BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Independent candidate Craig Swartz is taking his campaign for the Ohio House of Representatives directly to voters in the 87th District, centering his platform on state public banking, local transit alternatives, and expanded childcare access.
The 87th District spans Crawford, Morrow, and Wyandot counties, along with portions of Marion County. Swartz, who gathered 693 petition signatures to qualify as an independent, highlighted his primary proposal during a recent appearance on Community Spotlight: the creation of a state-owned “Bank of Ohio.”
Modeled after the Bank of North Dakota, the proposed public bank would hold state tax revenues and partner with community banks and credit unions to provide low-interest loans for local infrastructure, farms, small businesses, and new childcare facilities across rural Ohio.
Swartz also voiced strong opposition to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s proposed U.S. Route 23 bypass. Pointing out that the bypass saves drivers an estimated six to seven minutes, Swartz argued the project unnecessarily consumes multi-generational farmland. Instead, he proposed exploring an elevated highway over the existing route to preserve land and relieve local congestion.
Emphasizing his nonpartisan approach, Swartz framed his independent bid as a distinct alternative for voters seeking economic revitalization and practical solutions in North Central Ohio.