LISBON — Republican Monica Robb Blasdel of Columbiana and Democrat Dan Votaw of Leetonia complete the 2024 ticket for the state representative of the 79th District.

Incumbent Robb Blasdel has filled the seat since it was vacated due to term limits of Tim Ginter who held four-terms in Ohio Fifth District before the 79th House District, which encompasses the majority of Columbiana County and all of Carroll County, was established. Voters overwhelmingly selected Robb Blasdel for the Ohio House.

Blasdel serves on the House Finance Committee, the Finance Subcommittee on Transportation, is the Chair of the Pensions Committee and Vice Chair of Public Utilities and also serves on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Families & Aging Committee.

Robb Blasdel hopes to build on what she’s already accomplished if she earns another term.

“I am running for re-election because I have utilized my first term in office to work on issues that matter most to Ohioans, and I will continue to dive into complex policy issues during my second term,” she said. “I am focused on serving and being responsive to my constituents, and it is important to me that my district knows that your voice is being heard in Columbus. I have been able to successfully advocate and bring financial resources back to Columbiana and Carroll counties, securing millions of dollars in the State Capital Budget and One Time Strategic Investment funds, which will have a transformational impact on our communities for generations to come.”

While thinking ahead and strengthening the future of Columbiana and Carroll counties, Robb Blasdel said she is also focused on what matters to her constituents right now.

“The most important issues in this election are issues that directly affect everyday Americans — cutting government spending and ending inflation, ensuring that our children receive the best education, tax reform, and ensuring safe communities by supporting law enforcement,” Blasdel said.

Blasdel started her professional career working for her family’s small business in Columbiana County. She worked several years in the private sector, gaining experience in retail, sales, and marketing while connecting with business owners and CEOs all over Northeast Ohio before joining the Ohio Lt. Governor’s team in 2011 as Northeast Ohio Regional Liaison. She has experience in education and workforce, regulatory reform and broadband expansion projects.

A graduate of Crestview High School, Robb Blasdel obtained her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Akron in 2005. She holds a minor in Entrepreneurship.

Robb Blasdel is married to Chuck Blasdel, former Speaker Pro-Tempore of the Ohio House of Representatives. They reside in Columbiana, Ohio, with their daughters, Presley and Raegan, and their King Charles Spaniel, Tucker.

“I am a full-time legislator who works every day to ensure that Columbiana and Carroll County is the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Blasdel added. “It is an honor to serve, and I will continue to be a strong, conservative voice for my district.”

Votaw, a proud parent of three children and the proud grandparent of two, is a self-described lifelong resident except for the years he spent at the University of Delaware where he earned Bachelor of Science Degrees and met his wife, Michele. A teacher in the Lisbon school district for 40 years, Votaw holds teaching degrees in General Elementary Education (grades 1 through 8), Secondary English Education (grades 7 through 12), a Reading Instruction Endorsement (grades 1 through 12), and a Master’s Degree in English Instruction from Youngstown State University. Votaw said he’s been an active member of the Lisbon Teachers’ Union and coached football at various levels on-and-off for a dozen years.

Votaw served as the Leetonia levy chairman from 2007 to 2010, was elected to the Leetonia school board for two four-year terms from 2015 to 2023 and has worked on local campaigns. While he has always kept an eye on politics, the political climate in recent years is what he said led him to throw his hat into the 79th District ring.

“I have always been interested in politics, serving on the local school board and campaigning for various local politicians,” Votaw said. “However, what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, along with the lies that preceded it and followed it, motivated me to take this step.”

Votaw didn’t pull any punches when discussing the issues he feels matter most.

“Telling the truth and verifying the truth need to be the center piece in today’s discourse. The lies that are constantly circulated, and are verified as lies, must be called out,” he said “And certainly gun-safety is a priority. The number of children killed by guns increases every year, and will continue until our lawmakers decide to do something about it. It is possible to maintain the spirit of the second amendment and still decrease gun-deaths.”

While his resume isn’t flashy as some, Votaw said his honesty and integrity are his most notable qualifications.

“I will be honest, I won’t lie, and I will call out those that do,” Votaw said. “You cannot be a Republican running for elected office and tell the truth. You have to say that Donald Trump won the 2020 election, that the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6 was not an attack propagated by Donald Trump and his allies, that Haitians in Springfield are eating their neighbors’ pets and that voting ‘No’ [on Issue One] stops gerrymandering — a provable lie that our local Republicans are willingly spreading.”

selverd@mojonews.com