Andrew Leonard
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Andrew Leonard (independent) ran for election to the Ohio House of Representatives to represent District 54. He lost as a write-in in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Leonard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Andrew Leonard was born in Willard, Ohio. He earned a high school diploma from Willard High School, a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in 1996, and a graduate degree from Bowling Green State University in 1997. His career experience includes working as a counselor.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Ohio House of Representatives District 54
Kellie Deeter defeated Brenda Buchanan and Andrew Leonard in the general election for Ohio House of Representatives District 54 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kellie Deeter (R) | 65.5 | 39,271 |
 | Brenda Buchanan (D)  | 34.5 | 20,685 | |
| Andrew Leonard (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 8 | ||
| Total votes: 59,964 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54
Brenda Buchanan advanced from the Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brenda Buchanan | 100.0 | 4,924 |
| Total votes: 4,924 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54
Kellie Deeter defeated Anthony Savage in the Republican primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kellie Deeter | 73.1 | 9,168 |
| Anthony Savage | 26.9 | 3,367 | ||
| Total votes: 12,535 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Leonard in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Andrew Leonard completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Leonard's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a 57 year old lifetime resident of Willard, Ohio. I am married to a wonderful woman who works in a local factory and have three grown children. I am currently a mental health therapist in private practice. My professional career started at Children Services where I spent almost 10 years. I then worked as a therapist in Children Residential Centers for the next 12 years. I spent several years working community mental health and finally have moved into a private practice where I happily work from home. During my career I have worked for or been directly in contact with "the system" until I moved into private practice.
Government is a necessary institution for a society to thrive and during my experiences in the very small area of government in which I was exposed, I witnessed a great deal of waste. I think one needs to work within the system in order to fully appreciate the breadth of inefficient use of resources and duplication of services within the government. The major parties bicker over hot button issues in order to make noise and grandstand but neither focus on the overgrown bureaucracy that has evolved into slow moving, wasteful, behemoth.
I want to address this issue of needless waste. I believe that costs can be trimmed significantly by overhauling the power structures that have developed in these bureaucracies. This can only be accomplished through legislation because they have shown they will not police themselves.- I believe that the Democratic and Republican parties are tainted. Both parties have been taken over by extremists. Neither works for the benefit of their constituents because both are focused on what brings power to their party. Neither party hold their own members accountable for unethical and even criminal behavior. Both parties put party over country and both parties embrace cheating whenever and wherever they can get away with it. This system is doomed to collapse at some point and if action is not taken soon, I fear we will pass a point of no return. Most people are moderate by nature and I implore the reader to consider the benefits of supporting a moderate party. I support The Forward Party. No right, not left, but forward.
- I think it is foolish not to tax billionaires. One thing both parties can agree on is that they will not tax billionaires. The Democrats pretend like they will but do not follow through. The Republicans state clearly they will never tax the rich. I think everyone should pay their fair share of taxes. They could not make their billions of dollars were it not for the infrastructure out tax dollars created and maintain. They could not reap the billions out of their international businesses without our military policing the world. We pay for their overseas security. The average person cannot get out of paying taxes, why should the mega rich?
- I believe law enforcement officers should have to obtain and maintain a professional license. As a licensed therapist, I am required to maintain a license because of the risk I could cause the public were I to be negligent in my job. In my profession, every other month the State Board publishes a list of licensed therapist and social workers who have violated an ethical code and are held accountable with consequences from paying a fine to losing their license when can end their professional career. Police should be held to at least this standard. Because law enforcement police themselves, they do not do well at holding one another accountable. We have all seen the negative consequences of law enforcement officers who act with impunity.
I believe in Rank Choice Voting. This would go a long way toward picking the best person for the job rather than picking the lesser of two evils. How many elections are decided before we even go to the ballot box because the major parties hand picked their candidates. What we get is a choice between Tweetle-Dumb and Tweetle-Dumber. Rank Choice Voting may sound complicated on the surface but I assure you it can be effective.
I also believe in fair and equitable taxation. The bulk of taxes are paid by the middle class while the rich have built in tax breaks that keep them from paying their fair share. Why are those tax breaks in place? Because the rich buy politicians who do the bidding of their masters.
I also believe in fair and equitable taxation. The bulk of taxes are paid by the middle class while the rich have built in tax breaks that keep them from paying their fair share. Why are those tax breaks in place? Because the rich buy politicians who do the bidding of their masters.
Ike. He was the greatest American of the 20th century in my opinion and the last person of integrity to hold the office of presidency.
I believe that the original Star Wars is the best movie ever made. It doesn't really have anything to do with my political beliefs or philosophy but this question offered me the opportunity to brag on my favorite movie so I took it.
INTEGRITY! Both major parties are run by people who are ok with lying and cheating. We have become complacent in our society and no longer expect politicians to tell the truth and we do not hold them accountable when they lie, cheat, or steal. Transparency is the key to holding them accountable and the major parties work harder and harder to keep their dealings secret.
