Matthew Diemer
Matthew Diemer (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Ohio's 7th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Diemer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Matthew Diemer was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Diemer earned an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Hawaii. His career experience includes owning a small business.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Ohio's 7th Congressional District election, 2024
Ohio's 7th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Democratic primary)
Ohio's 7th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Republican primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Ohio District 7
Incumbent Max Miller defeated Matthew Diemer and Dennis Kucinich in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 7 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Max Miller (R) | 51.1 | 204,494 |
 | Matthew Diemer (D)  | 36.1 | 144,613 | |
 | Dennis Kucinich (Independent) | 12.8 | 51,264 | |
| Total votes: 400,371 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7
Matthew Diemer defeated Doug Bugie in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matthew Diemer | 81.7 | 33,765 |
 | Doug Bugie | 18.3 | 7,540 | |
| Total votes: 41,305 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7
Incumbent Max Miller advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Max Miller | 100.0 | 62,075 |
| Total votes: 62,075 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Diemer in this election.
2022
See also: Ohio's 7th Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Ohio District 7
Max Miller defeated Matthew Diemer, Vince Licursi, and Brian Kenderes in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 7 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Max Miller (R) | 55.3 | 168,002 |
| Matthew Diemer (D) | 44.6 | 135,485 | |
 | Vince Licursi (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 51 | |
| Brian Kenderes (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 35 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 10 | ||
| Total votes: 303,583 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Regina Gustafson Ewing (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7
Matthew Diemer defeated Tristan Rader (Unofficially withdrew) in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7 on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matthew Diemer | 62.8 | 12,636 |
 | Tristan Rader (Unofficially withdrew) | 37.2 | 7,500 | |
| Total votes: 20,136 | |||
| = 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
- Patrick Malley (D) (Unofficially withdrew)
- Matt Harman (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7
Max Miller defeated Jonah Schulz, Charlie Gaddis, and Anthony Leon Alexander in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 7 on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Max Miller | 71.8 | 43,158 |
 | Jonah Schulz | 13.9 | 8,325 | |
| Charlie Gaddis | 9.3 | 5,581 | ||
 | Anthony Leon Alexander | 5.0 | 3,033 | |
| Total votes: 60,097 | |||
| = 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
- Bob Gibbs (R) (Unofficially withdrew)
- Donald Truex (R)
- Matt Shoemaker (R)
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Matthew Diemer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Diemer'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 went to the University of Hawaii and graduated dean’s list with a degree in political science. During my undergraduate studies I received a scholarship to study the Chinese language. I became an expert in Chinese reading, writing, and speaking. While in China I worked leading big teams of hundreds of employees from dozens of countries. I moved on from China to Taiwan with a full scholarship to study my MBA.
While studying for my MBA I started a small business, wrote a book, eventually moved back to Cuyahoga County.- My top priorities include strengthening abortion rights. I plan to advocate for federal legislation protecting a woman's right to choose.
- Fighting corruption by pushing for laws to eliminate congressional stock trading and PAC influence.
- I aim to promote economic policies that benefit working families and defend Social Security against privatization efforts.
But I think #1 is showing up. It seems that once an official is elected or isn't running a campaign, they disappear. I have continued and will continue to be around town, showing up to political club meetings, meeting with grassroots, and staying connected.
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.
