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Vanessa Enoch

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Vanessa Enoch
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Elections and appointments
Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Northwest High School

Bachelor's

The Ohio State University, 1992

Graduate

Union Institute and University, 2017

Ph.D

Union Institute and University, 2016

Personal
Birthplace
Cincinnati, Ohio
Religion
Christian: Baptist
Profession
Business owner and president
Contact

Vanessa Enoch (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Ohio's 8th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Enoch completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Vanessa Enoch was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She earned an undergraduate degree from Ohio State University in June 1992 and graduate degrees from Xavier University in December 1999 and Union Institute & University in October 2017. Her professional experience includes working as a management and policy consultant. Enoch is a member of the American Society for Public Administrators in Cincinnati, a member of the American Political Science Association, board president of Vision Works, Inc., a board member of Black Greeks Speak-Social Justice Organization, and a board member of the Joseph Dream, Race Reconciliation & Healing Organization.[1]

Elections

2024

See also: Ohio's 8th Congressional District election, 2024

Ohio's 8th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Republican primary)

Ohio's 8th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson defeated Vanessa Enoch in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson (R)
 
62.8
 
237,503
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch (D) Candidate Connection
 
37.2
 
140,625

Total votes: 378,128
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8

Vanessa Enoch defeated Nathaniel Hawkins and David Gelb in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on March 19, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch Candidate Connection
 
72.0
 
15,650
Image of Nathaniel Hawkins
Nathaniel Hawkins Candidate Connection
 
17.0
 
3,689
Image of David Gelb
David Gelb Candidate Connection
 
11.1
 
2,407

Total votes: 21,746
Candidate Connection = 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 U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson defeated Kay Rogers in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on March 19, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson
 
80.0
 
59,712
Image of Kay Rogers
Kay Rogers Candidate Connection
 
20.0
 
14,933

Total votes: 74,645
Candidate Connection = 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 Enoch in this election.

2022

See also: Ohio's 8th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson defeated Vanessa Enoch in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson (R)
 
64.6
 
180,287
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch (D)
 
35.4
 
98,629

Total votes: 278,916
Candidate Connection = 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 8

Vanessa Enoch advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on May 3, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch
 
100.0
 
18,290

Total votes: 18,290
Candidate Connection = 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 U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson defeated Phil Heimlich in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on May 3, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson
 
72.4
 
50,372
Image of Phil Heimlich
Phil Heimlich
 
27.6
 
19,230

Total votes: 69,602
Candidate Connection = 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 8th Congressional District election, 2020

Ohio's 8th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Democratic primary)

Ohio's 8th Congressional District election, 2020 (April 28 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson defeated Vanessa Enoch and Isaac Reed in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson (R)
 
69.0
 
246,277
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch (D) Candidate Connection
 
31.0
 
110,766
Image of Isaac Reed
Isaac Reed (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
114

Total votes: 357,157
Candidate Connection = 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 8

Vanessa Enoch defeated Matthew Guyette in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on April 28, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch Candidate Connection
 
79.5
 
24,297
Image of Matthew Guyette
Matthew Guyette Candidate Connection
 
20.5
 
6,269

Total votes: 30,566
Candidate Connection = 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 U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson defeated Edward Meer in the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on April 28, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson
 
91.3
 
53,542
Image of Edward Meer
Edward Meer Candidate Connection
 
8.7
 
5,125

Total votes: 58,667
Candidate Connection = 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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2018

See also: Ohio's 8th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson defeated Vanessa Enoch in the general election for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson (R)
 
66.6
 
173,852
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch (D)
 
33.4
 
87,281

Total votes: 261,133
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8

Vanessa Enoch defeated Ted Jones, Matthew Guyette, and Bill Ebben in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Vanessa Enoch
Vanessa Enoch
 
57.9
 
11,587
Image of Ted Jones
Ted Jones
 
16.3
 
3,258
Image of Matthew Guyette
Matthew Guyette
 
13.6
 
2,728
Bill Ebben
 
12.2
 
2,437

Total votes: 20,010
Candidate Connection = 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

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8

Incumbent Warren Davidson advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 8 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Warren Davidson
Warren Davidson
 
100.0
 
52,351

Total votes: 52,351
Candidate Connection = 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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Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Vanessa Enoch completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Enoch's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

For over 20 years, Dr. Vanessa Enoch has been a successful business owner, serving as the President & CEO of Cultural Impact, LLC. Through her management and technology consulting firm, she provides invaluable business support services. With a wealth of experience living overseas and working across different continents and cultures, Dr. Enoch brings a unique perspective to her work.

But Dr. Enoch's accomplishments extend beyond the business world. As a three-time Democratic Nominee for the US House of Representatives in Ohio's 8th congressional district, she has proven her dedication to public service and advocacy. In addition to her political endeavors, Dr. Enoch is an award-winning journalist, contributing insightful news articles to both local and national publications. Her expertise in Criminal Justice reporting has earned recognition from the prestigious Society for Professional Journalism.

Dr. Enoch's impressive educational background further underscores her expertise and commitment to making a difference. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Information Technology from Xavier University, as well as a Ph.D. in Public Policy from Union Institute & University. Her groundbreaking dissertation focused on the barriers faced by black women judges across Ohio, shedding light on critical issues of representation and equality.

Enoch strives to inspire individuals and fellow business owners to embrace their passion, purpose, & power
  • Reproductive freedom is a right we must uphold: In Ohio's 8th District, the right to make informed and personal decisions about reproductive health is under threat. Ohio voted to protect this freedom, but there is no national protections in place. I am dedicated to safeguarding and expanding access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare. This includes protecting the right to choose, ensuring availability of birth control, and advocating for women's health services. Our community thrives when each individual has control over their reproductive choices, free from government interference. It's not just a health issue; it's about our rights, our freedoms, and our futures. I stand committed to upholding these essential freedoms for all.
  • Revitalizing Ohio's 8th District with robust job creation and economic growth should be a priority for our district and our state. Dr. Enoch is committed to bringing new industries and opportunities to our communities, ensuring that every citizen has access to well-paying jobs and a thriving local economy
  • Dr. Enoch will fight for accessible and affordable healthcare for everyone in our district. It's time to ensure that all residents of Ohio's 8th District have the health coverage they need and deserve, regardless of their income or background.
I am a public policy and business consultant with a deep passion for social justice and human rights. I have actively worked on various causes for marginalized and oppressed communities. My personal passions include ensuring fairness within the criminal justice system and in the jury selection process. I am particularly concerned about the high incarceration rates of poor, mentally ill, and minority individuals in America's prisons.

I am also an advocate for systemic changes to address issues faced by Black Americans due to systemic racism and inequalities. I support equitable public school funding and sensible gun laws to prevent mass shootings. Additionally, I am a proponent of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal energy.

I am committed to providing affordable healthcare, supporting a public Medicare option, and saving Social Security. This includes addressing issues like mass incarceration, which I believe affects the social security system, and advocating for immigration system reforms to encourage new tax revenue.

