The winner will take on Republican Charlotte McGuire this November, a member of the Ohio Board of Education and the Montgomery County GOP’s choice to defend its local seat after incumbent Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, opted to run for Congress instead of staging a reelection campaign.
To familiarize voters with their options this March, this news organization polled its readers, developed a list of questions, and posed those questions to the candidates in the form of a survey.
Here’s what the candidates said, word-for-word.
Why should a constituent vote for you?
Blackshear:
Whether you live in Dayton, Kettering, Centerville, or anywhere else in this district - we all want the same thing. A strong, safe community where you can raise a family. It’s time we had a State Senator who got that. If elected, I’ll get up every morning ready to fight for people here in Montgomery County, just as I have over the last several years as a State Representative. I know that our best days are ahead of us, not behind us. I will stand up for families in Montgomery County to ensure that regardless of where you live or what you look like, you have a shot at the American dream here in Ohio.
Hall:
I am a fighter on behalf of the hardworking families of the Dayton region who need a stronger voice speaking out for them in Columbus. I am the candidate who gets results for my constituents, and I am the candidate who has the best chance to beat a Republican in the General election and flip it blue for the first time in 38 years.
As a Kettering City Councilwoman, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to people talk about what matters most to them, and what they want for their families. People have real concerns, and they deserve a State Senator who understands those concerns and works every day to address them. In my time on the Council, I have done what I committed to do, which was delivering on transportation and housing, lowering utility bills, fighting hunger, and making childcare accessible to folks who need to go to work every day.
In addition to City Council, I currently work for CarePortal, aiding foster children and local families in crisis. Previously, I worked over twenty years in community development organizations and earned a PhD from Asbury Seminary, where I wrote my dissertation about poverty in Dayton. I am married to Ryan Smith, I am a mom to two wonderful children, and my father is former Congressman and Ambassador Tony Hall.
I grew up in a household where public service was a way of life. It taught me the importance of listening to people and representing their needs effectively. What drives me is faith, and family, and the belief that when I fight for people, I make their lives better.
Rhynard:
I am the longest serving elected official and the only pro choice woman on the ballot. We have a newly redrawn Democratic district and will have a Democrat representing us this fall, and voters have an opportunity to choose a candidate that best reflects their values. As the only pro choice woman in this race, and someone who has led the fight for bodily autonomy in Montgomery County, I will continue that fight for our rights, against extremism, and to build a strong, safe, healthy community for all people in Montgomery County.
It’s not enough to just vote for any Democrat in this primary; that is the bare minimum. We need leaders who are fighters, who are champions for women’s rights, who will work hard every single day to get legislation passed and protect our rights in the statehouse. I will be an advocate for our shared values on every major issue that comes before the State Senate.
What are your top priorities, if elected?
Blackshear: Economic and Workforce Development: As I have in the State House, I’ll continue to fight for more investments in making sure that our young people have the training and skills they need for the jobs of the future. There’s no reason that the next Intel or Honda plant can’t come to Montgomery County and I’ll push to make sure that when it does, our workers are ready.
Protecting our freedoms: In the State House, I’ve been proud to stand up against Republican attacks on our freedoms. I fought against the August special election last year that tried to undermine our democracy and attacks on Ohioans reproductive rights. In the Senate, I will continue standing up for Ohioans’ freedoms.
Bringing resources back to Montgomery County: In the State House, I’ve brought more than $23 to projects here in our community including the Dayton Boys and Girls Club, Dayton YWCA, the Dayton Dragons, and the Levitt Pavilion. In the state Senate, I will keep fighting to make sure investments like these come here.
Hall: My plan is to go to Columbus to get things done. Democrats can be more than window dressing in our State Legislature; Democrats have passed good legislation in the last two years in Columbus. My main priority is working to advocate that our budget reflects the priorities of the people of the Dayton region – and that the money we commit in the form of taxes comes back to us in the form of services and initiatives that solve our problems.
My top priorities as State Senator will focus on Ohio’s urgent challenges. The state’s 50th ranking in children’s services and 44th ranking in health outcomes in the nation highlight a crisis due to misguided policies and insufficient funding.
I have successfully advocated for practical solutions, like Kettering’s home-based childcare program, and aim to expand these efforts across the Dayton region.
In the State Legislature my priorities will be education and children’s services, preventing price-gouging in healthcare, addressing Dayton’s African American maternal and infant mortality crisis, and securing more funding for mental health services and addiction programs. Housing is another key concern, with the Dayton region in need of more mid-market housing. I have successfully supported strategic rezoning for new housing, fostering economic growth and fiscal sustainability in our city.
