Madison Messenger - July 18th, 2021

www.madisonmessengernews.com July 18, 2021 - MADISON MESSENGER - Page 3
Large field of candidates seek to fill Stivers’ seat
Aug. 3 primary includes
11 Republicans and two
Democrats seeking to
make it onto the Nov. 2
ballot for 15th District
By Rick Palsgrove
Managing Editor
A primary election will be held Aug. 3 to
select candidates to run for Ohio’s U.S. 15th
Congressional District seat.
The slate of candidates includes 11 Republicans
and two Democrats. The seat became
vacant when former U.S.
Congressman Steve Stivers, a Republican,
resigned on May 16 to serve as president
and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
The primary winners in their respective
parties will face off against each other
in the general election on Nov. 2.
The Republican candidates are: John
Adams, Mike Carey, Eric Clark, Thad Cooperrider,
Ruth Edmonds, Ron Hood, Thomas
Hwang, Stephanie Kunze, Jeff LaRe, Bob
Peterson, and Omar Tarazi.
The Democratic candidates are Greg
Betts and Allison Russo.
For general information on the candidates,
go to
https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio%27s_15th_Congressional_District_special_election,_2021.
The Ohio 15th Congressional District includes
Clinton, Fairfield, Hocking, Madison,
Morgan, Perry, Pickaway, and Vinton counties
as well as parts of Athens, Fayette,
Franklin, and Ross counties.
Republicans
Franklin County Republican Party Executive
Committee Chairman Josh Jaffe said
Stivers endorsed State Representative Jeff
LaRe and the Franklin County Republican
Party endorsed State Senator Stephanie
Kunze.
TRACING
Continued from page 2
Superintendent William Mullett said he
does not want to see healthy kids miss
school and that the board and administrators
need a little time to address the issue
of contact tracing.
Legal options, liability and the need to
inform the county health department in the
event of an exposure are all considerations
the board needs to discuss.
“We have to be responsible if we let kids
come to school,” said Mullett, who felt a decision
could be made in time for the next
board meeting in August. “If a majority
finds it acceptable, it would allow us to
change our plans. We have to equate the
mental health risk with the COVID risk. It’s
not easy. It’s a pretty complicated issue, but
I think we can start the school year without
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed
Carey.
“Stephanie Kunze has spent the past
decade building a foundation of trust in
Central Ohio through her good work in the
General Assembly and previously at the city
of Hilliard,” said Jaffe. “She has a reputation
as an effective legislator who is responsive
to constituents and who isn’t afraid to
roll up her sleeves and get to work on tough
issues. That’s exactly what we need in
Washington.”
Jaffe said keeping the district in Republican
hands is critical. He said Stivers was
often a voice of reason cutting through the
chaos in Washington and helping make sure
that the important business of government
wasn’t forgotten.
“That’s an ideal role for a Central Ohio
member of Congress to play, and Senator
Kunze is well-equipped to play it,” said
Jaffe. “Neither of the Democrats in this race
can say the same. When the Republicans
take back control of the House of Representatives,
the people of the 15th District will
be well served by a conservative rising star
like Stephanie Kunze representing their interests
instead of a Democrat who may very
well be handing their proxy vote over to
Nancy Pelosi.”
When asked what his party thinks are
the keys to winning this district, Jaffe said
that any time a long-serving member of
Congress like Stivers steps down, the
biggest challenge for new candidates is to
introduce themselves to the voters in the
district, which he said gives Kunze an advantage
“Her Senate district covers almost all of
the Franklin County portion of the 15th
Congressional District and Franklin has by
far the largest piece of the 15th by population,”
said Jaffe. “Some candidates will try
to make a big deal about endorsements and
wedge issue positions over the course of this
campaign, but what voters really want is
someone with the will to fight for them in
Washington and the experience to do so effectively.
Stephanie Kunze has the will and
the experience and voters know she does.”
quarantining kids.”