With a professional background in both business and education, my diverse experiences have informed my approach to policy-making, and my leadership roles in various capacities reflect my commitment to public service and community engagement.
I look up to Nelson Mandela. Mandela was unjustly incarcerated for 27 years, and upon release he held no bitterness and no malice. His gentle and kind heart, good character and charisma allowed him to become the head of state in South Africa.
The first historical event that happened in my lifetime that I remember was a very personal event. It was when I was a first grader and President Jimmy Carter visited our school. I got to shake the Presidents hand. It was a moment I never forgot, even at the tender age of 6 years old.
My very first job was with McDonald's. I started working there when I was 16 years old. I worked there for nearly a year, before I was recruited by a customer who was a Manager at Thom McAn Shoestore. The Manager thought I had excellent customer service skills and asked me to come and work for them. They paid me much more money and offered me more desirable hours, so it was an opportunity I couldn't resist.
I would be Superman. I really like his concern for making the world right and how he balanced that with his career as a journalist and his romantic love for Lois Lane. I am happy to be the woman version of Superman, but Superwoman is not as appealing as a superhero as Superman.
My greatest struggle in life has been single parenting my daughters after the loss of my husband. Parenting should be a two-person job. Financially, it is a significant strain on one person. It is even more difficult to put two children through college as a single mother. My children were very active, which made it even more difficult. I remember the years that I was juggling their volleyball, basketball, soccer games and track meets. It was especially difficult because I often had to work several jobs to make ends meet and maintain the standard of living that they had grown accustomed to. I was running my consulting business and I was fortunate to be able to find online teaching jobs that enabled me to teach an hour per day a few days per week and I could grade papers when it was convenient for me. Before my husband died, I went back to school for my doctorate degree. My program required at least 20 hours of study per week, so at one point I was writing papers on the sidelines at sporting events and beachside on family vacations. I continued my studies after he died, and juggled my parenting duties, a doctoral program, my small business, and work life. My children are both adults now. One is pursuing her undergraduate degree, the other after starting her career in big tech is now a law student.
I believe the greatest challenges we will face as a nation over the next decade will be climate change, the possibility of civil and world war, and economic collapse as a result of not educating US citizens, the high cost of health care, the student debt crisis, and the transference of generational poverty and the simultaneous absence of wealth transfer.
No, I have no interest in cloning myself after anyone. I pride myself on being unique and offering all that I am to the role of representative.
The stories that touch my heart the most are the cancer stories and the stories that parents tell me about the loss of their children. The most disheartening stories are the tragedies that could have been preventable. In 2018, a mother in Middletown told me the story of her son had died of an opioid addiction, and the story of a father that lost his daughter to opioid addiction two days before Easter and then a son two days before Christmas the same year.

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

Enoch’s campaign website stated the following:

On the Issues

Get to know the woman behind the movement, her life, what she stands for, and what her plans are for our country!

War & Global Conflicts

I believe that in matters of global affairs, our priority should be to safeguard the citizens of the United States and our interests. Every year, we as citizens provide billions upon billions of tax dollars to the United States government. I will ensure that American workers hard earned money is being put to better use by funding programs that will benefit the American people rather than the military-industrial complex.
Russia’s War on Ukraine
I believe we must support our allies in Ukraine, as the defense of democratic ideals is of utmost importance. Russia, under Vladamir Putin is a global bully, and Putin will not stop with his attempted occupation of Ukraine. Putin cannot be allowed to continue his assault on Ukraine. Our global interest in Europe necessitates a strong presence in terms of support to our allies. I believe we must continue to do this in the form of providing the weapons and tools needed for Ukraine to continue to fight on its behalf without involving US soldiers.
Netanyahu’s War on Palestine
I believe an immediate cease-fire is called for in the Gaza Strip! Netanyahu’s response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli’s has been badly handled and poorly executed, and has led to the genocide of the whole of the Palestinian people. Innocent elderly, women, and children have suffered insurmountable death, famine, and torture at the hands of the unrelenting right-wing extremist, Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has failed his citizens, and he appears to have forgotten to prioritize the return of innocent civilian hostages while rather choosing to carry out a strategy to annihilate every Palestinian citizen. This war cannot continue as is, and in the wake of Netanyahu’s killing of innocent American humanitarian workers, America must discontinue all military weapons support and demand a cease-fire, and facilitate the peaceful end to this conflict, and the return of all Israeli and internationally held hostages. Learn more about this war from an Israeli scholar, who happens to be an Enoch.

Abortion Access/ Reproductive Freedom & Violence Against Women & Girls

Over the past few years, violence against women has been glamorized, the exploitation of women has been normalized, and the real issues that impact women have been left off of the national agenda, moreover with the overturning of Roe, the Supreme Court has stripped away 50 years of legislation that protected women’s bodily autonomy. 33% of all victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement were ages 12 through 17 and 34% were under age 12. Most disturbing is that one of every seven victims of sexual assault (or 14% of all victims) reported to law enforcement agencies were under age 6.

The absence of representation of women in DC means that our voices have been excluded and our exclusion has become ever more obvious than ever, as men in local and national state legislatures fail miserably in an attempt to determine policies surrounding our healthcare, economic, and social wellbeing.

Women deserve economic justice (the right to be paid a livable wage, protection from employment discrimination, and pay equity). The continual absence of women in the national legislature means that we will continue to be pushed to the fringes and ignored in Washington.

We must codify the provisions of Roe v. Wade and restore a woman’s right to bodily autonomy. To take away a woman’s right to choose how she should handle her medical decisions should be between her and her doctor, not legislators in Columbus and Washington, D.C. Legislators like Davidson want to restrict women’s right to travel out of state to secure needed health care. This cannot become the law of the land in this country. We don’t need morality police in America. Women in this country have the right to full citizenship and not to be treated like property or chattel slaves. Warren Davidson voted against the Violence Against Women’s Act, and he voted against supplying infants with baby formula. We cannot tolerate legislators who want to relegate women and children to second-class citizens.

Voting for Dr. Vanessa Enoch means that you will put a woman in office who understands the challenges of women from all walks of life. As a first-generation college grad, I come from humble beginnings. I worked my way through college and had substantial student loans. I know the frustrations of women across this country, and I will carry the message of the women from the 8th District in Ohio to Washington, D.C. I will fight for gender equality and our right to be recognized as full citizens under the Constitution of the United States. A vote for me means a win for women and our children!

Dr. Enoch will fight for women’s access to reproductive healthcare, pass laws that guard against violence against women, and ensure that women have the right to travel to any state in the Union for whatever reason they choose. This election year, it’s all on the line! I need your help to protect us from legislators who have no clue about women’s experiences.

Recently, an Alabama Supreme Court voted to restrict IVF treatment. This is yet another attack on women’s right to reproductive freedom. Vanessa Enoch will fight to codify our reproductive freedoms in the US Constitution and prevent the national abortion ban that Republicans have been threatening, but to do this, she needs your help!

Donate to help send Dr. Enoch to Congress!

Racial Equity

As an African American woman, attaining racial equity is personal to me. Trying to succeed in America is difficult for many people, structural inequities can make this especially true for Black Americans. The racial climate in the wake of the COVID-19 and the tremendous health disparities, which exist in Black communities has demonstrated the extent of the problem many Blacks have understood through lived experience.

Over the last decade, the Supreme Court and courts across the country have dismantled and gutted crucial aspects of the Voting Rights Act, opening the doors to the reverberation of discriminatory voter suppression laws. Decades of a lack of access to employment, healthcare, housing, and quality education were exasperated by the global pandemic, and the eyes of the world have been planted on the US, as the issue of militarized policing and disparate treatment of Black citizens have re-emerged as one of the biggest challenges in our lifetimes. Similarly, when the US Supreme Court ended race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions, this opened the doors for attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in U.S. companies and within organizations. The ruling could lead to increased scrutiny of DEI initiatives under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin. But, these issues only scratch the surface of the problem of institutionalized racism.