Rhynard:
I have spent my professional career fighting for public education for every child in Ohio and fighting for women’s rights and bodily autonomy; my decision to run for this seat is an extension of that work and understanding that education and the right to bodily autonomy are the two biggest issues in the statehouse. I am committed to making Ohio a healthy, safe, equitable place to live by fighting extremism, working to build up our economic core by supporting public education and businesses here in Montgomery County, and keeping our rivers and lakes and parks clean.
What is your position on abortion legality and what do you see as the legislature’s role on the topic in light of Issue 1′s passage?
Blackshear: I see protecting abortion rights as a core Democratic value. I have always been pro-choice and have strongly opposed the GOP attacks on reproductive rights in the state House. I was proud to vigorously support Issue 1 last November. Issue 1 made clear that Ohio is a pro-choice state: the voters have spoken loud and clear and laws that infringe on the freedoms of Ohioans must be repealed.
Hall: My position is often mischaracterized, but it’s very simple: I will defend the Constitution of the state of Ohio. Last year a strong majority of people passed Issue 1, it’s the law of the land, and as a State Senator I will take a vow to uphold the constitution. Because of my faith, I have my own convictions on choosing abortion, as I know a lot of other people do as well. However, I have a track record of working to uphold citizen votes as I am the only City Councilmember in the region who voted against a local moratorium on Issue 2.
Rhynard: I am fully pro choice, and the only pro choice woman in this race. Last year Ohio and Montgomery County spoke decisively about Issue 1 and the right to abortion, but extremists in the statehouse immediately announced they would block and dismantle our new constitutional right to bodily autonomy. The fight to protect our rights isn’t over and we can’t afford to send a Democrat to the State Legislature who won’t fight to protect reproductive rights and electing a pro choice woman is more necessary than ever.
Just as I led the Issue 1 campaign in Montgomery County last year, I will lead the fight to defend our rights to make medical decisions about our own bodies.
What is your stance on gun control and what measures, specifically, would you support or oppose?
Blackshear:
This is personal for people in Dayton. We all remember where we were when we learned about the Oregon District shooting. Every Ohioan, regardless of where you live, should feel safe in their communities. I have fought for common sense gun laws in the State House and will continue to do so in the Senate, including red flag laws and universal background checks.
Hall:
I support reasonable gun control measures. I’m not going to support taking any law-abiding citizen’s guns away, but I think it’s tragic that at this moment in our society, we are talking more about the dangers that books pose in our schools than guns do. When you talk to parents in the Dayton region like me, we are constantly in fear for our children’s safety because of the problem of gun violence in schools and we expect leadership to do something about it.
Ohio families deserve common-sense gun laws. I believe in background checks on all gun sales, prohibiting assault weapons, and repealing gun industry immunity. The gun industry should adhere to the same rules as every other industry and be held accountable when its actions result in harm.
Rhynard:
Too many people die from gun violence in this country. When HB 99 passed and reduced the training hours for teachers to carry firearms in the classroom, I led the effort to make Dayton Public Schools safer and passed a policy and a resolution to keep our entire campus firearm free. As someone who has lost family members to gun violence, I grieve for all the unnecessary death and pain that has occurred because of lawmaker’s inability to truly address this crisis and promise that I will work to pass common sense gun safety legislation in the senate.
What is your read on the structure and effectiveness of the state’s K-12 and higher education system and what changes, if any, would you advocate to improve it?
Blackshear:
While we have seen some improvements in our education system after years of GOP cuts to our schools, more must be done. If we are serious about the future of our state, we need to invest in our schools and universities, rather than attack teachers and ban books.
I also want to see the State stop investing so much in privately run failed charter schools that face little accountability and transparency and focus first on our public schools. The charter school system in Ohio has robbed our children of the education they deserve.
Hall: We have to increase graduation rates in the Dayton region. The average high school dropout costs the economy approximately $272,000 over his or her lifetime in terms of lower tax contributions, higher reliance on Medicaid and Medicare, and higher reliance on welfare.
Child literacy by age nine sets the precedent for a child’s future. If a child reads by the third grade, they have nearly a ninety percent chance of graduating high school. In contrast, struggling readers are almost guaranteed to suffer financially in life. In early December I secured a 30,000-book donation worth $500,000 so that all students in Trotwood and Dayton Public Schools could receive free books just before Christmas.
We must start at the beginning to give kids in our region their best shot at a good future. Ohio’s K-12 education system faces challenges rooted in inadequate funding and legislative shortcomings, reflected in our alarming 50th ranking in children’s services nationally. Current state education policy needs reevaluation to address the decline in early education and prevent our public schools from plummeting in national rankings.
The impact of education extends beyond the classroom, affecting our ability to attract new businesses and foster a robust workforce. Additionally, recognizing the importance of safety, teachers and students deserve strict gun violence prevention measures to create secure learning environments.
