. I would remove the profit motive as a factor in public education by imposing a moratorium on the use of state charter school funding to hire for-profit management entities.
This would happen by engaging a state-wide performance review and revoke the charters of all low performing charter schools that are unable or unwilling to undergo transition away from the use of private management entities.”
Why are you a better alternative than the main party candidate?
“I am the only candidate who accepts no money from special interest groups or corporations to finance my campaign. Every position I hold is my genuine belief because I am not getting paid by corporations to a particular side on an issue. This also means I will never flop-flip positions or say one thing and do another.”
Do you plan to address the school shooting problem?
“I will advance common-sense solutions to gun violence that has caused too many senseless deaths in Ohio and elsewhere, while protecting the 2nd Amendment rights of Ohioans. This will happen by enforcing enhanced background checks for all gun sales, as well as a ban on personal use assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and compulsory de-escalation and mental health training for permitted security personnel. This will restrict gun ownership only as a protective measure where background checks reveal threats or incidents of violence, including domestic violence, menacing, hate crimes, bullying or similar behaviors.”
How do you plan to help minority and LGBTQ youth?
“I will guarantee equal protection under law and the basic right of LGBTQ+ people to be free from discrimination, by the government, employers, schools, and places of business. Also requiring accommodations for persons of all genders in public facilities.”
What is your stance on standardized testing across K-12?
“I would revise statewide academic standards to establish instructional and assessment approaches that ensure successful attainment of learning outcomes. This can only happen with support for teacher professional development, teacher promotion, and improved school performance through a peer-based system of review and teacher mentoring that eliminates the incentive to ‘teach to the test.'”
How do you plan to advance college opportunities for students going or wanting to go into college?
“I would establish tuition-free secondary education for all Ohioans. I would also provide student debt relief, including a program to offset property tax payments and community work with a refundable tax credit applied to reduce student loan indebtedness of Ohio’s post-secondary graduates.”
Mrs. Gadell – Newton’s website is here.
You can contact Mrs. Gadell Newton here.
Jim Renacci – Senator
Overview
Mr. Renacci was born in Pennsylvania, and after being the first of his family to graduate from college, and moved to Ohio where he owned several small businesses.
Credibility
In 2010, Mr. Renacci was elected to the U.S House of Representatives in the 16th congressional district. He was also a two-term mayor of Wadsworth, Ohio
Education
Mr. Renacci plans to have the U.S Department of Education act as a neutral data collector for schools. He also plans to get funding for schools so we can make the best decisions in regards to our students, teachers, and curriculum.
Guns
Mr. Renacci has sponsored bills to make concealed carry permits work across state lines, and fully supports an individual’s right to the Second Amendment.
Environmental Issues
Mr. Renacci has given limited statements on this issue. One of them was during a Senate debate, as he said he supports clean air and water, but can’t walk away from the coal and natural gas industry. You can see his work on the environment while in Congress here.
Women’s Issues
Mr.Renacci is pro-life, but has made no other comments on this issue. If you are further interested in this issue, you can contact his campaign here, or at this number (330) 336-3001.
Opioid Crisis
Mr.Renacci has created a board of professionals – including medical professions, recovering addicts, and law enforcement – that are working on solutions. He plans on continuing his work.
Mr.Renacci’s website is here.
You can contact Mr.Renacci through these two methods. His campaign phone number is (330) 336 – 3001. His website is INFO@JIMRENACCI.COM
If you would like to look into the work Mr. Renacci did as a Congressman, you can so so here.
Sherrod Brown – Senator
Overview
Mr.Brown was born in Mansfield, Ohio. He has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Russian Literature from Yale, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Ohio State. He also taught shortly at the college.
Credibility
Mr.Brown has serves as an Ohio State Representative, as well as the Ohio Secretary of State, The U.S House of Representatives, (OH – 13th congressional district) and Senator, as elected in 2006.
Education
Mr.Brown has taken action on this issue, including providing money for school safety and hosting summits on collage action; he has stated that he believes that education is a way to strengthen Ohio’s economy.
Guns
Senator Brown supports such actions such as raising the age to buy guns to 21, banning assault weapons, implementing more complete background checks, and keeping people on the terrorist watch list from buying guns.
Environmental Issues
Senator Brown supports conservation and protection of our natural resources, and has invested money into water quality studies as well as moving forward with natural resource protection bills, such as the bipartisan one to preserve our great lakes.
Women’s Issues
Senator Brown has supported several measures that advance women’s rights to have choice, as well as a platform of equality for all, and has promised to “fight and protect the civil rights and liberties” of all citizens.
Opioid Crisis
Senator Brown has expanded treatment through bills he has passed, and wants to continue his work.
Senator Brown’s website is here.
You can contact Senator Brown here.
Warren Davidson – Representative to Congress
Overview
Congressman Davidson was born and raised in Ohio. He enlisted and served in the army for twelve years after high school. He then was admitted to West Point, and served in the Old Guard before returning to Ohio in 2000. He earned a MBA from Notre Dame.
Credibility
Congressman Davidson first entered office after winning a special election in 2016, and has served in Congress since.
