Swartz wants to bring new ideas to Ohio Senate

UPPER SANDUSKY — Can a Democrat capture a seat in the Ohio General Assembly that has been perennially filled by Republican candidates?

Upper Sandusky resident Craig Swartz thinks he has the right ideas and message that could convince voters to turn the 26th Ohio Senate District blue for the first time in 2020.

"My ideas are a break from the status quo," said Swartz, 62, who is running without opposition in the March 17 Democratic Partyprimary election. "They're big and bold ideas that the Democratic Party years and years ago used to stand for, used to bring to the table. A lot of the ideas I have that are going to come forth through the campaign are going to attract a lot of attention because I know the other side doesn't have them."

The 26th Ohio Senate District is comprised of Crawford, Marion, Morrow, Sandusky, Seneca, Union, and Wyandot counties. Republican candidates have been elected to the seat since 1963. Sen. David Burke, R-Marysville, currently holds the seat. He can't run again due to term limits.

In November, Swartz will face the winner of the Republican Party primary election, which features State Rep. Bill Reineke of Tiffn and Marysville business owner Melissa Ackison.

More:Reineke, Ackison battle for GOP Senate nomination

A Cleveland native, Swartz has experience in politics, previously serving as a member of the Upper Sandusky City Council. He also ran for mayor of Upper Sandusky and for state representative. He and his wife have one adult son.

Swartz currently works as a small business consultant, licensed real estate agent, and logistical support specialist. He worked in business overseas for many years before returning to Ohio. He owned and operated his own restaurant and also worked as a truck driver, and insurance agent. He said all of those experiences have prepared him to understand the needs of residents across the 26th Senate District.

"That was my political education; working all these different jobs, meeting all these different people, working with all these different people, and learning what is motivating them, what is important to them," he said.

Swartz said the Democratic Party has lost its connection to the residents of the district.

"What has frustrated me is that the Democrats have walked away from this group, from this area," he said. "When the Democratic Party on the national level decided to start embracing Wall Street money, they walked away from the very people that encompass this district. They walked away from the farmers, the teachers, the unions, and the minorities. And these people are now voting either independent or Republican."

Key issues

Swartz listed energy, manufacturing, and education as the top three issues on his platform.

On the energy front, Swartz is a strong proponent of natural gas. He said he would like to see a fund created to support natural gas production in Ohio. He cited legislation that was rejected by the state Senate in 2015, which he says would've created just such a fund.

"The House created what we refer to as a carbon tax," Swartz said. "The money would not have gone into the general fund, but a separate fund, and a lot of that money would've gone back into the very communities that are affected by fracking, the extraction process. The Senate let it die. I want to resurrect that legislation, get that passed, tweak it a bit, and then create an extra fund where you're investing that money."

Swartz said manufacturing must be diversified to address future needs, such as mass transit and natural gas production. He said he will support development of elevated trains and trolley systems to serve public transportation needs. Swartz said the rise in robotics training and automated production sites in Ohio will facilitate that development.

In regard to education, Swartz said he will push for the General Assembly to address funding issues public schools are currently facing.

"The first thing that must happen in Ohio is we must address the unconstitutionality of school financing," he said. "We must put K-12 education on a sound financial model. We have a problem here. We're taking the money out of the public system to pay for kids to attend private schools. Failing school systems are never going to improve because they're taking money away from them."

Swartz said he is also in favor of creating a public bank for Ohio, similar to the Bank of North Dakota. The bank was established by the state legislature in 1919 to protect the interests of agricultural producers in North Dakota at the time. It still exists today.

"That bank has grown over time and now finances a lot of (North Dakota's) oil and gas boom in the last ten to fifteen years," he said. "It also provides ultra-low student loan funds. It's keeping the money in the state. It's financing infrastructure projects. We can do the same thing here in Ohio."

On some issues, such as those dealing with privacy, Swartz said he leans towards more Libertarian ideas. On social issues, he said he is more liberal.

Email: eacarter@marionstar.com

Office: 740-375-5154

Twitter: @AndrewACCarter