Real change is needed in Washington DC. Once the cameras pan away from the issues of the day, blacks continue to be subjected to a lack of access to colleges and universities, underrepresentation in corporate America and in higher paying jobs, over-policing, racial profiling, unfair treatment in our nation’s courts, leading to mass incarceration; denied access to lending institutions for business and consumer lending vehicles, leading to a lack of businesses, limited homeownership and the inability to build wealth through traditional channels.

As a member of Congress, I will bring substantive representation and much-needed change to the issues that Black Americans face at the hands of systemic racism and inequities. We must ensure that every American has equal access to the American Dream!

Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering must end. Ohio’s 15 districts were drawn by Republicans, to ensure that they maintain a supermajority. Districts were created solely for the purpose of maximizing vote count and retaining power. State and federal judges have ruled these districts unconstitutional, and voters established a constitutional amendment to ensure that districts would be drawn fairly, yet Republican legislators have defiantly refused to uphold the law, and draw fair districts. Districts should reflect the community’s values, and allow all voices to be heard in our representative democracy. Intelligence agencies confirm that Russia and China have sown propaganda across social media channels, through the use of bot farms. Foreign interference must end.

Dr. Enoch will work across party lines in Congress to ensure fairness in the voting process, and to ensure that citizens of the 8th district have a voice in Washington, D.C.

Our Right To Vote Is Under Attack!

Our Right To Vote Is Under Attack!

Your vote is your voice in our representative democracy. The voices of ALL constituents should count and be heard, not just the interests of corporations and the wealthy. My opponent, Warren Davidson believes that his big money donors should have a bigger voice than district voters. His voting record reflects this belief, as he continually votes against the needs and interests of constituents in our district.

It is time to overturn Citizens United. Unlimited outside expenditures from anonymous donors allow monied interests to have an oversized influence on our legislation. One person should equal one vote, not one dollar one vote.

We must restore the full Voting Rights Act. In the seven years since Shelby v. Holder, voter access and rights have regressed. It’s harder to register, stay registered, and find a polling place. In recent years, including 2020, we’ve seen countless instances of voter repression and long lines at the polls. Unnecessary obstacles to voting rights negatively affect the voice of the people.

Elections must be secure and transparent. Make every vote count. Count every vote. The week of August 3, 2020, Representative Warren Davidson sent out a mailer threatening to stop absentee voting. We have had a secure and longstanding vote-by-mail system for many years in Ohio. In the midst of a global pandemic, Davidson wanted to stop eligible voters from casting votes. He believed he would not win the election without tampering with our right to vote, so he threatened to take away the ability of voters to cast their ballots by mail!

In 2018, Russians hacked our elections with extensive disinformation campaigns. Intelligence officials warned House lawmakers that Russia was again interfering in the 2020 campaign. Ohio law permits absentee voting by mail. Please exercise your right to vote,

Davidson has a horrible record in Congress. His votes have been harmful to everyone in America. In 2020, he voted against extending unemployment benefits to the 17.8 million Americans who remained unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon after that vote, there were 1.4 million new unemployment claims nationwide. We can’t afford another two years of Warren Davidson’s reign of terror on Ohio’s 8th Congressional District.

To add insult to injury, Davidson used OUR tax money to send out what was essentially a piece of campaign literature about the border. Davidson ignores the fact that the closest residents of the 8th district are 1523 miles from the Mexican border. Davidson has taken our votes for granted, and now he’s using our tax dollars to infringe upon our right to elect new leadership!

Trade Agreements and Tariffs

I support agreements that promote the healthy and fair exchange of goods, protect jobs in Ohio and across the country, and safeguard intellectual property. These agreements must provide for a living wage and safe, humane working conditions in the countries involved. A fairer world is a more prosperous world, and we must lead by example. If we improve the economy of our trade partners, more people can afford to buy our goods and we all benefit.

Tariffs are not paid by foreign countries. They are taxes on the importers of foreign goods, and businesses in turn pass this added cost onto the consumer. The intent is to discourage consumers from buying certain imported products, but with so much manufacturing done in other countries, we often do not have that option. While tariffs make sense in some cases, in others cases, we need to negotiate agreements that compel trading partners to buy from us.

Education

Education

It is time to rethink our approach to education and learning. What we have been doing is failing most students. Quality public education is critical to the well-being of our democracy.

Over 90% of students depend on public schools for their education. They deserve better than requiring teachers to spend their time teaching to tests. We should be cultivating the curious minds of our students, and equipping them with life skills, and developing them to be productive and contributing members of our society.

We can begin by bringing the community, educators, parents, and students together to craft new realities for our next generation of leaders. Let us build on what is already working, and eliminate what is not. We can use the knowledge of how students learn to design the public school of the future, which must include online/virtual learning. It is critical that every student has access to the internet and technology. COVID-19 has taught us the importance of closing the technology gap to ensure that every child as access to a quality education.

Communities are coming together to face many current and future educational challenges. These include redistribution of public school funding, which must be equitable. No child should be penalized for living in a low income neighborhood.

We must:

  • Prepare students for the jobs and careers of the future
  • Create lifelong learners
  • Strengthen vocational programs
  • Ready access to technology
  • Value teachers by paying them well

Closing the Wealth Gap

Closing the Wealth Gap

It saddens me to know that millennials are on track to do worse than their parents economically. For all of their sacrifices and modest savings, still thousands of Ohio’s parents are struggling to make ends meet because they earn a meager salary. Most people working minimum wage jobs don’t have health care benefits or paid sick leave, they go to work sick, because they can’t afford to lose income. In this age of communicable diseases and global pandemics, going to work sick could cost lives.

Policymakers have provided relief for big businesses at the expense of average citizens. The wealth gap gets bigger every time a Congressperson votes against a relief bill, or calls for cuts to social security, or for a Wall Street bailout. My opponent shamefully voted against Coronavirus Aid, Relief, Economic Security (CARES) Act, The Heroes Act, and against expanding social security.

As your Congresswoman, I will work to close the wealth gap by supporting a living wage and ensuring the integrity of our social security system. I will advocate for creative financing options that will fulfill the dream of owning a home or a small business.

A New Model For Policing

A New Model For Policing

We need police reform. A new model of policing would narrow the mission of policing and assign the task of responding to certain crisis to social workers, school nurses, drug abuse professionals. In many countries, such as “In Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Britain, and Ireland, police officers generally do not carry firearms. It is legal in Iceland for citizens to carry guns, and there’s an estimated rate of 30 privately-owned guns per 100 people.”

My late husband was in law enforcement. Through him, I understand the tremendous stress and challenges of the daily work of law enforcement officers. I also witnessed the bond that he shared with his fellow law enforcement colleagues. Nationwide protests in 2020 brought nationwide visibility to the dark side of policing. Frankly, there are some individuals who become police officers who do not have the temperament or the judgment to have that level of authority. There are others who started out with goals of being dedicated public servants, who become corrupted over time. It is horrifying that the current laws shield them from the consequences of their actions and allow them to continue working in jobs that put us at risk.

We cannot allow police who break the law to be above the law. We need to eliminate qualified immunity and ensure that law enforcement officers who are a risk to the public are permanently removed from that career. Additionally, law enforcement officers need training and emotional support to stay healthy and deal with trauma, and the daily stress of the job.

Climate Change & The Environment

Climate Change

Climate change is one of the great challenges of our lifetime, and the clock is ticking. To avoid irreparable damage, experts tell us that we need to reduce carbon emission 45% (versus 2010 levels) by 2030, and we’re not even close.

