Ohio House of Representatives District 21 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Ohio, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Ohio House of Representatives District 21 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Ohio House of Representatives District 21

Elliot Forhan defeated Kelly Powell in the general election for Ohio House of Representatives District 21 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Elliot Forhan (D)	73.6	29,205
	Submit photo	Kelly Powell (R)	26.4	10,499

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 39,704
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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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.

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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?

Elliot Forhan (D)

I am running to make our communities stronger and fairer for everyone, where the rich pay their fair share and we lift up the middle class.

I was a field organizer for Joe Biden's presidential campaign, and a few weeks after that election I drove down to Cobb County, Georgia, and spent the holidays knocking doors in support of the Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, helping us win the Senate runoff elections and take control of the U.S. Senate.

My top priorities are to (1) defend Roe and protect reproductive rights, (2) enact common-sense gun control and (3) focus on education.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Elliot Forhan (D)

I believe in building a stronger, fairer society for everyone. I am committed to building a community in new House District 21 where the rich pay their fair share and everyone can achieve the American dream. As state rep, I will focus on the following priorities to make those values a reality.

(1) Defend Roe, fight for Ohio women. I will fight for the rights and interests of Ohio’s women, including by protecting reproductive rights and choice and closing the pay gap.

(2) Enact common-sense gun control. I will fight to repeal the recent permitless-carry law, ban high-capacity assault weapons and ghost guns and enact background checks.

(3) Focus on education. I will fight to enact universal pre-K and free community college and trade schools.

(4) Support our seniors. I will help them age in place by increasing the state Homestead Exemption, eliminating taxes on 401(k) and pension income and enacting an Ohio renters’ tax credit.

(5) End gerrymandering. I will fight to stop GOP efforts to keep Democrats out of office.

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

Elliot Forhan (D)

I look up to and would like to follow the example of my parents. I was raised by two women. My parents are gay. I officiated their wedding ceremony in 2015, a few weeks after the announcement by the U.S. Supreme Court of its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. This year they celebrated their 45th anniversary of committing to each other as life partners. How many people do you know who have celebrated a 45th anniversary? (And how many people do you know who officiated their parents' wedding ceremony?) They raised my sister and me on two main values: work hard and treat everyone with kindness. Those values, and their strength and love, have guided me throughout my life and continue to guide me and my campaign.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Elliot Forhan (D)

Empower anyone other than elected officials to enact new district maps. For example: two independent mapmaking experts, one nominated by the Republican state legislators and the other nominated by the Democratic state legislators. We must end partisan gerrymandering and stop the Republicans from preventing Democrats from holding elected office in Ohio.

Both sitting legislators 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?

Elliot Forhan (D)

A voter in South Euclid, an older woman, told me that she used to work as a nurse in the '70s, before the ruling in Roe v. Wade. She remembers working in the emergency room and treating the women who would come in suffering after obtaining an unsafe abortion. We cannot go back to those days. I will fight to defend Roe and protect reproductive rights.

Many voters tell me that they are worried about crime and safety. They cannot believe that Ohio Governor DeWine signed into law the permitless-carry bill, and they are afraid about guns in our communities. I will fight to enact common-sense gun control, including repealing the permitless-carry law, banning high-capacity automatic weapons and ghost guns and enacting background checks.

Another voter told me about the amount of money that she has to pay each month, out of pocket, to treat her medical issues. Eight different prescriptions, one of which costs more than $1,000 per month. It's not acceptable. I will fight to cap the price of prescription drugs, such as insulin.

See also

More about these elections:

• Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2022

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