Voters Guide: Enoch vs. Davidson for Ohio’s 8th Congressional district seat

The candidates for Ohio's 8th Congressional seat in the November 2022 election are Warren Davidson (left) and Vanessa Enoch (right).

The candidates for Ohio's 8th Congressional seat in the November 2022 election are Warren Davidson (left) and Vanessa Enoch (right).

All candidates for local, state and federal office were sent the same series of questions by the Dayton Daily News. Our goal was to help voters make informed choices in the Nov. 8 election (early voting for which began Oct. 12).

The redrawn 8th U.S. Congressional district covers all of Darke, Preble and Butler counties, plus western Miami County and western Hamilton County.

This race is between incumbent Republican Warren Davidson and Democratic challenger Vanessa Enoch. The candidates’ answers are below, in their own words. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order, except in cases where only one candidate responded.

Vanessa Enoch

Residence: West Chester

Organizations, boards, previous elected positions:

2022 Board President & CEO, Vision Works, Inc

2005-2010 Board Member, YMCA

2005 Board Member, The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce

2000-2006 Member, Cincinnati Rotary Club

Professional Associations:

Member/ Past Cincinnati Chapter President National Black MBA Association

Member/ Black Data Processors Association, Cincinnati Chapter

Member/ American Society for Public Administrators, Cincinnati Chapter

Member/ American Political Science Association

Member/Society for Human Resource Professionals

National Minority Supplier Development Council

Education: MBA-Information Technology, Ph.D.- Public Policy

Current employment: Self-Employed, Cultural Impact LLC

Why are you seeking elected office: I am running because our Democracy and fundamental freedoms are under attack by extremists, like my opponent, Warren Davidson. We need representatives who will fight for the interest of the people and not big corporations, big banks and special interest groups. I will fight for women’s reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy, to save social security, affordable health care, quality education, veteran’s rights, civil rights, to eliminate mass incarceration. and to eliminate government corruption.

Why should voters elect you: We cant afford another 2 years under Davidson’s the lack of leadership. He poses a threat to our Democracy, and voted to overturn our free and fair elections. He voted against reauthorizing The Violence Against Women’s Act, against baby formula. I will fight for our fundamental freedoms, bodily autonomy,

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? My top three priorities when I take office will be:

1) Defending Democracy Against Government Overreach: I will work to protect our Democracy, secure our elections against voter suppression, power hungry and money-grab politicians, and I will defend the rights and freedoms that we have held dear over the past 50 years. I will protect women’s right to choose, and for her and her doctor to decide what’s best for her reproductive health care. I will defend the voting rights and civil rights of all Americans.

2) Fiscal Responsibility: I will work to implement responsible fiscal policy to calm inflation concerns of families in our district, that have come as a result of supply and workforce shortages stemming from COVID-19 and subsequent work stoppages. I will work to ensure that wealthy corporations and high income earners pay their fair share, so that we can save our social security and Medicare system.

3) Fixing 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 are currently have low unemployment and a worker shortage in the US that is contributing to rising costs. 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.

What specific plans do you have to address those top priorities? I will vote to codify Roe v Wade. I will vote for bills that secure our elections and prevent ongoing government corruption. I will ensure that big corporations and wealthy people are paying their fair share. I will support legislation that will secure our borders and create good public policy, that does not allow for the dehumanization of people who come to the US legally.

Anything else you would like voters to know? Voters should vote for me over Warren Davidson, because I am poised to be an authentic voice for them in Congress, and because Davidson is a threat to our Democracy. I will fight to protect our rights and freedoms.

My opponent is an election denier who refuses to speak out against dangers QAnon Conspiracy Theories. He does not believe in our Constitutional Republic, and in preserving our rights and freedoms. Davidson voted to overturn a free and fair election, while believing in the legitimacy of his own election in the same year. He is a dangerous extremist, who refuses to accept the will of the people, and who voted against securing our elections in the future.

We are currently facing several existential threats, including the existential threat of climate change, which Davidson does not believe that climate change is real. In the meantime, there are numerous asylum seekers who are climate refugees, 21.5 million people have been forcibly displaced by weather-related events, such as floods, storms, wildfires and extreme temperatures since 2008. It has been forecasted that these numbers are expected to surge in coming decades, and 1.2 billion people could be displaced globally by 2050 due to climate change and natural disasters. My opponent consistently votes against international aid and climate bills that would aid in keeping people in place in their countries of origin, and then he complains about the border crisis. Aid to these nations or even investment by way of the infrastructure bill would advance climate initiatives here at home and support technology to mitigate the need for people to have to flee their countries.

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Warren Davidson

No response