Campaign website
Diemer’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
RELIEF FOR WORKING AMERICANS
ABORTION / WOMEN’S ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
OUTCOMPETING CHINA & REBUILDING AMERICAN MANUFACTURING
COMMUNITY SAFETY
SOCIAL SECURITY & SUPPORTING OUR SENIORS
SUPPORTING LABOR
EDUCATION & SCHOOLS
|
” |
| —Matthew Diemer’s campaign website (2024)[3] | ||
2022
Matthew Diemer did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Diemer's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
RELIEF FOR WORKING AMERICANS FROM THE PUMP TO THE STORE, YOU'RE PAYING MORE. CONGRESS NEEDS TO ACT. POLICY SUMMARY
From the pump to the grocery store, you’re paying more. Congress needs to act to reduce prices, fix broken supply chains, and get inflation under control to secure a brighter future for ourselves and our children. In the United States and worldwide, people are struggling with the economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Concerns over the pandemic and the great resignation have caused massive labor shortages and economic uncertainty, which have led to raw material shortages that are driving up prices globally. At the same time, Putin’s gas tax, the closure of American refineries during the pandemic, and OPEC’s refusal to drastically increase production have Americans and people worldwide paying more at the pump. Congress has a role in providing relief to the American people and solving some of the causes of these ongoing issues. Support Tax Cuts for the Middle Class Higher rent, grocery, and childcare costs to name a few, are emptying the pockets of working families. We need to lower taxes on the middle class to give workers some breathing room. Many families live paycheck to paycheck. Congress must maintain existing middle-class tax cuts and explore options for expanding tax relief. Support a Livable Minimum Wage The minimum wage needs to be a livable wage. The fact remains that a worker who puts in 40 hours a week with no overtime should, at a minimum, receive compensation that is more than just scraping by. As Americans, we believed this in 1933, and we believe it today. Unfortunately, too many large companies pay their workers starvation wages, and taxpayers fill in the difference. As your representative, I’ll fight for livable wages that will increase with inflation, are adequate for the local cost of living, and are tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Offer Loans and Grants to Restart or Expand Childcare Small Businesses & Reduce Costs for Families During the pandemic, public health restrictions and concerns over COVID-19 led many childcare-focused small businesses to close their doors, leaving working parents with limited options for providing care for their children. Estimates suggest up to 16,000 childcare providers shut down in the pandemic, and lack of childcare is estimated to cost working families up to $9.5 billion in lost earnings. By offering loans and grants to existing childcare businesses to expand or to recently shuttered businesses to start back up, we can create jobs for care providers and help get those who want to work back to work to provide additional income for their families. While additional care facilities should help to reduce costs, Congress should act to ensure no family is spending over 7% of their household budget on childcare as recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services. Support Small and Large Ohio Farmers to Ensure America’s Food Security As a member of Congress, I intend to be a steadfast supporter of farmers in Ohio. Supply chain issues are driving up prices for producers and families and the war in Ukraine causing global agricultural shortages. Ensuring food security has never been a more critical issue. I intend to work across the aisle, and with everyone to support efforts to reduce prices at the grocery store for Americans while also supporting small farmers. I also plan to work closely with dairy farmers to modernize Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs), support further sustainability efforts, and work to pass the Dairy Pride Act.
FIGHTING TO KEEP WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE DECISIONS OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE GOVERNMENT. POLICY SUMMARY
“The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her well-being and dignity. It is a decision she must make for herself. When Government controls that decision for her, she is being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.” – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg I will work to codify Roe vs. Wade into law – PERIOD. I believe in my body, my choice in all facets, and I will work to ensure that a woman’s life, well-being, and dignity are defended, along with her ability to make medical decisions after consulting a doctor without the Government’s consent. Further, I vow to work to expand women’s access to contraceptive healthcare, work to improve access to prenatal care, and fight for reducing the cost and expanding the availability of childcare because being pro-life shouldn’t just be for children in the womb. I’m Proud to be Endorsed By:
WINNING THE 21ST CENTURY BY SUPPORTING WORKERS, MANUFACTURERS, AND BUILDING THE AMERICAN DREAM, IN AMERICA POLICY SUMMARY
The rise of China and the destruction of the middle class in America are two things that I’ve witnessed firsthand. From witnessing manufacturing jobs shipped overseas to my time living in China and seeing the rise of the middle class there, what we’ve lost is something I take personally and will tirelessly work to fix in Congress. When I moved to Bejing in 2005, there were three subway lines, housing cost $30,000, and to get to Shanghai you had to take an overnight train. When I left in 2017, there were over 20 subway lines, that same house cost $500,000, and you could leave for Shanghai at lunch and arrive in Bejing by dinner. These enormous economic strides were bought and paid for by what used to be the American middle class, and it’s our jobs and our pensions that were lost in the process. I believe we can and will outcompete China. It’s essential to grow our jobs, rebuild our middle class, and ensure our national security. Demand Fair Markets and Competiton China currently outcompetes us through many subversive tactics. By leveraging their labor force, they’re able to