My opponent, who has voted for only three of 124 environmental bills since joining Congress in 2016 and questions the science behind climate change. He will not protect you and your family from the many adverse effects that we are already experiencing.

Rising sea levels, extreme heat and drought, more extreme weather events, increased fires, and other adverse effects will continue to disrupt our lives if we do not transition from fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, to renewable energy sources. Gas and oil use contributes to climate change, but fracking to increase extraction yields in eastern Ohio and other areas leads to more methane in the air we breathe, drinking water contamination, fish kills, and even earthquakes.

As your representative to Congress, I will promote the expanded use of renewable energy like solar, wind and geothermal. Not only will this save the planet, but building and operating these green energy sources will create thousands of good jobs.

I will work to end unnecessary tax breaks for oil and gas companies, hold these companies accountable for damaging the environment, and no longer allow them to hide evidence of climate change in Ohio and elsewhere.

With the full support of my opponent, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has largely gutted the protections for clean water, allowing polluters to destroy wetlands and dump waste into streams and lakes in Ohio and across the nation. They are also making the air we breathe less safe, by failing to regulate emissions of mercury and other toxic chemicals from power plants and rolling back mileage efficiency targets.

I will work to restore these safeguards, and support legislation to make sure you and your family have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink.

Together we can reverse the damage done by the previous administration and it’s enablers in Congress so that we preserve a clean environment and healthy planet for our children, grandchildren and future generations.[2]

—Vanessa Enoch’s campaign website (2024)[3]

2022

Vanessa Enoch did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Enoch's campaign website stated the following:

Racial Equity

As an African American woman, attaining racial equity is personal to me. Trying to succeed in America is difficult for many people, structural inequities can make this especially true for Black Americans. The racial climate in the wake of the COVID-19 and the tremendous health disparities, which exist in Black communities has demonstrated the extent of the problem many Blacks have understood through lived experience.

Over the last decade, the Supreme Court and courts across the country have dismantled and gutted crucial aspects of the Voting Rights Act, opening the doors to the reverberation of discriminatory voter suppression laws. Decades of a lack of access to employment, healthcare, housing, and quality education were exasperated by the global pandemic, and the eyes of the world have been planted on the US, as the issue of militarized policing and disparate treatment of Black citizens have re-emerged as one of the biggest challenges in our lifetimes. But, these issues only scratch the surface of the problem of institutionalized racism.

Real change is needed in Washington DC. Once the cameras pan away from the issues of the day, blacks continue to be subjected to over-policing, racial profiling, unfair treatment in our nation’s courts, leading to mass incarceration; denied access to lending institutions for business and consumer lending vehicles, leading to a lack of businesses, limited homeownership and the inability to build wealth through traditional channels. As a member of Congress, I will bring substantive representation and much-needed change to the issues that Black Americans face at the hands of systemic racism and inequities.


Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering must end. Ohio’s 15 districts were drawn by Republicans, to ensure that they maintain a supermajority. Districts were created solely for the purpose of maximizing vote count and retaining power. State and federal judges have ruled these districts unconstitutional, and voters established a constitutional amendment to ensure that districts would be drawn fairly, yet Republican legislators have defiantly refused to uphold the law, and draw fair districts. Districts should reflect the community’s values, and allow all voices to be heard in our representative democracy. Intelligence agencies confirm that Russia and China have sown propaganda across social media channels, through the use of bot farms. Foreign interference must end.

Dr. Enoch will work across party lines in Congress to ensure fairness in the voting process, and to ensure that citizens of the 8th district have a voice in Washington, D.C.


Our Right To Vote Is Under Attack!

Your vote is your voice in our representative democracy. The voices of ALL constituents should count and be heard, not just the interests of corporations and the wealthy. My opponent, Warren Davidson believes that his big money donors should have a bigger voice than district voters. His voting record reflects this belief, as he continually votes against the needs and interests of constituents in our district.

It is time to overturn Citizens United. Unlimited outside expenditures from anonymous donors allow monied interests to have an oversized influence on our legislation. One person should equal one vote, not one dollar one vote.

We must restore the full Voting Rights Act. In the seven years since Shelby v. Holder , voter access and rights have regressed. It’s harder to register, stay registered, and find a polling place. In recent years, including 2020, we’ve seen countless instances of voter repression and long lines at the polls. Unnecessary obstacles to voting rights negatively affect the voice of the people.

Elections must be secure and transparent. Make every vote count. Count every vote. The week of August 3, 2020, Representative Warren Davidson sent out a mailer threatening to stop absentee voting. We have had a secure and longstanding vote-by-mail system for many years in Ohio. In the midst of a global pandemic, Davidson wanted to stop eligible voters from casting votes. He believed he would not win the election without tampering with our right to vote, so he threatened to take away the ability of voters to cast their ballots by mail!

In 2018, Russians hacked our elections with extensive disinformation campaigns. Intelligence officials warned House lawmakers that Russia was again interfering in the 2020 campaign. Ohio law permits absentee voting by mail. Please exercise your right to vote,

Davidson has a horrible record in Congress. His votes have been harmful to everyone in America. In 2020, he voted against extending unemployment benefits to the 17.8 million Americans who remained unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon after that vote, there were 1.4 million new unemployment claims nationwide. We can’t afford another two years of Warren Davidson’s reign of terror on Ohio’s 8th Congressional District.

To add insult to injury, Davidson used OUR tax money to send out what was essentially a piece of campaign literature about the border. Davidson ignores the fact that the closest residents of the 8th district are 1523 miles from the Mexican border. Davidson has taken our votes for granted, and now he’s using our tax dollars to infringe upon our right to elect new leadership!


Trade Agreements and Tariffs

I support agreements that promote the healthy and fair exchange of goods, protect jobs in Ohio and across the country, and safeguard intellectual property. These agreements must provide for a living wage and safe, humane working conditions in the countries involved. A fairer world is a more prosperous world, and we must lead by example. If we improve the economy of our trade partners, more people can afford to buy our goods and we all benefit.

Tariffs are not paid by foreign countries. They are taxes on the importers of foreign goods, and businesses in turn pass this added cost onto the consumer. The intent is to discourage consumers from buying certain imported products, but with so much manufacturing done in other countries, we often do not have that option. While tariffs make sense in some cases, in others cases, we need to negotiate agreements that compel trading partners to buy from us.


Education

It is time to rethink our approach to education and learning. What we have been doing is failing most students. Quality public education is critical to the well-being of our democracy.

Over 90% of students depend on public schools for their education. They deserve better than requiring teachers to spend their time teaching to tests. We should be cultivating the curious minds of our students, and equipping them with life skills, and developing them to be productive and contributing members of our society.

We can begin by bringing the community, educators, parents, and students together to craft new realities for our next generation of leaders. Let us build on what is already working, and eliminate what is not. We can use the knowledge of how students learn to design the public school of the future, which must include online/virtual learning. It is critical that every student has access to the internet and technology. COVID-19 has taught us the importance of closing the technology gap to ensure that every child as access to a quality education.

Communities are coming together to face many current and future educational challenges. These include redistribution of public school funding, which must be equitable. No child should be penalized for living in a low income neighborhood.

We must:

  • Prepare students for the jobs and careers of the future
  • Create lifelong learners
  • Strengthen vocational programs
  • Ready access to technology
  • Value teachers by paying them well


Closing the Wealth Gap

It saddens me to know that millennials are on track to do worse than their parents economically. For all of their sacrifices and modest savings, still thousands of Ohio’s parents are struggling to make ends meet because they earn a meager salary. Most people working minimum wage jobs don’t have health care benefits or paid sick leave, they go to work sick, because they can’t afford to lose income. In this age of communicable diseases and global pandemics, going to work sick could cost lives.

