THREE DEMOCRATS CHASING STRAHORN STATEHOUSE SEAT
The representative is leaving office because of term limits.
With Rep. Fred Strahorn leaving office because of term limits, the race for Ohio’s 39th House District appears to be wide open.
On Tuesday, three candidates will face off in the Democratic primary for Strahorn’s Ohio House of Representatives seat, which has long been held by Democrats and represents most of the city of Dayton and Jefferson Twp.
The candidates in the primary include Willis Blackshear Jr., a young rising member of the Montgomery County Democratic Party with a familiar name (his father was the Montgomery County Recorder); Jo’el Jones, an outspoken community activist; and Walter James Hickman Jr., a first responder and former sheriff deputy and investigator.
The top vote-getter will face Republican John Ferrell Mullins in November for the right to represent the heavily Democratic district. Strahorn ran unopposed for the seat in the last two elections (2016 and 2018), and he won more than 77% of the vote when he was last challenged in a three-way race in 2014.
The Dayton Daily News asked the primary candidates a vari
ety of questions about the race. These are some of their responses.
What are the two biggest challenges facing the state and how would you deal with them?
Willis Blackshear Jr.: Education and investment in the community. Our education system is broken at every level. Our state’s unconstitutional school-funding system means that zip code determines opportunity. We must overhaul the funding system for our local schools. We all want to have desirable, safe and attractive communities, and our local governments play a big role in that. It’s time to reinvest in the local government fund, so our local communities can bolster local services like road repaving and public safety.
Walter James Hickman Jr.: Environmental and mental health. I would wish that we start working on these issues because of the overwhelming expense and suicides of gun violence. Other problems are related to facilities for the severely mentally ill.
Jo’el Jones: Poverty and gun violence. Poverty has many subsections, and the impact of not having enough (food, housing, utilities) sets off other challenges, like mental health issues, violence, child abuse, spousal abuse, divorce, educational challenges, and the list goes on. I would collaborate with fellow legislators whose communities are similar in size and challenges. Together, we will work to introduce legislation that assists communities with these challenges like workforce development for 21st-century careers, mental health funding starting at kindergarten, increased funding to help families with utilities and other needs to ease the burdens of life.
What makes you qualified for this office and why are you the right person to lead this district?
Jones: What I believe sets me apart from my competitors is my 25 years of community work, in addition to my professional career. I’ve worked on issues of community development, wage insecurity, nuclear proliferation, policy centered around our veterans and their families, as well as addiction when it was still a crime and was called crack. I, through my 20-plus years of work in the Dayton region understand that each side (of the river) has different needs, I am prepared through my experience professionally and community advocacy work prepared to help both sides. Hickman: My willingness to serve my communities based on need alone. I am willing to go out and explain issues so voters can understand what they are voting for, which will give them confidence in their worth. I am willing to confront any action of unfairness against people in the district.
Blackshear: From a young age, I learned the value of hard work, service to others, and giving back to the community from my dad, who was a public servant and elected leader in Montgomery County. I am now a community advocate in many aspects of my life. Professionally, I am a liaison between the Montgomery County Auditor’s office and the community. I am on the ground providing public services and hearing the concerns of those in my community every day.
What specific ideas do you have to make life better for residents in your district?
Hickman: I hope to encourage developers to build green homes in our community, rid ourselves of food deserts with convenient grocery stores with healthy choices.
Blackshear: Right now, so many members of our community are saddled with student loan debt, car payments and other expenses. Every Ohioan deserves to be paid a living wage, with health care and retirement benefits. That’s why I support a $15 minimum wage. One way I hope to achieve that is by advocating for skill training programs for our high-schoolers. Our students need to learn more about careers in the skilled trades, and we need to make sure those students have the skills that employers are looking for. Specifically, I would advocate for increased funding to Ohio’s Office of Workforce Development, to expand our state’ investments in apprenticeships and other skill-building programs.
Jones: Specific ideas I have to make life better for residents include tackling the challenges of crime and gun violence by investing in 21st-century workforce development programs. There is a plethora of models that have worked for communities like Dayton. Additionally, I want to collaborate and capitalize on our present resources. Our community colleges and universities are doing amazing things. I will work to create additional collaborations between colleges and universities so that the 39th can capitalize on the expertise already present in the community. Also, I want to work on ways to ensure community organizations, like the Wesley Center and East End Community Center have pathways for funding that they can count on.