Education
Congressman Davidson has introduced two bills that deal with education. One deals with fixing errors to the Higher Education act of 1965, for applications to the TRIO program. The other gives aid to low-income americans, with the aid gradually being reduced. If you would like to read more about these bills you can find the bills here. I could find no other statements from Congressman Davidson on this issue, but if you are interested, you can contact his campaign here.
Guns
Congressman Davidson has spoken on some of this issue. In regards to school safety, he has said “[Constituents] also don’t want a state solution, and quite frankly they don’t want a countywide solution, [They] want their school district to respond to the nature of their school district, so I think it’s going to put a bigger burden on the schools.” However, when Former-President Obama pushed for gun control, he spoke out saying it violated the second amendment.
Environmental Issues
Congressman Davidson’s position is, as he puts it “And while I’m not indifferent to climate change, I’m not saying it’s a total falsity and I’m not saying it’s a certainty.” He has sponsored votes to stop what is described as “EPA overreach” and a water quality improvement act.
Women’s Issues/LGBTQ+ Issues
Congressman Davidson is for rolling back Row v. Wade, and also is against defining marriage as anything other than between a man and a woman.
Opioid Crisis
Mr.Davidson has applauded President Trump’s actions on the Opioid Crisis. I could find no other statements on this issue. If you are interested you can contact his campaign here.
Congressman Davidson’s website is here.
You can contact Mr. Davidson here.
Vanessa Enoch – Representative to Congress
Overview
Dr. Enoch holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Ohio State University, and a Master’s in Business from Xavier. She is a MLK scholar and holds a Ph.D. in public policy and social change from Union Institute and University.
Credibility
Dr. Enoch had been a small business owner in Ohio for several years, and has held positions in US small business administration, and the Cincinnati Chapter C-Change leadership, and has won awards for her journalistic contributions.
Education
Dr. Enoch strongly advocates for more funding for public schools, especially in less economically fortunate areas, and advocates for a system that does not benefit the top 1%.
I believe that inner city and rural kids deserve the same quality of education as students in the suburbs. — Vanessa Enoch, Candidate for Representative to Congress
Guns
Dr. Enoch believes in the second amendment, but believes in the restriction of assault rifles, such as the sale of bump stocks, and is strongly against arming teachers.
Environmental Issues
Dr. Enoch believes the path forward is through clean and renewable energy, and strongly advocated for the creation of jobs in these fields rather than older coal and natural gas.
Women’s Issues
Dr. Enoch plan to fight for economic and social opportunity and equality for women, especially in health care costs (such as pregnancy and birth costs), living wage, and pay.
Opioid Crisis
Dr. Enoch plans to fully fund treatment facilities, and state a public health campaign to promote the understanding of this crisis. She is against mass incarceration, and says it is not the most effective way to treat drug addiction.
Interview – (conducted by me over email)
How do you plan to improve education in Ohio? Especially for high school students?
“My first order of business would be to save the public school system. Public school education and funding from preschool all the way through college is under attack by this current administration. I plan to improve education in Ohio and throughout the US by first ensuring that federal funding is secure to save and strengthen school programs.
I will fight to save programs for disabled students, which this administration has also proposed taking away. I will improve education in Ohio by advocating for vocational programs for students who would like to pursue a career after high school. I will also advocate for systems that will allow teachers the freedom to meet students individual learning needs, as opposed to having to teach to tests. I will also advocate for funding systems that will provide all students with a quality education and funding for schools, regardless of a students background.
I believe that inner city and rural kids deserve the same quality of education as students in the suburbs. There are teachers and high school students on my campaign team helping to shape my positions as it relates to how to improve education for them. I will continue working with them to shape good policy.”
Do you plan to address the school shooting problem, and if so, how?
“I do plan to address the school shooting problem. I have been endorsed by Ohio Students for Gun Legislation and I have received Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Distinction. I am advocating for sensible gun legislation that will not interfere with someone’s Second Amendment right to carry. At a minimum background checks are needed to ensure that weapons stay out of the hands of individuals who don’t have the mental capacity or who are not responsible enough to carry them.
In this country, we require a license to drive a car, because it can be dangerous in the hands of someone not trained and responsible enough to handle the responsibility, but we don’t require gun owners to be licensed. Reform is definitely needed in that area. I am also willing to look at the impact of limiting high capacity magazines, bump stocks and trigger cranks, to determine if there is a necessary civilian use for such accessories.”
How do you plan to help minority and LGBTQ youth?
“I will be an advocate in Congress for all residents of our district, especially vulnerable populations, such ass LGBTQ youth. I believe that all people have the right to be treated fairly. I will fight against bullying, and for fairness in every aspect of the lives of LGBTQ students lives.
Just as I have included students and teachers on my campaign team to ensure that their voices are being heard, there are LGBTQ students and adults who are part of our volunteer campaign team. They contribute my platform as it relates to the needs of the LGBTQ community.”
What is your stance on standardized testing for K-12?
“I have always hated standardized tests. However, I believe that they should be used as a benchmark for teachers and administrator to determine learning gaps only. Not as a tool to determine whether a student will matriculate to college. I don’t like forcing teaching to teach to a standardized curriculum, however I am an advocate for setting minimum standards. I don’t like forcing teachers to teach to a test, at the expense of a more engaging and productive learning environment.”