Policymakers have provided relief for big businesses at the expense of average citizens. The wealth gap gets bigger every time a Congressperson votes against a relief bill, or calls for cuts to social security, or for a Wall Street bailout. My opponent shamefully voted against Coronavirus Aid, Relief, Economic Security (CARES) Act, The Heroes Act, and against expanding social security.

As your Congresswoman, I will work to close the wealth gap by supporting a living wage and ensuring the integrity of our social security system. I will advocate for creative financing options that will fulfill the dream of owning a home or a small business.


A New Model For Policing

We need police reform. A new model of policing would narrow the mission of policing and assign the task of responding to certain crisis to social workers, school nurses, drug abuse professionals. In many countries, such as “In Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Britain, and Ireland, police officers generally do not carry firearms. It is legal in Iceland for citizens to carry guns, and there’s an estimated rate of 30 privately-owned guns per 100 people.”

My late husband was in law enforcement. Through him, I understand the tremendous stress and challenges of the daily work of law enforcement officers. I also witnessed the bond that he shared with his fellow law enforcement colleagues. Nationwide protests in 2020 brought nationwide visibility to the dark side of policing. Frankly, there are some individuals who become police officers who do not have the temperament or the judgment to have that level of authority. There are others who started out with goals of being dedicated public servants, who become corrupted over time. It is horrifying that the current laws shield them from the consequences of their actions and allow them to continue working in jobs that put us at risk.

We cannot allow police who break the law to be above the law. We need to eliminate qualified immunity and ensure that law enforcement officers who are a risk to the public are permanently removed from that career. Additionally, law enforcement officers need training and emotional support to stay healthy and deal with trauma, and the daily stress of the job.


Climate Change & The Environment

Climate change is one of the great challenges of our lifetime, and the clock is ticking. To avoid irreparable damage, experts tell us that we need to reduce carbon emission 45% (versus 2010 levels) by 2030, and we’re not even close.

My opponent, who has voted for only three of 124 environmental bills since joining Congress in 2016 and questions the science behind climate change. He will not protect you and your family from the many adverse effects that we are already experiencing.

Rising sea levels, extreme heat and drought, more extreme weather events, increased fires, and other adverse effects will continue to disrupt our lives if we do not transition from fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, to renewable energy sources. Gas and oil use contributes to climate change, but fracking to increase extraction yields in eastern Ohio and other areas leads to more methane in the air we breathe, drinking water contamination, fish kills, and even earthquakes.

As your representative to Congress, I will promote the expanded use of renewable energy like solar, wind and geothermal. Not only will this save the planet, but building and operating these green energy sources will create thousands of good jobs.

I will work to end unnecessary tax breaks for oil and gas companies, hold these companies accountable for damaging the environment, and no longer allow them to hide evidence of climate change in Ohio and elsewhere.

With the full support of my opponent, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has largely gutted the protections for clean water, allowing polluters to destroy wetlands and dump waste into streams and lakes in Ohio and across the nation. They are also making the air we breathe less safe, by failing to regulate emissions of mercury and other toxic chemicals from power plants and rolling back mileage efficiency targets.

I will work to restore these safeguards, and support legislation to make sure you and your family have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink.

Together we can reverse the damage done by the previous administration and it’s enablers in Congress so that we preserve a clean environment and healthy planet for our children, grandchildren and future generations.


The Farm Economy

As the wealth gap widens, families struggle to hold on to the American Dream. A strong economy relies on people working and companies producing, yet generations of dreams could turn into nightmares if legislators continue applying yesterday’s solutions to tomorrow’s problems. Putting people to work requires forward-thinking solutions. As your congresswoman, I will support job creation that makes sense for our future. Replacing fossil fuel jobs with green energy jobs makes good sense. I will support creating jobs to build and restore to safety our crumbling roads and bridges.

Many farmers in the 8th Congressional district are in jeopardy of losing their farms and livelihoods. In four years, the number of dairy farms in Ohio has dropped from 2600 to 2000, one quarter of the industry. Also, corn and soybean crops are at the lowest harvest in four years. A record number of small farmers are seeking economic relief by applying for government loans and filing for bankruptcy. Local farmers and ranchers have made it clear that they aren’t interested in government handouts to offset the damage done from bad trade policy. In the long-run, farmers need access to new markets, so that they are less reliant on China, Canada and Mexico. Until effective policy is implemented, however, there remains a need for subsidies.

Under the current administration, US trade policies have harmed our agricultural industry. I don’t disagree with the use of tariffs and effective trade policies; I simply believe that all policy needs to be well thought out. Unfortunately, policy makers are doubling down by making it difficult for struggling families to access food through programs such as the Child Nutrition Programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that feed hungry children and families. My opponent insisted on adding stringent work requirements for SNAP recipients to the Farm Bill before agreeing to vote for it. So essentially, what he is saying is that if you can’t find a job, you deserve to starve. The global pandemic, which has put nearly 40 million Americans out of work demonstrates why such policy decisions are a bad idea.

The US must urgently expand trade with current trade partners and identify new markets where farmers can sell their products going forward. There is also a need to support the diversification of crops. Earlier this year, I attended the Farmers Union Convention in Lima, OH. It was enlightening to learn more about the benefits of hemp and CBD oil, and the importance of industrial hemp production to Ohio’s agricultural future. The federal government can play a major role in expanding this market and allowing the participation of federally-regulated banks to make loans and handle deposits from this industry.

I certainly don’t know all of the answers, but my goal is to give farmers and all constituents a direct link to help develop policy, by introducing bi-partisan Policy Advisor Circles, in each of the counties in the 8th congressional district (Butler, Clark, Darke, Mercer, Miami and Preble Counties) to discuss their issues and concerns, and to give them the opportunity to make recommendations for policy solutions.

You can watch our Family Farms Virtual Town Hall Meeting here.


Gun Violence

  • As guaranteed by the second amendment, responsible citizens have the right to own and use firearms.
  • Mass shootings at social events, churches, stores and schools have shown us the hazards that come when war weapons are available to the public.
  • I believe there is no good reason for civilians to own war weapons. We need sensible gun laws that eliminate bump stocks and similar modifiers used in mass shootings.
  • We also need laws that keep weapons out of the hands of people who cause harm to themselves or others.
  • With common sense laws to prevent gun violence, we can protect ourselves, our community and our children.


Violence Against Women & Girls

Over the past few years, violence against women has been glamorized, the exploitation of women has been normalized, and the real issues that impact women have been left off of the national agenda, moreover with the overturning of Roe, the Supreme Court has stripped away 50 years of legislation that protected women’s bodily autonomy. 33% of all victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement were ages 12 through 17 and 34% were under age 12. Most disturbing is that one of every seven victims of sexual assault (or 14% of all victims) reported to law enforcement agencies were under age 6.

The absence of representation of women in DC means that our voices have been excluded and our exclusion has become ever more obvious than ever, as men in local and national state legislatures fail miserably in an attempt to determine policies surrounding our healthcare, economic, and social wellbeing.

Women deserve economic justice (the right to be paid a livable wage, protection from employment discrimination, and pay equity). The continual absence of women in the national legislature means that we will continue to be pushed to the fringes and ignored in Washington.