I also believe compassion is necessary in elected officials. Our current politicians are so focused on party politics, they ignore the suffering of their constituents.
I have integrity. I have spent my entire career holding people accountable for their behavior and would like to apply that skill to government.
In short, Do Your Job! A state representative is supposed to legislate which means passing laws that benefit the state as a whole, not a narrow segment of the population. This means that they should attend legislative sessions whenever they are held. Familiarize yourself with the bills being introduced rather than making snap judgements based on party affiliation. The current system discourages new ideas because neither party will support the other party regardless of the idea or measure. Both major parties are so invested in the other's failure that even when a good idea is presented, it goes nowhere. Keep an open mind!
I think a better question is what legacy will I leave? We all leave a legacy. I can earnestly say that many of the people with whom I have worked may not like me, but they would all say they respect me. They would also tell you that I tell it like it is whether you like it or not.
I was five years old for the 1972 election. My uncle Jack was very politically active and a fierce Democrat. He hated Richard Nixon. He took me with him to vote and I remember him arguing with the poll worker that I could enter the booth with him because I could not read. They let me in and my uncle showed me how to vote. In those days the voting machine had little levers you pulled to vote. He let me pull the big lever that opened the curtain back up which cast his vote.
My very first job was through a summer youth program for low income families. I worked as a janitor assistant at our local Jr. High School. I worked there two summers. I learned a lot from those guys and found the experience invaluable. Running the floor buffer was really cool!
The Stand by Stephen King. It's brilliant.
Mr. Spock He was my first hero as a child and remains so.
Finances mostly.
Maintaining an open dialogue. So much of politics is decided based on a color rather than the idea. Republicans won't support Democrat ideas and Democrats won't support Republican ones. Keeping an open mind and engaging in meaningful communication is of the utmost importance. I believe rank choice voting would help with this issue. If politicians knew that they had to do their jobs to keep it, I believe they would work harder. The current system is set up more like an inheritance than something to be earned.
Maintaining job security for Ohioans and the infrastructure of our state. Ohio is an "at will" state which means workers have no rights. Corporations hold towns hostage by threatening to go where labor is cheaper unless the community concedes to their blackmail. As a result, wages are dropping, and tax revenue is becoming non-existent. I believe that supporting small business rather than big business is the key to addressing this issue. Small business are built in local communities and become tied to that community, often for generations. Corporations are like an abusive partner who threatens to leave you every time you ask them to live up to their end of the bargain. In the end, they will leave.
I think it is beneficial but not necessary. My civil servant experience gives me a good understanding of government waste. It also helps me understand why it is so hard to get bureaucracies to move. Many, and maybe even most, government institutions are filled with civil servants who have been able to create a fiefdom where they are untouchable. This leads to inefficiency and waste. By dislodging these fiefdoms, we will not only get rid of lazy and inefficient government workers, it will open the door for new blood and new ideas that can improve the system.
ABSOLUTELY! One of the biggest problems currently in politics is Us vs Them. The major parties discourage any kind of collaboration and this is not only dividing our country, it contributes to a lack of action. As a mental health therapist I am very aware of the benefits of building relationships with others. We live in a world where we are not exposed to ideas outside of our bubble. This needs to change. An exchange of ideas is the best way to get good ones.
I am not currently interested in a higher position but will not rule anything out.
I'm a mental health therapist and have heard thousands of impactful stories. Certainly some stand out. A few of the more difficult stories to hear are the ones told by females who have been physically abused by their partners and then coerced by the police not to press charges. It is heart wrenching for me to hear a woman describe being beaten and then the police threaten her with jail because she scratched her attacker defending herself. Or, they will threaten her with children services removing their kids if a police report is filed. I'm not saying this happens every time a woman is abused. I am saying that even if it is only one out of a hundred, that is one too many. I stated in an earlier essay that I believe law enforcement officers should be required to maintain a professional license in order to be in law enforcement. I believe if there were a system that help police accountable for their misdeeds, these kinds of stories would decrease.
A bear and a rabbit are pooping in the woods. The bear turns to the rabbit and says "Excuse me, Rabbit, but do you have a problem with poop sticking to your fur?" The rabbit replies, "Why no." So the bear grabs the rabbit and wipes his butt with him.
That is a case by case discussion. Emergency powers should never be granted in haste or due to emotional fervor.
Rank Choice Voting
I would love to be on a committee that can help to provide better mental health services. I must admit, I do not know a lot about the committees as a layperson but I am sure I would be able to learn.
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!!! This is one of the major flaws in the current system. I stated in a different essay on this platform my views of addressing bloated bureaucracy so I won't go over it again other than saying the amount of waste I witnessed was staggering. And to put that into context, I was exposed to two small county governments during my career. I can only imagine the waste that exists overall.