Mullett said if a person is exhibiting
symptoms of an illness they should stay
home and do what is best for the children
and the community. He also expressed concern
with the inconsistency of contact tracing
from county to county and expects the
school district to resolve the issue in a
timely manner.
Teachers’ contract
Teachers and the board recently agreed
on a three-year contact with the West Jefferson
Teachers Association.
“I just learned they ratified the agreement,”
said Mullett. “I think the sessions
went very smoothly. We were able to do it
without an attorney, so we saved a little
money.”
The race has attracted a large slate of Republicans
seeking the position.
“It’s no secret that the 15th District has
been solidly Republican since Steve Stivers
flipped it in 2010,” said Jaffe, who noted
(former) President Donald Trump carried
the district by about 15 points in both 2016
and 2020. “Any Democratic candidate is
going to have a hard time in a district like
that and it’s clear from the breadth of their
field this year that they know it. The last
time there was an open Congressional seat
in Central Ohio a few years ago there were
about a dozen Democratic candidates, this
time there are two. There are so many Republican
candidates running because they
believe a Republican is likely to win the
seat.”
Jaffe said turnout in an off-year special
election is unpredictable and the district
will be completely redrawn after this year.
“No one knows what the new district will
look like,” said Jaffe. “It’s important for Republicans
to take a long-term view and
make sure our candidate is someone who
can hold the district for our party in the
likely event that redistricting makes it more
competitive than it is right now.”
Democrats
According to Alex Baker, executive director
of the Franklin County Democratic
Party, Russo is the endorsed candidate by
the Franklin County Democratic Party.
“The FCDP Executive Committee voted
overwhelmingly to endorse State Representative
Russo because of her proven track
record as a candidate, as a legislator, and as
a Democrat,” said Baker. “She is an incredible
advocate fighting for Ohioans in the
Statehouse and we are looking forward to
the experience, dedication, and passion she
will bring to Congress. She is an exceptionally
qualified candidate with a doctoral degree
in health policy, a master’s degree in
public health epidemiology, and over 20
years of experience advising leaders and
policymakers on how to better provide quality,
affordable healthcare to seniors, women,
and veterans. As a mother and the wife of a
combat veteran, she has been fighting for
District Treasurer Mark Ingles said the
contract includes a 2.75 percent increase for
each of the first two years and then a 2 percent
increase in the third year. Health cost
shares for individuals and family plans remain
the same as last year during the first
year of the new contract and then go up $15
for an individual and $35 for a family for the
second and third year. Prescription plan
shares increase $5 for individuals and $10
for families. Dental and vision remain the
same with the district picking up the cost
for both plans.
Board member David Harper called the
negotiations a “great experience to go
through without all of the negative. This
was one of the best times I’ve had in building
relations and not discouraging others.”
Ohio’s military families and for all Ohioans’
access to healthcare from our Statehouse for
the last three years and she is prepared to
continue this fight at the federal level.”
While this district leans Republican,
Baker noted Democrat U.S. Senator Sherrod
Brown won the district in his 2018 Senate
race and Democrat Justice Jennifer
Brunner won this district in her 2020 Ohio
Supreme Court race.
“With the resignation of long-term incumbent
Congressman Stivers and a
crowded Republican primary, Representative
Russo will have the opportunity to really
talk to voters and get her message out,
putting her in a very strong position to flip
this seat.”
Baker said the key to the Democrats for
winning this district is organizing and communicating
with as many voters as possible
about the issues facing the district and the
experience and plans that Russo has to support
it.
“The short time frame and pushing for
high voter turnout will be added challenges,
but Representative Russo has an incredible
campaign team behind her with a plan to be
on the ground in as much of the district as
possible between now and Nov. 2,” said
Baker.
Art
Gallery
Open
House
Cristal Baldwin
Mystic Mermaids
July 24, 4–8pm
Wine and hors d’oeuvres.
On display until August 20.
24 S Main St, London