Young dems enter state House races

A pair of young Democrats announced within 24-hours their campaigns for Republican-held state house seats in northwest Ohio.

Rachel Crooks, a Heidelberg University administrator who gained national attention as one of more than a dozen women who accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct during the 2016 campaign, filed nominating petitions Monday for Ohio’s 88th state House District, currently held by state Rep. Bill Reineke (R., Tiffin).

Rachel Crooks speaks at a news conference, Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, in New York.

Ms. Crooks, 35, of Tiffin is a Clyde High School graduate and director of international student recruitment at the Tiffin-based university.

A first-time candidate, Ms. Crooks would be vying to represent all of Sandusky County and most of Seneca County if she wins the party’s nomination. She referred a request for comment from The Blade on Monday to the Ohio Democratic Party and Chris Liebold, a Fremont city councilman. 

“I’m running for the Ohio House because for too long Columbus politicians have forgotten about places like Tiffin and Fremont and Clyde,” she said in a statement. “Our representatives in Columbus care more about corporate special interests, lobbyists, and donors than they do about working Ohioans.”

She said in 2016 that she met Mr. Trump at Trump Tower in 2005, and that he kissed her "directly on the mouth" against her will. President Trump, then a candidate for office, said there was no truth to claims made by Ms. Crooks and others accusing him of sexual misconduct.

On Sunday, Bowling Green City Councilman Daniel Gordon announced his candidacy for Ohio’s 3rd state House District, currently held by Theresa Gavarone (R., Bowling Green) and comprising Wood County. First elected to city council in 2012, Mr. Gordon, 28, said in his announcement that cuts to the Local Government Funds was a major policy he would work to reverse. 

“The legislature has been fiscally irresponsible,” Mr. Gordon said in a statement. “They can’t fix the roof by knocking out the foundation. They couldn’t pay off the money they lost spending on pet projects and rewarding their corporate friends, so they took our taxpayers’ money instead. And they have nothing to show for it. We got ripped off, and the worst part is they keep doing it. Not on my watch.”

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at nrosenkrans@theblade.com, 419-724-6086, or on Twitter @NolanRosenkrans.