Joel Newby

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Joel Newby

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Ohio University, 2012

Graduate

Ohio University, 2014

Law

Capital University Law School, 2018

Personal

Birthplace

Fort Knox, Ky.

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

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Joel Newby (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Ohio's 15th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Newby completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Joel Newby was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He earned an undergraduate degree from Ohio University in June 2012, a graduate degree from Ohio University in 2014, and a law degree from Capital University Law School in 2018. His professional experience includes working as an attorney. Newby is licensed to practice law in the state of Ohio and is a member of the Columbus Bar Association.

Elections

2020

See also: Ohio's 15th Congressional District election, 2020

Ohio's 15th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Republican primary)

Ohio's 15th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 15

Incumbent Steve Stivers defeated Joel Newby and Shane Hoffman in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 15 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Stivers (R)	63.4	243,103
		Joel Newby (D)	36.6	140,183
		Shane Hoffman (American Solidarity Party) (Write-in)	0.0	75

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 383,361
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 15

Joel Newby defeated Daniel Kilgore in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 15 on April 28, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joel Newby	65.6	28,503
		Daniel Kilgore	34.4	14,916

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,419
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 15

Incumbent Steve Stivers defeated Shelby Hunt in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 15 on April 28, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Stivers	88.1	41,749
		Shelby Hunt	11.9	5,627

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 47,376
= 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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released November 12, 2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Joel Newby completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Newby's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Atlanta, Ohio, a small town in Pickaway County about an hour south of Columbus. I graduated from Westfall High School where I played football, wrestled and ran track. After high school, I attended Ohio University where I got my Bachelor's in Political Science and Sociology. During my undergraduate time, I was part of Student Senate and helped start an online newspaper. Athens felt like home so when I decided to continue my education, Ohio University was the logical choice. During that time period I earned a Masters in Political Science, was the President of Graduate Student Senate, President of the Political Science Honors Fraternity, and Chaired the Board for the Center for Student Legal Services.

After graduation, I moved to Franklin county where I graduated from law school, passed the bar exam, and now I am an attorney living in Northwest Columbus. During law school I was a representative for the Student Bar Association and Vice President of the Capital University Law School Democrats. During and after law school, I have been involved in local politics knocking doors for Zach Klein and Allison Russo (which helped flip an historically republican Ohio House District). I also managed a school board campaign in Hilliard.

Since I have lived and worked all over this district, I know that each region of the district requires a unique touch in order to help the community succeed. I am Joel Newby, running for in the Ohio 15th and I'm your REAL hometown choice.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Since I have lived and worked all over this district, I know that each region of the district requires a unique touch in order to help the community succeed.
• The people of this district can trust that I will properly represent them in Congress because I am one of them.
• My platform relies on my years of experience with the people of this district.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The Ohio 15th Congressional District is a big district. To truly represent the district, the Representative must know that each region of the district requires a unique touch in order to help the community succeed. This is why my platform relies on my years of experience of living and working with the people of this district. I am passionate about improving life for farmers, quality and affordable higher education, protecting our environment, creating clean energy jobs, expanding and protecting healthcare, making housing more affordable, improving existing infrastructure, expanding broadband internet, expanding equality for all people, creating morally healthy immigration policy, and funding the State Department better because the more money the State Department receives, the safer the world will be.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Senator Sherrod Brown. He is a great example of a great public servant, a great Ohioan, and a great American. His policies put workers first. He understands that government doesn't give handouts, it gives opportunities. Senator Brown protects America's economic interests and its economic future. He provides hope to us all. I would like to model my public service career after Senator Sherrod Brown.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official must be willing to make the tough decisions and then go home to their district to defend their decision. The Representative must always make the decision that benefits the district. They are elected to be smart enough to listen to their constituents and know how to vote to benefit their district the most. A Representative is useless and unworthy of the position if they duck the hard decisions. A Representative is worthless if they do not return to their districts to be held accountable for their decisions.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of building the midwest into an economic powerhouse. Ohio, including Southeast Ohio where poverty is at its highest, can become a leader in the 21st century economy. District 15 can have high paying, green jobs. It can get there, but it needs the leader it currently does not have.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. As an Ohioan, I enjoy how much Ohio and Ohioans played a role in Lincoln's governance. Learning about the people around Lincoln made him a real person for me instead of just a historical figure. But my favorite parts were learning about those who challenged Lincoln for the nomination and then worked with him later. They should also get credit for saving the union.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Thunder by Imagine Dragons

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Climate change is the most urgent and defining challenge of our time. According to NASA, 18 of the 19 warmest years have occurred since 2000. In fact, the past five years have each now ranked among the five warmest on record. Ohio's farmers have felt the blunt of climate change with the extreme weather affecting their ability to get crops in the field. The elderly, very young, and those with health conditions are having their lives threatened. Schools have to close early due to extreme heat. We are leaving behind a profoundly damaged planet.

I am dedicated to tackling climate change and I will aggressively push for the United States to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. I favor legislation that commits the United State to reducing emissions nationwide as indicated by scientific research. I believe that America should be running entirely on clean energy before the mid-century mark. In fact, we should accelerate the transition to clean energy. This will help us meet our goals regarding carbon reduction. I reject the idea that fighting climate change means sacrificing the economy.

Another great challenge will be to protect the American worker and realize the dignity of work. I support helping American workers and businesses compete in the global economy by investing in green energy manufacturing, high-tech products, and clean energy cars. By committing our country to a complete transition to renewable energy, millions of new jobs will be created. I support committing this country to defending the American worker. While pushing for expanding the American economy into the international economy, we need to protect American jobs. We need to expand and protect American unions.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Two years is the right term length for representatives. This allows for the country to metaphorically overthrow the government every two years. It is important that the whole House can be turned over. This can redirect the government and course correct the country. This allows the people to have control over their government.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

When John Quincy Adams was in the House after his Presidency, he stood up for what he believed what was right. He fought against slavery when the fight wasn't popular. In fact, the House imposed the gag order about slavery partly because of John Quincy Adams. He eventually fought to repeal the gag order. His constituents trusted him to make the right decision. I hope my would-be constituents will trust that I will always do what is right, even when they disagree with my decision. Representatives are elected to make the tough decisions, so they should not duck those tough decisions.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

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Footnotes

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Ohio's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Jon Husted (R)

Bernie Moreno (R)

Representatives

District 1

Greg Landsman (D)

District 2

David Taylor (R)

District 3

Joyce Beatty (D)

District 4

Jim Jordan (R)

District 5

Bob Latta (R)

District 6

Michael Rulli (R)

District 7

Max Miller (R)

District 8

Warren Davidson (R)

District 9

Marcy Kaptur (D)

District 10

Michael Turner (R)

District 11

Shontel Brown (D)

District 12

Troy Balderson (R)

District 13

Emilia Sykes (D)

District 14

David Joyce (R)

District 15

Mike Carey (R)

Republican Party (12)

Democratic Party (5)