We must codify the provisions of Roe v. Wade, and restore a woman’s right to bodily autonomy. To take away a woman’s right to choose how she should handle her medical decisions should be between her and her doctor, not legislators in Columbus and Washington, D.C. Legislators like Davidson want to restrict women’s right to travel out of state to secure needed health care. This cannot become the law of the land in this country. We don’t need morality police in America, women in this country have the right to full citizenship, and to not be treated like property or chattel slaves. Warren Davidson voted against the Violence Against Women’s Act, and he voted against supplying infants with baby formula. We cannot tolerate legislators who want to relegate women and children to second-class citizens.

Voting for Dr. Vanessa Enoch means that you will put a woman in office who understands the challenges of women from all walks of life. As a first-generation college grad, I come from humble beginnings. I worked my way through college, and I have a substantial amount of student loans as a result. I know the frustrations of women across this country, and I will carry the message of the women from the 8th District in Ohio to Washington D.C. I will fight for gender equality and our right to be recognized as full citizens under the constitution of the United States. A vote for me means a win for women and a win for our children!

Dr. Enoch will fight for women’s access to reproductive healthcare, pass laws that guard against violence against women, and ensure that women have the right to travel to any state in the Union for whatever reason she chooses. This election year, it’s all on the line! I need your help to protect us from legislators who have no clue about the experiences of women.


Healthcare Coverage & COVID-19

Healthcare Coverage

Healthcare costs are outrageous. It is a travesty to go to work every day and pay insurance premiums every month, and to be prevented from going to the doctor due to high deductibles.

The cost of health care is rising faster than the cost of inflation, and the managed care system has gotten between the patient and his or her physician. Essentially, we have allowed managed care systems to be the supreme determining factor in what healthcare solutions to employ. This prevents the opportunity for introducing medical advancements and innovative treatment methods.

We need to look at the true cost of providing healthcare. The cost of a single aspirin can cost $30 per pill in the E.R., which is more than six times the price for a bottle of them at the drug store. The fundamental laws of supply and demand should mean that when you are buying in bulk that the cost of purchasing should be lower, not higher.

My opponent supports the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act. This would end health coverage for 23 million people, including those with pre-existing conditions. Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege.

No one should have to choose between medical care and paying for basic living expenses. I will work to ensure that every American has access to low-cost, quality healthcare. This includes prescription drugs, which Big Pharma continues to over-price. My opponent is in the pocket of big pharma, so he can’t work on behalf of us voters. We must remove him from office.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has needlessly cost thousands of lives and jobs across the country. Under Trump’s Administration, the pandemic preparedness team was disbanded, they ignored repeated warnings of healthcare professionals, refused to set the proper example by wearing a mask, and otherwise failed to minimize the impact of this deadly virus.

As your congresswoman, I will work to protect all citizens by supporting a robust data-driven healthcare system that will protect us from future health emergencies.


Advocating for Quality Public Education

During my formative years, I attended Catholic Schools. I also paid to send my children to private Christian schools. During times when my parents and I could no longer afford private education, we appreciated the option to send our children to a public school. I am a graduate of public schools, and I believe we cannot sacrifice a quality public education school system in favor of funding private education for the wealthy and those of reasonable means who can afford to pay to send their children to private schools. We cannot afford to leave the majority of our nation’s children behind for the sake of individuals who can choose to access choice private educational opportunities. We are a sum total of all of our children. If we choose not to educate our children, we are planning the demise of our country. Conservative legislators in Washington have set forth an agenda that is set to extract money out of our public education systems for the benefit of the 1% (the nation’s wealthy). This is to the detriment of the rest of us citizens.


Jobs, Economic Growth and Opportunity

At the risk of missing the next great opportunity for advancement and progress, we have to look toward the future and identify new clean energy sources that will take into consideration the health and well-being of our children and their children. Economic growth has to be rooted in practical solutions for solving tomorrow’s problems, rather than looking back nostalgically at the glory days of old. We won’t accomplish anything by going back in time to rotary dial phones in phone booths and black and white televisions. We must generate employment opportunities in areas that are in demand now, and that will be in demand in the future. We need jobs. Access to training and education to ensure our workers are qualified for the future and the coming challenges to our country’s workforce. This can only be achieved by a common realization and bipartisan action. We must take a critical look at what’s coming down the pike and not jeopardize ​our future as a world power by making choices that will take us back in time, while the rest of the world continues to move forward.

My opponent voted against the infrastructure bill that ultimately is bringing the $20 billion Intel investment to Ohio. I will use wisdom in making decisions about the bills I vote in favor of, regardless of which administration introduces them if they will benefit the people of Ohio. We are facing a global microchip shortage. Intel is building 2 new plants that will pay an average salary of $135,000, and bring good union-paying jobs and a tax base of 10,000 jobs to Ohio (factory jobs, equipment technicians, engineers, and business support staff), but Davidson voted against the bill because it was initiated by President Biden. This is the single largest private investment that the state has ever seen, but he voted against it, That’s like shooting your nose off to spite your face. This investment will make Ohio the world’s top semiconductor supplier. Not to mention the multiplier effect, and the jobs that will spring up around it.

I will identify opportunities to promote quality public education, vocational training, and higher education, lower healthcare cost, economic development, and the advancement of technology, and I will fight to ensure that Ohio’s 8th district is informed about the resources that will promote our well-being and economic advancement. My opponent is an elitist who believes that if a child is born into a poor family they should not have access to higher education, or the ability to leave the cycle of poverty. As the first in my family to graduate from college, I take issue with that line of thinking. We are the land of opportunity, and we live in a meritorious society and believe that children should not be relegated to a life of poverty, simply because of the zip code they were born in.


End Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery where people are forced to provide sex or labor for the commercial gain of their captors.

Ohio is among the top 5 states where it happens, along with California, Texas, Florida and Georgia. Trafficking may or may not involve the transport of people across state or country borders.

Traffickers are preying on vulnerable members of our own community, and controlled through physical force, threats, deception, or abuse.

Our laws should focus on the perpetrators, not the victims. Federal and international cooperation is needed to stop these crimes.


Opioid Addiction & Ending Mass Incarceration

After several decades of a failed War on Drugs, we finally began to get it right. We stopped criminalizing those addicted to drugs and low-level drug offenders and began focusing attention on big-time drug traffickers and those smuggling drugs into the country. Now, in the midst of a major opioid crisis, public officials at the Department of Justice have re-ignited the War on Drugs. Essentially, this is a War on People, which attacks those most critically impacted and in need of treatment.

Ohio ranks third in the nation in overdose deaths! Drug addiction is wreaking havoc in our families and communities. We need to be first in fixing this crisis by reducing the availability of misused pain prescriptions, heroin, and fentanyl. Rather than incarcerating drug addicts, I want to provide more evidence-based treatment programs. This is a War on Drugs, not a War on People!

Mass incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline create the opportunity to exploit taxpayers, and consequentially abuse and exploit the incarcerated population. What’s worse is that some of those incarcerated for nonviolent offenses are currently serving 20 and 30 years in prison for marijuana possession, which is now legal in many states. These are our nation’s workforce, our young people, and our future. We need smart solutions to the drug crisis, and to offer treatment options to get people off drugs and back to being productive members of society. The high number of incarcerated poor and African American citizens is reflective of this nation’s past — the horrors of slavery and the Jim Crow system. And, similar to the institution of slavery, the 13th Amendment has sanctioned the atrocities. Ashamedly, our public officials have become complicit in the support of the new slave system. Individuals are doing hard labor and compensated at a rate of $.10 an hour in Ohio. Mass incarceration also guts our social security system, and our tax base, because it takes able-bodied men and women out of the workforce, for the sake of exploiting their labor, and no one benefits, aside from wealthy business owners and private prison owners.

