Lou Lyras

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

Lou Lyras

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 19, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Ohio State University, Columbus, 1972

Personal

Birthplace

Youngstown, Ohio

Religion

Eastern Orthodox Christian

Profession

Contractor

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Lou Lyras (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Ohio's 6th Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on March 19, 2024.

Biography

Lou Lyras was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Ohio State University, Columbus, in 1972. His career experience includes working as a contractor and entrepreneur. He has been affiliated with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.

Elections

2024

See also: Ohio's 6th Congressional District election, 2024

Ohio's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Republican primary)

Ohio's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 6

Incumbent Michael Rulli defeated Michael Kripchak in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 6 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Rulli (R)	66.7	245,860
		Michael Kripchak (D)	33.3	122,515

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 368,375
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• William Farms (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6

Michael Kripchak defeated Rylan Finzer in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6 on March 19, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Kripchak	66.3	20,632
		Rylan Finzer	33.7	10,480

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,112
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Lou Lyras (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6

Incumbent Michael Rulli defeated Reggie Stoltzfus and Rick Tsai in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6 on March 19, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Rulli	49.5	43,857
		Reggie Stoltzfus	40.7	36,033
		Rick Tsai	9.8	8,641

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 88,531
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Kurt Hilderbrand (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Lyras in this election.

2022

See also: Ohio's 6th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 6

Incumbent Bill Johnson defeated Lou Lyras in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 6 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Johnson (R)	67.7	189,883
		Lou Lyras (D)	32.3	90,500

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 280,383
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6

Lou Lyras defeated Eric Jones and Martin Alexander in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6 on May 3, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lou Lyras	41.7	8,649
		Eric Jones	33.8	7,002
	Submit photo	Martin Alexander	24.5	5,084

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,735
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Shawna Roberts (D) (Unofficially withdrew)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6

Incumbent Bill Johnson defeated John Anderson, Michael Morgenstern, and Gregory Zelenitz in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 6 on May 3, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Johnson	77.3	57,292
		John Anderson	12.5	9,237
		Michael Morgenstern	6.7	4,936
		Gregory Zelenitz	3.6	2,634

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 74,099
= 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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2020

See also: Ohio's 13th Congressional District election, 2020

Ohio's 13th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Republican primary)

Ohio's 13th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 13

Incumbent Tim Ryan defeated Christina Hagan and Michael Fricke in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 13 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tim Ryan (D)	52.5	173,631
		Christina Hagan (R)	44.9	148,648
		Michael Fricke (L)	2.6	8,522

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 330,801
= 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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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 13

Incumbent Tim Ryan advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 13 on April 28, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tim Ryan	100.0	61,813

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 61,813
= 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 13

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 13 on April 28, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christina Hagan	65.8	19,327
		Lou Lyras	11.9	3,483
		Robert Santos	11.4	3,358
		Donald Truex	3.5	1,034
	Submit photo	Duane Hennen	3.5	1,032
		Richard Morckel	2.6	763
	Submit photo	Jason Mormando	1.3	389

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,386
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Kyle Steffel (R)

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Ohio District 13

Michael Fricke advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Ohio District 13 on April 28, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Fricke	100.0	131

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 131
= 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

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Lou Lyras did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Lou Lyras completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lyras' 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 was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio December 1950, and still live there near my children and grandchildren. I graduated from Campbell Memorial HS 1968 & Ohio State University 1972. I started an industrial painting company in 1976 and worked on bridges, factories, high tension electrical towers, and electrical power plants along the Ohio River.

In the 80's I - along with my brothers - changed the painting industry by inventing surface preparation machines [sandblasting] that recycled and reduced waste while protecting the environment. This system created tens of thousands of jobs. As a result of those patents, I co-founded a company in 1992 that specialized in surface preparation equipment for our infrastructure. The last 20 years I work mostly on the East Coast on many of the major iconic bridges.

I worked with OSHA, EPA, State DOTs, and the various Unions to rewrite laws and specifications for the coating industry. I've chaired national committees that involved infrastructure, and written articles in trade journals and spoke at national conferences concerning the coating and corrosion industry. I continue to sit on trade boards and committees for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.

Currently I am the proud co-owner with my children of Penguin City Beer in downtown Youngstown.

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?

• Energy Independence involves much more than simply burning fossil fuels in our country with no regard to our environment - it involves building Nuclear Power Plants, developing solar and wind farms, building hydrogen and electric vehicles - all of these will also produce good paying jobs. We would never again be dependent on dictators from other countries for our own energy resources.
• Women have rights, and we must preserve their right to make their own reproductive health choices. Our democracy is grounded in “one man one vote,” and this must unconditional right for all. Black lives matter. We must come to terms with the inhumanity inflicted upon black people and people of color. Teaching the history of all people, as well as conversations about race, should not be censored by any government. Gender cannot be defined as simply just male or female. It is a range of identities and the LGBTQ people must have a all the rights and dignities guaranteed by the constitution
• Working 50 years in the private sector and being a union contractor rebuilding infrastructure, I fought for fair wages, safe working conditions, good benefits. I made changes that were good for the environment and created jobs.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Environment, Energy, Infrastructure, Trade, Jobs, Education ... I am passionate about many policies.

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

There are many I look up to such as but not limited to: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, James Madison, Theodore Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Socrates, Mahatma Gandhi, and Smeddly Butler

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I am an avid reader and student of science, biology, technology, history, trade, and politics. There is no one book that stands out more than the others.

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

Honesty and Integrity

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Honesty. Determination. Persistence.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Legislate for the people. Legislate for the country. Legislate realizing this is the greatest nation on earth and what we do will make it better for the people and our children.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A better country and earth for my children and grandchildren and all the future generations.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Cuban Missile Crisis. 12 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I've had many job. I've had many companies. My first company was started 1976 and I still work there.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Making legislation that can help the nation, the state, the constituents in the district, and the earth.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No

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

Climate Change {Environment, Energy Independence - Nuclear Energy, wind & Solar}, Expand the right to vote, keeping the press free , woman's rights, LGBTQ rights, fair taxation .... there are too many to list.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Energy, Transportation, Trade, Foreign Policy, Immigration, Labor.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

Not Applicable

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

No, This should be three. Too much time is spent campaigning and not enough legislating.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe The House should be three to four terms., The Senate three.

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

There are many good legislators that I would like to model.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Recently listening to an immigrant from Mexico who came over in 1966 as a little girl told me how she started working in Union grocery stores. When I calculated her adjusted wage and benefits, she was surprised to see what she made. Everyone at the table realized that she was making much more than $15 per hour.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, it is impossible to legislate without compromising.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

This is a very important role. All the programs that are needed to run our government depend on revenue and fiscal responsibility. But taxation must be fair and effective to assure our country will endure without burdening any one group or individual.

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.

2020

Lou Lyras did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

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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.

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Lou Lyras campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Ohio District 6	Withdrew primary	$2,182	$15,036
2022	U.S. House Ohio District 6	Lost general	$144,248	$132,597
2020	U.S. House Ohio District 13	Lost primary	$122,915	$127,805
Grand total			$269,346	$275,438
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

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Candidate

U.S. House Ohio District 6

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Footnotes

[show]

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)