Investing in well-funded public schools, prioritizing fair compensation for teachers, and supporting teacher unions are pivotal steps in enhancing the overall quality of education, and as a State Senator, I will advocate for those necessary reforms that fortify our education system.
Rhynard:
Every child in Ohio and in Montgomery County deserves a high quality public education. So many of our kids don’t have the same opportunities and fully funding our educational system will be the first step toward that goal. As a school board member, I have seen firsthand the effects of the nationwide teacher shortage as well as how dedicated and hardworking our teachers are.
The biggest barrier to fully funding our schools is the use of billions of public tax dollars being funneled into non-public schools that are not subject to the same metrics and financial oversight as our public schools are. I have testified in the Statehouse in favor of strong public schools and will continue to be your advocate for public education as your next Senator.
What specific steps do you feel the legislature should take to tackle poverty, homelessness and hunger in Ohio?
Blackshear: Every Ohioan deserves the freedom to thrive - period. But under the current Republican leadership in Ohio, we’ve seen homelessness, hunger, and poverty rise. At the same time, these self-serving politicians have undermined local attempts to address these issues. As someone who represents an urban state House district, I’ve seen this disinvestment first hand. It’s time we worked with innovative local leaders to give them the tools and resources they need to tackle these challenges in every corner of Ohio.
Hall:
Dayton has the tragic distinction as being in the top five cities with the highest hunger rates twice in the last decade. Ohio Senate district 6 is like a Tale of Two Cities: we are simultaneously experiencing great economic opportunity for higher income families, while our lower income families are drowning. I intend to be a leader that brings us back to making Dayton a USDA hunger-free zone like it was twenty-five years ago. We are in a poverty crisis that demands action from all legislators, especially those in Columbus. It is imperative for the overall economic health of our state, for public safety, and it is the right thing to do.
I grew up in a household where fighting hunger and poverty were top priorities. My dad, former Dayton Congressman Tony Hall, was recognized as the top fighter on hunger issues while he served in Congress, and I learned from his passion, and from his public service skills.
I think the legislature needs to tackle access to a complete, healthy diet by every citizen of the state, regardless of where they live. That means addressing food deserts, as I did on the Kettering City Council. I believe the legislature needs to address the rising costs of fees and services that do not do anything to help people lift themselves out of poverty – escalating health insurance rates, prescription drug prices, and housing costs. These are bills that everyone pays each month, and it seems like they go up each month, but people aren’t getting more for their money; they’re getting less. In the end, it’s about budget priorities, and finally putting our money where it needs to be.
Rhynard:
Poverty, homelessness, and hunger are the result of policy decisions made by lawmakers in Columbus and D.C. We have the ability to cut poverty through significant, data driven legislation. Here in Montgomery County, we have strong community partners who, with additional support and funding, can address these issues.
Rather than wasting taxpayer money on multimillion dollar August elections and corruption scandals, we should invest in our most impoverished communities. As a Dayton School board member, I have seen firsthand in urban, rural, and suburban districts alike, that all too often public schools are the only safe space for our children. Funding public education is a crucial first step to tackling poverty, homelessness, and hunger, and working with our community partners and organizations to actually address the larger systemic issues is the next step. I have worked with those organizations, built relationships with them, and am ready to continue working hand in hand with them to pass legislation that can and will make our community stronger and healthier.
What is your stance on LGBTQ+ issues and how would you use your role to back that stance?
Blackshear: Every Ohioan, regardless of who they love or how they identify, deserves to live in our state with dignity, respect, and safety. Instead of solving the pressing problem facing Ohio, the Republicans in charge have spent their time attacking trans kids. I have loudly opposed these awful bills and if elected to the state Senate I will continue to stand up for all Ohioans. This includes opposing attacks on healthcare and pushing to remove legal discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Hall:
I believe that LGBTQ+ people deserve the same respect, rights, treatment under the law that every citizen is entitled to. I will oppose policies that make it easy for people to discriminate, and I will oppose policies that don’t allow people to live their lives in the way they are free to choose.
Rhynard:
This is personal to me. As a parent of a trans kid, I have watched extremists in the statehouse pass HB 68, a bill that blocks access to healthcare for trans minors, erodes parental rights, and is actively harmful and discriminatory to a marginalized class.
Our government should be protecting, not discriminating, and legislation that legalizes discrimination against LGBTQ+ people not only harms us all, but will continue to drive young people and families out of the state. We all want an Ohio where people want to raise their families, not one that is known nationally for taking away the right to bodily autonomy. I will always listen to and fight for those who are marginalized and be their champion in the Senate.
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