BUCYRUS — Crawford County is part of the 87th District and when voters head to the polls on Tuesday, or before if they choose to participate in early voting, they will have two candidates to choose from to fill the seat of state representative in the Ohio House of Representatives.
The position currently is occupied by Riordan McClain of Upper Sandusky who was appointed in January by the House panel commission to replace Wes Goodman, who resigned last year following sexual misconduct allegations. He is the son of former state Rep. Jeff McClain who occupied the seat prior to Goodman.
McClain, a Republican, will vie for the position against Democratic candidate Mary Pierce-Broadwater of Crestline.
Pierce-Broadwater, who obtained an associate degree in paralegal studies from North Central State College in 2003 and a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2011 from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in 2011 while working full-time, said she has been a moderate Democrat since she was a young girl.
She said during her time in paralegal studies, she learned the importance of knowing citizens’ rights as individuals and workers.
“I worked briefly for a political activist group where I learned about unions and how they helped improve our work environments, even with non-union employers, and were instrumental in determining our labor laws, such as 40-hour work weeks and overtime. This framework and knowledge became something I’ve wanted to fight for and have fought for ever since, better jobs for working families,” Pierce-Broadwater said. “I also organized an Occupy Mansfield protest in 2011 to stand I solidarity with Occupy Wallstreet and have volunteered for several President-elect campaigns.”
McClain received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bluffton University and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Findlay. He said he comes to office from the business community.
“Most recently, I’ve worked over the past five years on building a startup business and have seen the many challenges faced by businesses in Ohio. We’ve encountered many problems throughout the years and have had to think outside the box in order to survive. I know what it means to solve problems, being open to new ideas, and diving into understanding the root cause of issues to find the right solution,” McClain said. “We’ve been blessed with a successful venture and attribute that to our commitment to doing the right thing.”
Pierce-Broadwater said she chose to run for office because she has felt the average person in the 87th district is not represented.
“The average person in our district is working hard to support their families, sometimes 60+ hours a week or multiple jobs, or husbands and wives work different shifts to cover bills and avoid child care costs. I’ve been working side by side with people in these situations and they don’t have time to get involved in politics, but they still deserve to have a voice,” Pierce-Broadwater said. “I feel our current legislation overlooks the average working citizen because they aren’t always speaking out. I feel the job of our representatives is to be the voice of those working families.”
McClain said he has been married for 11 years and is blessed with three amazing children.
“I will have in mind what is best for Ohio families like mine. As a culture, we must promote fathers and mothers to be the best parents they can to provide our next generations with the support, care, and structure they need face life’s challenges,” McClain said. “The thing that I know to be true about the Republican is the commitment to liberty, freedom, and the Constitution. I believe in limited government and allowing people to pursue their own dreams and passions. I believe in protecting life and the rights granted to us as Americans.”
Pierce-Broadwater said the number one thing the district needs is better paying jobs.
“Many residents of our district have to travel outside of the district for gainful employment. There are jobs, but not jobs that allow our citizens to thrive. We also need better access to income-based health clinics. There is only one clinic in the district and it is in Morrow county. There are still people without health coverage and usually it’s for financial reasons so traveling to an income-based clinic may also be difficult for them,” Pierce-Broadwater said.
She said residents have been promised the area would become better, but she has seen so little change.
“We have elected members of the same party for 20 plus years. Elected officials who aren’t seeing the struggles of our working citizens and continue business as usual as more people and jobs move away from our district,” Pierce-Broadwater said. “Our district is a beautiful, safe place to live and raise families, we need to take it take it to the next level so we can all live well in our district.”
McClain said he will not agree with everyone on issues but having a peaceful dialogue around politics is important to our republic.
“I am disappointed in the division in our political culture. This is a problem that dates back many, many years and has taken a prominent role in the way we treat each other. The thing that I know is that we are all in this together and the rhetoric on all sides needs to be lessened. The nature of politics is that we have different ideas for what is best for our state and nation, we then have elections to decide that direction,” McClain said.
McClain said he is honored to have had the opportunity to serve the district during the past nine months and have seen many successes in that time.
“I’ve voted for many important bills, secured over $600,000 in capital bill funding for district projects, have had a bill of my own that passed the House floor, and have formed many meaningful relationships with fellow legislators in Columbus,” McClain said. “I hope that my commitment to this district and my values-based approach to representation will earn the support of my fellow citizens on November 6th! I respectfully ask for your vote.”
Pierce-Broadwater said she has learned that the election system is not set up for just anyone to be successful at a campaign.
“It takes more time and money than a working-class person has to be successful. So, unfortunately, the people who are elected are slightly out of touch of what the struggles are that our friends, neighbors, and us ourselves are dealing with. I’d like to believe it isn’t just about money and an average person, just like the majority of the citizens in the district, can win an election,” Pierce-Broadwater said. “Our district is in need of some changes, so we can move forward and I hope 2018 is that year.”
For a list of all candidate and issues that are on the general election ballot, visit the Crawford County Board of Elections website.
Early voting is underway at the Crawford County Board of Elections in the lower level of the Crawford County Courthouse, 112 E. Mansfield St., Bucyrus. Hours for early voting up until Election Day are as follows: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday until 7:30 p.m.