strong-arm companies into establishing a base of operations in the country in order to both utilize their labor and market to their people. Through corporate espionage, they’re stealing intellectual property from our industries and are threatening US technological security. We need to shore up these areas of competition and security through appropriate legislation to ensure that we’re competing on a level playing field. Allowing China the unfair advantages they’re accustomed to is unacceptable. Build a robust American Industrial Policy Operation Warp Speed, which produced the COVID-19 vaccines, showed us that when America puts its mind to something and works toward a common goal, we get things done. However, working through the challenges of the pandemic while relying on the Defense Production Act shows us that America needs a comprehensive industrial policy if we’re to meet future challenges. For years, federal investment in research and development has provided great technological strides and created entirely new sectors of the economy. From the Internet to GPS and even the commercialization of space travel, we know that these investments can work to develop industries that are good for the country that traditional investors won’t touch due to the lack of near-term returns on investment. Building and funding these opportunities can help close the manufacturing gap between newly developed technologies and store shelves, help existing manufacturers become more efficient, and provide jobs and security to our domestic supply chains. Invest in Manufacturing Workforce Development As part of my focus on education, I’m dedicated to returning vocational training to American schools and building partnerships with trades and businesses to ensure we’re making the blue-collar workforce of the future. By supporting the trades, we’re supporting workers with good-paying jobs and a ticket to the middle class. Nobody can outcompete American workers. Support the Commercialization of American Startups In all of this, we know that America is continually at the forefront of developing new technologies. From Silicon Valley across the country, cities and states have invested in technology incubators to develop the next Facebook. Yet, we have little to no infrastructure for where we can manufacture physical products. We need to change this. Through all of these items – leveling the playing field, rebuilding our industrial policy, investing in our workforce, and closing the “manufacturing gap,” we can start down the road of rebuilding the American middle class and bringing good-paying jobs back home.
WORKING IN CONGRESS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO PROTECT US POLICY SUMMARY
The men and women who patrol and protect our communities deserve our utmost respect and support. In Congress, I’ll focus on safety, recruitment, retention, and ensuring officers can retire with dignity after giving so much of themselves to their communities. Plus, we’ll work to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those who would commit mass murder in our schools and public spaces. In Ohio’s 7th Congressional District and beyond, law enforcement officers are a cornerstone of every community, large and small. In today’s world, public safety is something we’ve unfortunately learned that we can’t take for granted. From mass shootings to child trafficking, the opioid crisis, and even domestic terrorism, we lean on the men and women of the law enforcement community to keep our neighborhoods safe. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, below are some examples of currently introduced legislation and other priorities that I will work on in the next Congress. Support the Invest to Protect Act The Invest to Protect Act is a bipartisan piece of legislation that seeks to have the Department of Justice carry out a grant program to assist police departments with fewer than 200 law enforcement officers. From recruitment and training to equipment, retention, and health services, this bill prioritizes our local police departments. It gives them the resources they need to operate more effectively, accountably, and safely. In Congress, this type of legislation will have my full support. Support the Eliminate Network Distribution of (END) Child Exploitation Act Child trafficking is an abomination that requires all of our efforts to end once and for all. Introduced by Representative Anthony Gonzalez (R OH-13), if not passed this Congress, I will take up the mantel to pass it in the next as I fully support this vital legislation. This bill seeks to extend the period that technology companies are required to preserve information about child sexual abuse images they report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The safety of the children of our country is a top priority, and in Congress, I’ll work to codify this critical legislation into law. Fund Nationwide Officer Recruitment Campaign via DOJ, and Continue to Provide Grants for Local Recruitment Statistics have shown that across the country, police departments are losing officers to resignations and retirement and are having trouble refilling those positions. We need a dual effort to recruit honest defenders of the public peace by funding a national marketing and recruitment effort through the Department of Justice while continuing to ensure adequate funding of existing grant programs for recruitment in local departments. Through this joint effort, we can help get good men and women in uniform to help keep our communities safe. Support Common-Sense Mental Health and Gun Legislation to Protect Law Abiding Gun Owners From Criminals and Mass Murderers We need stronger laws and funding for mental health evaluations/care, weapon training, and firearm storage regulations. We need to make available additional funding to study gun violence, whether intentional or accidental, to better understand how to address the issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently reported that firearms are the number one cause of death among American children and adolescents. We must address these preventable deaths of our kids as a people. I firmly believe that we can preserve the rights of law-abiding citizens, protect our people, and provide a strong deterrent against a tyrannical government and foreign invasion if we work together to deliver common-sense reforms.
