Defending Democracy
Like anyone else, Ohioans have an innate sense of fairness and justice. When we’re cheated, we feel like we’ve lost control. We no longer feel like we’re writing our own script, but someone else controls the outcome. It’s unsettling because we’re taught that any individual can achieve success, prosperity, and upward social mobility through hard work and determination, regardless of their background or social class—the American dream.
I hope you believe in fairness regardless of socioeconomic background, race, ethnicity, or political party. I hope you believe in equal access to opportunities and that the power to ensure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness always lies with the people. Not the government.
Power must always come from the people. Fair and honest elections make damn sure that the people have the power. The moment the government starts manipulating and rigging elections, you are cheating Americans out of their God-given rights. At one point, I raised my hand. I swore that “I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” I picked up a rifle and was sent around the world to honor that commitment as a U.S. Marine.
Maybe if my opponent had done the same or sacrificed to see the world from the lens of someone sent to protect democracy, he would have honored his oath of office.
If he had seen the dangers firsthand of what happens in countries that degrade democracy or don’t have a government controlled by the people, he would have spoken up. But he didn’t, and now Ohio is one of the most Republican-gerrymandered states in the country.
If you’re not familiar with that term, it’s when politicians manipulate maps and district boundaries to create an election advantage. It drowns out our voices and votes and doesn’t have to be this way. Gerrymandering isn’t a complex problem like managing Ohio’s multibillion-dollar budget or finding creative ways to help ensure all hard-working Ohioans receive a living wage. The solution is simple, but it starts with both parties accepting that voters should choose their politicians, not vice versa.
Ohio was once a critical swing state. A state that thirteen years ago had a Democratic Governor, voted a Democratic President into the White House, and had 54% of the Ohio Senate represented by Democrats. Fast forward to today, despite still being a pretty evenly split state between Democrats and Republicans, Republicans control every statewide office and have a supermajority in the Ohio Senate and House. How is that possible?
The answer is gerrymandering. Republicans gained an edge in 2011 and redrew the maps to predetermine 99% of election outcomes over the next ten years. Maps so egregious that even a Republican control Ohio Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional. And the consequence of self-serving politicians in rigged elections is zero accountability and dangerous outcomes. If you question that, ask ex-House Speaker Larry Householder and Matt Borges, the former Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, what could go wrong when you cheat democracy. If they don’t give you an answer, the Cincinnati jurors who recently convicted them of racketeering, bribery, and money laundering will.
As your state senator, I will fight to give power back to the people and end rigged elections with the policies I outline below. But the first step is awareness. I will always be grateful to my aunt, Peg Wyant, for calling me and recommending I read David Pepper’s Laboratories of Autocracy. It is a must-read to understand how a once crucial battleground state quickly shifted from purple to deep red. Pepper lays out the playbook a group of politicians and political insiders, armed with millions of dollars from special interest groups, used to take control of Ohio.
It made my blood boil. It was one of the factors that led me to resign as a Senior Investment and Portfolio Manager at Fort Washington Investment Advisors and earn a graduate degree at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Education matters. I wouldn’t hand over a scalpel to an airline pilot and ask for brain surgery. We should demand the same training of our public servants. I knew that Harvard would arm me with the policies and connections to return home and help give power back to the people.
True to that goal, as your state senator, I would advance legislation designed to reduce gerrymandering and create fair districts. Policies like the following:
Establish an independent redistricting commission composed of citizens who are not elected officials or political insiders. This commission should be bipartisan or nonpartisan and have the authority to draw district maps.
Leverage technologies like artificial intelligence to propose district map options that deliver the MOST competitive Ohio. Instead of politicians working relentlessly to draw the least competitive maps, this would ensure objective results. It would lead to more qualified candidates from both parties seeking public office and a better government in Ohio.
Ensure transparency in the redistricting process by making data, criteria, and proposed maps publicly available. Hold public hearings to gather input from citizens, community groups, and stakeholders. Encourage public participation in the mapping process.
Define clear and objective criteria for redistricting, such as compactness, contiguity, respect for existing political boundaries, and avoiding using partisan data. These criteria help guide the creation of fair and representative districts.
Implement rules that restrict the influence of political parties in the redistricting process. Laws that prohibit gerrymandering for partisan advantage or protecting incumbents.
Leverage independent experts, such as demographers or political scientists, to provide technical expertise in redistricting. Their input can help ensure that maps are drawn fairly and without bias.
Explore mechanisms for voter approval or independent oversight of redistricting plans—an additional layer of accountability.
Educate the public about the impact of gerrymandering and the importance of fair districting. Encourage civic engagement and advocacy for reforms that promote fairness and representation.
Explore legal mechanisms, such as state constitutional amendments or legislation, to enshrine principles of fair redistricting and limit gerrymandering.
Promote a spirit of collaboration and bipartisanship in the redistricting process. Encourage lawmakers to work together to create maps that reflect the diversity and interests of the communities they represent.