Sadly, our children are subjected to these same systems. Children should be educated, not incarcerated. In Ohio, it costs taxpayers approximately $220,000 per year to incarcerate a child. In contrast, taxpayers are only spending $9000-$12,000 per year to educate a child in the public school system.

As your Congresswoman, my priority will be to eliminate the profit motive associated with mass incarceration, because while government bureaucrats, attorneys, and private prison owners are getting richer, our taxes continue to rise to cover the cost of incarcerating low-level drug offenders.


Advancing Technology and Guarding Against Regression

Unlike my opponent, who voted against the infrastructure bill that ultimately is bringing the $20 billion Intel investment to Ohio. I will use wisdom in making decisions about the bills I vote in favor of, regardless of which administration introduces them, if they will benefit the people of Ohio. We are facing a global microchip shortage. Intel is building 2 new plants that will pay an average salary of $135,000, and bring good union-paying jobs and a tax base of 10,000 jobs to Ohio (factory jobs, equipment technicians, engineers, and business support staff), but Davidson voted against the bill because it was initiated by President Biden. This is the single largest private investment that the state has ever seen, but he voted against it, That’s like shooting your nose off to spite your face. This investment will make Ohio the world’s top semiconductor supplier. Not to mention the multiplier effect, and the jobs that will spring up around it. I will identify opportunities to promote quality public education, vocational training, and higher education, lower healthcare cost, economic development, and the advancement of technology, and I will fight to ensure that Ohio’s 8th district is informed about the resources that will promote our well-being and economic advancement. My opponent is an elitist who believes that if a child is born into a poor family they should not have access to higher education, or the ability to leave the cycle of poverty. As the first in my family to graduate from college, I take issue with that line of thinking. We are the land of opportunity, and we live in a meritorious society and we believe that children should not be relegated to a life of poverty, simply because of the zip code they were born in.

Warren Davidson is backward thinking and lacks critical thinking skills. His regressive policies supported the FCC and the Trump administration in creating barriers to communication. Most of us have become accustomed to the use of technology as part of our daily lives. We use the internet to pay our bills, watch movies, and communicate with the outside world through email, text messaging, and social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snap Chat). The Internet superhighway is as germane to us as the expressways we travel to move from place to place. As Americans, we value today’s technology, which brings us closer to our children, grandchildren, and family members far and near. The internet opens the door of opportunity and makes the world more accessible. Many of us work or attend school online. Like many of the decisions made during the Trump Administration, the repeal of Net Neutrality set America back 68 years. We cannot afford to walk backward in time. Our competitive future and our position in the global community depend on our ability to continue to advance, and we need an educated populace and progressive ideas to move forward and guard against regression.


Social Security

I will support legislation that repeals the income tax on social security. Social security deductions are not pre-tax deductions from our wages, so to tax social security income when we retire is double taxation that we are all subject to. Upon retirement, our seniors rely on their monthly checks to cover the essentials of living. Passing legislation to stop this double taxation will free up more money to support the challenges of being on a fixed income and meeting basic expenses.

My opponent wants to end Social Security and Medicaid, but he doesn’t come right out and tell us that. Instead, he says, “I oppose any reductions for current recipients.” That is double-politics speak for, I intend to cut all social security benefits, but I need the senior vote right now, so I will tell you anything. Warren Davidson does not tell the truth. In fact, prior to being Gerrymandered into his seat, he said that he favored term limits, and now that he has exceeded the limits he said he favored, he switched it up! He recently said that he wanted abortion to be “legal, rare, and safe,” after advocating for a complete ban on abortion weeks before. We can’t afford to keep this lying politician in office.

To cut Social Security benefits for anyone who has paid into the system would equate to theft! We cannot tolerate politicians who steal our money and funnel it into programs that give contracts to their wealthy friends.

Vote Vanessa Enoch, and save our Democracy!


Support for Veterans

My father, grandfather, uncles, and many close male and female friends served in our country’s armed forces. It is troubling to me to see men and women who have courageously served our country become homeless, left to live on the street.

We must provide services to our veterans to ensure their security here at home.

Veterans must have support systems and better communication to let them know what services are available to them. We must ensure that Veterans Administration Hospital Systems are just as equipped as all other healthcare systems in America. Our VA healthcare systems should not be providing subpar healthcare, and those systems should include better care for mental health, PTSD, and strategies for reducing wait times.

CLICK HERE to learn more about how Dr. Enoch has been working across the aisle to help veterans and their families.


Pathway to Citizenship

I believe that we need to establish a pathway to citizenship for individuals who have been living in the US for decades. Children who are raised in America should have the opportunity to become productive tax-paying citizens. Some employers take advantage of the dysfunctional US immigration system, by paying those who have not yet attained their citizenship under the table. This undermines our economy and allows for the exploitation of workers who might otherwise be paying into our tax base and social security system. This creates a profit motive that only benefits these business owners. We must ensure that our policies are humane and that we consider the best policies to ensure lawful immigration and naturalization.

We must fix the Crisis at the Border: I will work with my fellow congressional representatives to implement good domestic and international policy that will fix the root causes of the immigration crisis, rather than advocating for the inhumane treatment of people who enter this country legally. We currently have low unemployment and a worker shortage in the US, that is contributing to rising costs. These shortages are the result of a record number of baby boomer retirements, 16 million people are suffering from longterm health problems as a result of COVID, and many of them can’t return to work. We are also dealing with a lack of childcare among other things. Allowing people who enter the country legally will enable them to work legally, pay into our tax base, and contribute to our social security system. We need to implement good policy that is going to properly assess those entering our borders, and make sure that we have policies that will protect American workers, and ensure that the first right of employment is going to American citizens, and then allow employers to hire to meet the workforce needs.[2]

—Vanessa Enoch's campaign website (2022)[4]

2020

Candidate Connection

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

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Enoch is an experienced senior level business, technology, and higher education professional, with over 16 years of corporate operations experience. She has had a very diverse career, working as a Chemical Dependency Counselor, a Paralegal Supervisor with the US Small Business Administration, and as a Business Analyst with General Electric. She has also held positions overseeing Software Implementations as a Senior Project Manager in the Insurance Industry. She also spent several years overseeing multiple college departments, serving as a Department Chair/ Dean of Students (including business and accounting departments). She is the owner of a business and policy consulting company and previously owned a construction company. Enoch currently oversees the development of two trauma centers to treat children and communities for PTSD in Cincinnati, OH. Dr. Enoch is a Public Policy & Social Change expert, and a trained community organizer, who is passionate about Social Justice and Human Rights causes. She has led local efforts to drive change in the criminal justice system, including reform of the jury process and the juvenile justice system. Dr. Enoch worked alongside State Senators Thomas and two State Court Judges on judicial reform efforts. She has advocated for the working poor, for childcare benefits, and much of her work has involved dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline and issues facing children within the juvenile justice system.
  • Enoch believes that all Americans should have equal access and the opportunity to succeed, no matter their background and socioeconomic status.
  • As an experienced community and economic developer, Enoch understands what is necessary to build and develop strong communities.
  • Enoch will continue to fight in US Congress, to restore the government back to the people and to give them a voice in government.
The top three areas of public policy I'm passionate about are:

1) Economic Development- Which includes supporting small business growth and development, stabilizing markets for domestic family farmers (i.e. saving our safety net that feeds the nation's most needy populations, opening new markets such as hemp and medicinal marijuana), promoting fair pay and new industry and development in rural areas.