How do you plan to advance college opportunities for students going or wanting to go into college?
“The first thing I would do is save education funding and programs that help lower and middle income students pay for college. Our current legislator is funded by the private student loan industry that gouges students and offers no payment options when someone loses a job. I would also eliminate the requirement that a parents credit would determine whether a student is eligible for student loans. This is unfair to students whose parents fell into financial hardship.”
Do you plan to take action on the issue of climate change?
“Yes, I plan to take action on the issue of climate change. Our bridges and roads and our infrastructure are not equipped to deal with climate change. We can take the opportunity to provide jobs for people while we are improve on our infrastructure and antiquated road, water treatment facilities, and utility systems. I will advocate for the allocation of funds to build and rebuild our infrastructure to prepare for all aspects of climate change impact.”
Dr.Enoch’s website is here.
You can contact Dr. Enoch here.
Candidates in this Story
| Richard Cordray | Governor | Democrat | https://cordrayforohio.com/ |
| Mike Dewine | Governor | Republican | https://www.mikedewine.com/ |
| Constance Gadell-Newton | Governor | Green | https://www.constanceforohio.org/ |
| Travis M. Irvine | Governor | Libertarian | https://irvineforohio.com/meet-travis-and-todd/ |
| Sherrod Brown | U.S Senator | Democrat | https://www.brown.senate.gov/ |
| Jim Renacci | U.S Senator | Republican | https://jimrenacci.com/ |
| Warren Davidson | Representative to Congress (8th district) | Republican | https://davidson.house.gov/ |
| Vanessa Enoch | Representative to Congress (8th district) | Democrat | https://enochforcongress.com/ |
Full Ballot for Nov. 6, 2018 Election
| Name | Position | Party | Website |
| Richard Cordray | Governor | Democrat | https://cordrayforohio.com/ |
| Mike Dewine | Governor | Republican | https://www.mikedewine.com/ |
| Constance Gadell-Newton | Governor | Green | https://www.constanceforohio.org/ |
| Travis M. Irvine | Governor | Libertarian | https://irvineforohio.com/meet-travis-and-todd/ |
| Steve Dettelbach | Attorney General | Democrat | https://steveforohio.com/ |
| Dave Yost | Attorney General | Republican | https://daveyost.com/ |
| Robert C. Coogan | Auditor of State | Libertarian | https://www.coogan4liberty.org/about-bob-coogan.html |
| Keith Faber | Auditor of State | Republican | https://keithfaber.org/ |
| Zack Space | Auditor of State | Democrat | https://www.zackspaceforohio.com/ |
| Kathleen Clyde | Secretary of State | Democrat | https://www.kathleenclyde.com/ |
| Frank LaRose | Secretary of State | Republican | https://franklarose.com/ |
| Dustin R. Nanna | Secretary of State | Libertarian | ?? |
| Rob Richardson | Treasurer of State | Democrat | https://www.robforohio.com/ |
| Robert Sprague | Treasurer of State | Republican | https://spragueforohio.com/ |
| Sherrod Brown | U.S Senator | Democrat | https://www.brown.senate.gov/ |
| Jim Renacci | U.S Senator | Republican | https://jimrenacci.com/ |
| Warren Davidson | Representative to Congress (8th district) | Republican | https://davidson.house.gov/ |
| Vanessa Enoch | Representative to Congress (8th district) | Democrat | https://enochforcongress.com/ |
| Sara Bitter | State Senator | Democrat | http://sarabitter.com/ |
| Steve Wilson | State Senator | Republican | http://www.ohiosenate.gov/senators/wilson |
| Sara P. Carruthers | State Representative (51st District) | Republican | ?? |
| Susan Vaughan | State Representative (51st District) | Democrat | https://votesusanvaughn.com/ |
| Candice Keller | State Representative (53ed District) | Republican | http://www.votecandicekeller.com/ |
| Rebecca Howard | State Representative (53ed District) | Democrat | https://howardfortheohio53rd.wordpress.com/why-im-running/ |
| Nikki Foster | State Representative (54th District) | Democrat | http://www.nikkifoster2018.com/ |
| Paul Zeltwanger | State Representative (54th District) | Republican | http://www.ohiohouse.gov/paul-zeltwanger |
| Cindy Carpenter | County Commissioner | Republican | ?? |
| Dora Dorrico Bronston | County Commissioner | Democrat | ?? |
| Roger Reynolds | County Auditor | Republican | ?? |
| Matthew D. McGowan | State Board of Education (3ed District) | N/A | ?? |
| Charlotte McGuire | State Board of Education (3ed District) | N/A | ?? |
| Dawn E. Wojcik | State Board of Education (3ed District) | N/A | ?? |
| Pat Burns | State Board of Education (4th District) | N/A | ?? |
| Jenny Kilgore | State Board of Education (4th District) | N/A | ?? |
Feature Photo of Talawanda High School Student Body President Patrick Geshan taken by Camry W-N
Impressive article because of the extensive research. ¡Brava Rita!