PRESERVE AND DEFEND THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. POLICY SUMMARY
My opponent is not only endorsed by Club for Growth, he also took over $76,000 of their dollars to fund his campaign. This means that if my opponent is victorious, he’ll spend the next two years fighting to turn Social Security into a giveaway for Wall Street. Defending the institution of Social Security and preventing a giveaway to Wall Street is a top priority of mine. Social Security has provided a blanket of protection for working people, ensuring they can retire in dignity and be self-sufficient in their golden years. Unfortunately, not everyone is born with their own trust fund. Social Security is the trust fund of the American people. Ensure People Can Retire in Dignity Social Security is one piece of the puzzle in ensuring that America’s seniors can have dignity in retirement. By reducing the cost of senior living, enacting policy that helps promote new construction of senior living facilities, reducing the costs of prescription drugs, and capping the cost of insulin, we can give back to seniors and make America not just a great place to live, but a great place to retire too. Oppose any Privatization Efforts After two market crashes in 12 years, it should be evident what chaining Social Security to the stock market would mean. I oppose any effort to privatize America’s social safety net. Protect Pensions Folks who worked their entire lives to earn the promise of a comfortable retirement nearly had it ripped out from under them due to the global pandemic. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Special Financial Assistance Program will protect the pensions of as many as 3 million workers, further ensuring dignity in retirement and fulfilling America’s contract with workers. I support this measure and will support additional actions to ensure that pension plans are solvent both now and in the future. Expand Medicare Dental and vision are a part of healthcare. It should be covered by Medicare. I support expanding this coverage to our seniors to ensure access to this critical form of care.
DEFENDING UNIONS AND WORKING PEOPLE FROM THOSE WHO HAVE A HISTORY OF BUSTING THEM. POLICY SUMMARY
My opponent called Donald Trump the “greatest president of our lifetime” and worked for his extremely anti-union administration. Organized labor is the greatest tool working people have for ensuring fair pay, safe working conditions, and dignity of work. In Congress, I’ll fight to keep working people at the bargaining table, protect and expand the rights of unions and their members, and use my experience from my time living in China to bring back the jobs and manufacturing we’ve lost to foreign shores. All while working to protect our public education system, expand access to job training, and ensure that every American has access to affordable healthcare and prescription drugs. Pass the PRO Act, the CHIPS Act, and Stand Up for Labor Rights For decades, workers have fought tooth and nail for wages, basic protections, and a seat at the table. The House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act in March mostly along party lines, with all but one Democrat voting for it and all but five Republicans voting against it. With this critical legislation stalled in the Senate, know Congress, I’ll be a fighter for those workers fighting for their livelihoods day in and day out against an onslaught of attacks and misinformation seeking to bust unions. Additionally, with the CHIPS Act stalled, we need to ensure that we’re not wasting time on stupid partisan fights when good-paying jobs and the restoration of American manufacturing hangs in the balance. Doing what’s right for the American people shouldn’t be this hard, and when elected, I’ll work with anyone of whatever party to do whatever we can to bring these jobs home. Take Steps to Onshore Manufacturing and Support Innovation In Ohio, we build things. Growing up here, I remember seeing firsthand the dignity of work living beside the steel plant. Watching my dad coming home, I learned what a hard day’s work was. We need to turn hard work into skills, skills into careers, and careers into generational family & community stability. That means investments in diversifying our energy supplies and hardening our grid against future threats, building domestic supply chains, and paying living