2) Providing Affordable Healthcare: I support a public Medicare option that leaves private insurance intact.

3) Saving Social Security, which includes ending mass incarceration (which takes millions of non-violent offenders out of the job market, who could be earning wages and paying into the social security system) and fixing the immigration system to encourage new tax revenue.
I look up to Nelson Mandela. Mandela was unjustly incarcerated for 27 years, and upon release he held no bitterness and no malice. His gentle and kind heart, good character and charisma allowed him to become the head of state in South Africa. I have also always respected Joseph in the Bible, who was thrown into prison and who eventually became the ruler of Egypt. I believe that these men are the perfect representation of the most important lesson in the Bible, that is the lesson of forgiveness.

Oftentimes, people do things out of ignorance, and sometimes even out of malice. God calls upon us to forgive one another, because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We want to be forgiven for the sins we commit against our fellow man, so the Bible reminds us to forgive that we may be forgiven. As a Christian, I use the Bible as my guidebook. I do, however, believe in the separation of church and state, so I don't expect everyone to share my religious convictions, but forgiving someone is an act of goodwill that anyone can exercise, regardless of our religious or moral convictions or varying beliefs.
I believe that my experiences as a small business owner and education background in the areas of business and public policy has equipped me with a good understanding of how to craft policy. I think more than either of those is my passion for people and my ability to work across the aisle with people of various backgrounds will make me a great officeholder. I am a natural leader and naturally get along with all kinds of people. I have an intrinsic desire to seek justice and fairness for all people. I think this aspect of my character is what we need in office to balance the power and the stronghold that has been in existence for a very long time in DC.
I believe the core responsibilities for someone elected to the office of Representative is to advocate for policies that are in the best interest of the constituents in her district. The second core responsibility is to be a checks and balance to the executive branch of government.
I want my legacy to be that I passed legislation to build light rail across Ohio, that paved the way to economic development across Ohio. I would also like to leave a legacy of having introduced and passed legislation to end mass incarceration and to bring an end to the school to prison pipeline. I also want to leave a legacy of creating a method for engaging citizens in the process of governing effectively.
The first historical event that happened in my lifetime that I remember was a very personal event. It was when I was a first grader and President Jimmy Carter visited our school. I got to shake the Presidents hand. It was a moment I never forgot, even at the tender age of 6 years old.
My very first job was with McDonald's. I started working there when I was 16 years old. I worked there for nearly a year, before I was recruited by a customer who was a Manager at Thom McAn Shoestore. The Manager thought I had excellent customer service skills and asked me to come and work for them. They paid me much more money and offered me more desirable hours, so it was an opportunity I couldn't resist.
My favorite book is Where Do We Go From Here, by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As a Kingian Scholar, I found a love for books written by Dr. King. His work is a demonstration of how far we've come and a reminder of how far we have yet to go.

I also enjoy reading fiction, but it seems I never get time to read much for leisure. I recently enjoyed a book called The Storm by my Aunt Marian Gardner. I was also privileged with writing the forward for her book. I enjoyed the way she was able to weave so many relevant topics into her work of fiction. I also enjoyed the creative way she introduced her faith in her story.
I would be Superman. I really like his concern for making the world right and how he balanced that with his career as a journalist and his romantic love for Lois Lane. I am happy to be the woman version of Superman, but Superwoman is not as appealing as a superhero as superman.
"If it had not been for the Lord on our side, tell me where would I be"
My greatest struggle in life has been single parenting my daughters after the loss of my husband. Parenting should be a two person job. Financially, it is a significant strain on one person. It is even more difficult to put two children through college as a single mother. My children were very active, which made it even more difficult for me. I remember the years that I was juggling their volleyball, basketball, soccer games and track meets. It was especially difficult because I often had to work several jobs to make ends meet in order to maintain the standard of living that they had grown accustomed to. I was running my consulting business and I was fortunate to be able to find online teaching jobs that enabled me to teach an hour per day a few days per week and I could grade papers when it was convenient for me. Before my husband died, I went back to school for my doctorate degree. My program required at least 20 hours of study per week, so at one point I was writing papers on the sidelines at sporting events and beachside on family vacations. I continued my studies after he died, and it was even more difficult to juggle my parenting duties, a doctoral program, my business and work life. My children are both adults now. One is pursuing her undergraduate degree, the other is gainfully employed full-time at a technology company in silicone valley.
The qualities that make the US House of Representatives a unique is the role of representing the people of the district. This entity should be a voice for the people. In recent years, the body seems to have lost it's way as a voice for the people and has become a voice for which ever corporate or special interest can provide the most money in campaign funds. We need to restore our government back to the people.
I believe it is beneficial to have previous experience or at the very least an understanding of government and politics. I also believe that Congress should be made up of people from various backgrounds. Diverse groups tend to foster the most creative ideas.
I believe the biggest issue that we face as a nation is corruption in government. At the core of the problem is the fact that the rigged system is at the foundation of our governing structures. As long as money and partisan politics are allowed to prevail, we can expect to lose our standing as a world power at some point in the future. So far, our power base has been based on our economic power. We are quickly losing that edge as innovators and creators of the future and the greater percentage of our populace are not being prepared to live in the world as it will be in the future.

We also have classism and racial problems that plague our national identity and will play an important part in our survival as a nation. We must come to respect all Americans regardless of their economic standing or their background. Respecting difference will ensure that we protect the national interest of our country by equipping the best and the brightest to carry the torch for the next generation.

Finally, we face a future that we aren't prepared for. We are lacking in both skills for jobs of the future, and we have thus far failed to put any meaningful effort behind preparing for that future. We face a world with limited resources, such as water, oil, and many of the minerals that we need to sustain our current way of life. We need to open new markets for trade with African countries and those with untapped resources. We also need to redevelop our infrastructure to prepare for global warming and the need to move populations to higher ground, as our coastal cities are eroding and will soon be uninhabitable.
I would be proud to serve on any committee that would benefit the 8th Congressional District. I think the following committees would best serve the interests of our district:

Agriculture
Appropriations
Budget
Education and Labor
Financial Services
Foreign Affairs
Judiciary
Oversight and Government Reform
Science, Space, and Technology
Small Business
Transportation and Infrastructure
Veterans' Affairs

Ways and Means
No, I believe that a more appropriate term is 4 years. This would allow a Representative to demonstrate that they can be effective in the role.
I believe term limits can be a good thing. I would support 8 year term limits.
I would not be interested in holding a leadership role this year, however perhaps after serving a couple of years I would be more inclined to feel qualified to lead.
No, I have no interest in cloning myself after anyone. I pride myself on being unique and offering all that I am to the role of representative.
The stories that touch my heart the most are the cancer stories and the stories that parents tell me about the loss of their children. The most disheartening stories are the tragedies that could have been preventable. In 2018, a mother in Middletown told me the story of her son had died of an opioid addiction, and the story of a father that lost his daughter to opioid addiction two days before Easter and then a son two days before Christmas the same year.

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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.


Vanessa Enoch campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* U.S. House Ohio District 8Lost general$0 N/A**
2022U.S. House Ohio District 8Lost general$0 N/A**
2020U.S. House Ohio District 8Lost general$56,011 $43,543
2018U.S. House Ohio District 8Lost general$64,238 $52,184
Grand total$120,250 $95,727
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal 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
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 1, 2020
  2. 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. Vanessa Enoch for Congress, “ABOUT: ISSUES,” accessed October 15, 2024
  4. Enoch for Congress, “On the Issues,” accessed November 3, 2022


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