I think elected officials' sources of income should be public domain. Who paid them and how much. I also think we need to tighten down the laws on accepting gifts. When I worked for Children Services I accepted a tee shirt from a vendor with whom we did business. My supervisor made it quite clear that this was unacceptable due to the risk of me or our agency showing that vendor favored status because of a favor. That was a $10 tee shirt. If a lowly civil servant cannot accept gifts, I certainly don't think it's ok for elected officials.
I think elected officials' sources of income should be public domain. Who paid them and how much. I also think we need to tighten down the laws on accepting gifts. When I worked for Children Services I accepted a tee shirt from a vendor with whom we did business. My supervisor made it quite clear that this was unacceptable due to the risk of me or our agency showing that vendor favored status because of a favor. That was a $10 tee shirt. If a lowly civil servant cannot accept gifts, I certainly don't think it's ok for elected officials.
I believe we should have open primaries where all the candidates are voted for and the two with the most votes square off in the general election regardless of party affiliation.
I absolutely support the end of gerrymandering.
I absolutely support the end of gerrymandering.
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 12, 2024
Current members of the Ohio House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Jason Stephens
Majority Leader:Marilyn John
Minority Leader:Dani Isaacsohn
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Latyna Humphrey (D)
District 3
Ismail Mohamed (D)
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
Allison Russo (D)
District 8
Anita Somani (D)
District 9
Munira Abdullahi (D)
District 10
Mark Sigrist (D)
District 11
Crystal Lett (D)
District 12
Brian Stewart (R)
District 13
Tristan Rader (D)
District 14
Sean Brennan (D)
District 15
Chris Glassburn (D)
District 16
District 17
Mike Dovilla (R)
District 18
Juanita Brent (D)
District 19
Phil Robinson (D)
District 20
District 21
Eric Synenberg (D)
District 22
Darnell Brewer (D)
District 23
Dan Troy (D)
District 24
Dani Isaacsohn (D)
District 25
Cecil Thomas (D)
District 26
Vacant
District 27
Rachel Baker (D)
District 28
Karen Brownlee (D)
District 29
Cindy Abrams (R)
District 30
Mike Odioso (R)
District 31
Bill Roemer (R)
District 32
Jack Daniels (R)
District 33
Veronica Sims (D)
District 34
Derrick Hall (D)
District 35
Steve Demetriou (R)
District 36
Andrea White (R)
District 37
Tom Young (R)
District 38
Desiree Tims (D)
District 39
Phil Plummer (R)
District 40
Rodney Creech (R)
District 41
Erika White (D)
District 42
Elgin Rogers (D)
District 43
Michele Grim (D)
District 44
Josh Williams (R)
District 45
Jennifer Gross (R)
District 46
Thomas Hall (R)
District 47
Diane Mullins (R)
District 48
Scott Oelslager (R)
District 49
Jim Thomas (R)
District 50
Matthew Kishman (R)
District 51
Jodi Salvo (R)
District 52
Gayle Manning (R)
District 53
Joe Miller (D)
District 54
Kellie Deeter (R)
District 55
Michelle Teska (R)
District 56
Adam Mathews (R)
District 57
Jamie Callender (R)
District 58
Lauren McNally (D)
District 59
Tex Fischer (R)
District 60
Brian Lorenz (R)
District 61
Beth Lear (R)
District 62
Jean Schmidt (R)
District 63
Adam Bird (R)
District 64
Nick Santucci (R)
District 65
David Thomas (R)
District 66
Sharon Ray (R)
District 67
Melanie Miller (R)
District 68
District 69
Kevin Miller (R)
District 70
Brian Lampton (R)
District 71
Levi Dean (R)
District 72
Heidi Workman (R)
District 73
Jeff LaRe (R)
District 74
Bernard Willis (R)
District 75
Haraz Ghanbari (R)
District 76
Marilyn John (R)
District 77
Meredith Craig (R)
District 78
Matt Huffman (R)
District 79
District 80
Johnathan Newman (R)
District 81
James Hoops (R)
District 82
Roy Klopfenstein (R)
District 83
Ty Mathews (R)
District 84
Angela King (R)
District 85
Tim Barhorst (R)
District 86
Tracy Richardson (R)
District 87
Riordan McClain (R)
District 88
Gary Click (R)
District 89
D.J. Swearingen (R)
District 90
Justin Pizzulli (R)
District 91
Bob Peterson (R)
District 92
Mark Johnson (R)
District 93
Jason Stephens (R)
District 94
Kevin Ritter (R)
District 95
Ty Moore (R)
District 96
Ron Ferguson (R)
District 97
Adam Holmes (R)
District 98
Mark Hiner (R)
District 99
Sarah Fowler (R)
Republican Party (65)
Democratic Party (33)
Vacancies (1)