wages while doing it. America’s innovation and innovators have always been the backbone of our economy and exceptionalism. However, the fierce competition from China and other countries is making America less competitive. With the right people in Congress, I know America, and especially Ohio, can be home to the innovation and builders of the future. Oppose “So-Called” Right to Work Legislation “Right to work” is a lie. Period. Like most myths spun by these union-busting organizations, “right to work” weakens unions, threatens working people’s rights, and reduces workers’ pay and benefits. In Congress, I’ll oppose any and all right to work legislation. Fight for a Livable Minimum Wage and Protect Prevailing Wage Laws The minimum wage needs to be a livable wage. If you put in 40 hours a week with no overtime at minimum wage, that should be enough to support you. Additionally, we must protect workers’ wages by supporting prevailing wage laws and project labor agreements. Support Public Education and Job Training for Workers Every child in Ohio deserves an A+ education in a great school with great teachers. Our public education system is under attack. From misinformation about the curriculum to the push for privatization via charters and vouchers, we need to protect our community institutions and ensure we’re listening to the educators to solve their problems as they’re the front line for our kids’ future. We must put trade and vocational courses back into high schools and create relationships with companies and students to promote internships and apprenticeships in the trades and skilled labor. I’ll support free training schools to make American workers the easy choice for companies looking to relocate and work to put respect and dignity in all work.
EVERY CHILD IN AMERICA DESERVES AN A+ EDUCATION POLICY SUMMARY
A vibrant and robust public education system is the backbone of every free society. We must ensure our schools are well funded, safe, staffed, and able to provide opportunities to ensure that we’re giving the next generation of Americans the tools they need to reach their full potential. Defending Public Education from Privatization Public education is under attack as politicians at all levels of government work to defund our school systems. I believe that quality public education is the right of every American child, and in Washington, I’ll fight to preserve, enhance, and support our public education sector and its employees. Restore Trade and Vocational Courses to Public Schools A great-paying job in the trades is an excellent path after high school. By helping local districts enhance and rebuild their trade programs and through working to build partnerships with local companies and unions, a high school diploma could be the ticket to a great-paying job in the trades for our graduates. Ensure Every School Is A Safe Environment A safe environment for learning and teaching secures the promise of the next generation’s success. Therefore, I pledge to work with everyone, from teachers to the Department of Education, to ensure Congress is providing the resources needed to get schools and districts what they need to protect their students and staff. While additionally pushing for common-sense reforms to keep criminals who would harm our communities away from firearms. Ensure Dignity In All Work, Both Trades and Higher Education Whether it’s SpaceX or another company, businesses of the future need tradespeople as much as they need rocket scientists. By focusing on developing students’ skills and providing opportunities to try different career paths, we can build the workforce, thinkers, and innovators of the future. I’ll work to develop and strengthen partnerships with schools and the trades to ensure we’re giving our students a path to good-paying jobs after graduating. At the same time, I’ll work to ensure our teachers have the resources they need to be effective educators of all students, regardless of whether college is in their future.[2] |
” |
| —Matthew Diemer's campaign website (2022)[4] | ||
Campaign finance summary
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Matthew Diemer for Congress, "Meet Matt," accessed January 20, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Matthew Diemer for Congress, “Priorities,” accessed January 20, 2024
- ↑ Matthew Diemer for Congress, “Priorities,” accessed November 3, 2022
