In a competitive race for Ohio’s 44th District of the Ohio House, Republican incumbent state Rep. Josh Williams came out on top in a face-off against Democrat Dave Blyth, 70, of Monclova Township.
“I'm excited not only for being re-elected, but for the future of Ohio and of our nation,” said Mr. Williams, an attorney and professor, currently representing the 41st District.
“There was a overwhelming swing demonstrated that people bought into the conservative Republican agenda, both in Ohio and then a lot of the swing states that we're seeing starting to fall in,” he said.
The newly redrawn 44th District covers parts of Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Berkey, and Richfield Township, and parts of Wood and Ottawa counties.
“We have Jeep workers laid off for weeks. Lines shut down, and we have free training opportunities here in Lucas County and in northwest Ohio that I want to make sure that they're exposed to,” Mr. Williams said.
In addition to a focus on work force development initiatives to help Ohioans get back to work, Mr. Williams plans to continue pushing legislation, particularly House Bill 522.
“It's an anti-gun violence bill. It will curb gun violence across the state of Ohio,” he said. “It's endorsed by the attorney general, the governor, and the Mayor’s Association has come out in support of it. Even Buckeye Firearms has come out in support of it. It's a bipartisan approach towards gun violence in our communities that can really have an impact.”
Elgin Rogers, Jr., a Democrat who currently represents District 44, ran unopposed, winning the seat to represent District 42. Advocating for the passage of several bills including one for Ohio Black Media Week, a fair parking bill and push for House Bill 285, which focuses on safe patient care and adequate nursing staffing standards, is on his agenda.
“The first thing I want to dig my heels into is making sure that the bills that we have sponsored in this lethargic legislative assembly — bills that have not had a bill a hearing — that we get those bills heard, and that we push those bills for promotion, to be in committee and to get passed,” Mr. Rogers said.
Democratic union leader Erika White, 51, took the seat to represent the state’s 41st District, vying against Republican Josiah Leinbach, 27, a graduate research assistant at Bowling Green State University. The 41st District covers part of South Toledo, Maumee, Holland, and Springfield Township.
She plans to work toward ensuring safe, clean, and affordable water and increasing state funding for the University of Toledo Medical Center.
“UTMC was something, while knocking doors, that I found was very important to voters — making sure that our medical college receives more state funding,” Mrs. White said. “Not only does that help bring up our community, but it helps with with new jobs so that's very important in helping the area.”
Mrs. White expressed eagerness to knock on more doors and to start working on these initiatives immediately.
“Being already someone in leadership within my community, I can't be a voice for a community that I'm not willing to sit down and listen to,” she said. “And that's not just people who voted for me, that's the community overall.”
Democratic state Rep. Michele Grim, 42, is looking forward to, again, serving in the 43rd House District after winning her race against small-business owner Republican Wendi Hendricks, 62, of Ottawa Hills. The two candidates ran against each other in 2022, with Ms. Grim coming out on top of that race as well.
Ohio’s 43rd District covers parts of West, South, and North Toledo, Ottawa Hills, and parts of Washington and Sylvania townships.
“I'm excited to be to reach across the aisle and make sure that we're delivering for Lucas County and bringing back resources home,” Ms. Grim said.
Republican state Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, 43, took the win against a former Perrysburg city councilman, Democrat Jan Materni, 62, for the 75th District that encompasses most of Wood County. The two candidates previously vied for the seat in 2022 when Mr. Ghanbari, 43, was also named the victor.
“It’s not the results we wanted, but it is what it is,” Ms. Materni said in concession late Tuesday evening. “But I'm extremely happy for my friend Erika White. It obviously looks like her race could be called. And, of course, Michele Grim, I'm happy about that.”
First Published November 6, 2024, 5:58 a.m.
