2 vying for Ohio House seat in 6th District

Incumbent state Rep. Robinson faces challenge from Hawkins

Ohio House 6th District State Rep. Phil Robinson, a Democrat, is squaring off against Republican challenger Shay Hawkins in the Nov. 3 general election.

The 6th District represents part of Cuyahoga County. Communities in this district include Chagrin Falls, Gates Mills, Highland Heights, Hunting Valley, Lyndhurst and Mayfield Village.

The winning candidate will take office in 2021 and serve a two-year term in the Ohio House. The base salary for a state representative in 2021 is $67,493.

The News-Herald sent questionnaires to the candidates. Here is some of what they had to say:

Shay Hawkins

Hawkins, 46, is making his second bid for an elected office, according to a cleveland.com editorial. The editorial stated that he lost in his quest to capture a Cleveland City Council Ward 10 seat in 2005.

A resident of Lyndhurst, Hawkins is a trade association executive with the Opportunity Funds Association.

If elected, Hawkins said he wants to help entrepreneurs create jobs in Northeast Ohio as the region recovers from the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“We must reform Ohio’s tax code to develop a culture of entrepreneurship and drive job creation,” he said. “We must also ensure that entrepreneurs and small businesses are treated the same as large businesses.”

Hawkins also said he believes that every child has a right to a good education, regardless of their ZIP code.

“We must give local school districts the choice and funding they need to make the best decisions for themselves,” he said.

In addition, Hawkins said he wants to remove the stigma and shine a positive light on vocational education to prepare Ohio’s workforce for the future.

“By emphasizing vocational education in the schools with inclusion of career certificates as part of high school education requirements, businesses will have an increased pool of skilled employees,” he said. “Students will embrace greater choice in their career path.”

Hawkins also cited major projects he completed while working as tax and trade counsel for U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina; and as a tax fellow for former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Ohio.

“I get the job done for my bosses,” Hawkins said. “When Sen. Scott told me to draft the tax reform bill, I got it done. When Congressman Renacci told me to draft his tax plan, I got it done. If elected, the residents of District 6 will be my boss and the agenda they set will be my agenda.”

Phil Robinson

Robinson, 39, of Solon, is seeking re-election after winning his first term as 6th District state representative in 2019. He also is chief operating officer and managing director at Education Board Partners.

If re-elected, Robinson said he will continue to focus on:

• Fighting for quality education for all students by fixing the public school funding model and investing in early childhood education.

• Creating economic opportunity for all Ohioans by offering better tax incentives, loans for local small businesses, and job training and apprenticeships.

• Expanding access to quality health care, including for those with pre-existing conditions, and lowering prescription drug costs.

Robinson said that during his career, he has worked for a United States senator, Fortune 500 companies and education nonprofits.

“Together, these experiences helped shape the values that I hold dear: hard work, dedication, persistence, compassion, and justice,” he said.

In addition, Robinson said he is running for reelection because he believes state government “should work for everyone, not just the powerful and connected.

“We must put families and communities before politics, and renew Ohio’s promise to make our state a place where you can live, work, and retire with dignity,” he said. “Everyone should have the opportunity to succeed.”