Three Democrats vie for open Ohio House District 5 seat in southern Franklin County

Three Democrats are running to serve as representative to Ohio House District 5, which cuts like a horseshoe across southern Franklin County, taking in Galloway, Darbydale, Lockbourne, Obetz, parts of Canal Winchester and Reynoldsburg.

Marco Miller, Meredith Lawson-Rowe and Leo Almeida are competing for their party's nomination to replace incumbent Richard Brown, who is running for a judgeship on Franklin County Common Pleas Court. There are no Republican candidates on the ballot for the House seat, even though a Republican came close to winning two years ago.

Brown, a Canal Winchester lawyer, was appointed to the seat in 2017, but is now competing to replace county Common Pleas Court Judge Dan Hawkins, who is running for Ohio Supreme Court. In 2022, Brown initially appeared to have been defeated by Republican candidate Ronald Beach IV of Obetz, who was ahead by 96 votes on election night. But after absentee and provisional ballots were counted, Brown won by 145 votes.

The term is for two years beginning in January 2025, and pays just under $68,700 per year.

Meredith Lawson-Rowe

Reynoldsburg City Council President Meredith Lawson-Rowe, 55, is an executive administrator at Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence, which trains organizations in cultural competency issues such as diversity and equity. She was elected to the Reynoldsburg City Council from Ward 4 in November 2019, one of three African-American women winning that year, the first Black women to serve on the panel.

Lawson-Rowe said she is running "to get the job done and tirelessly serve the entire district," while maintaining a deep commitment to the community and "deeply rooted in the belief that we can and must do better for our neighbors."

The big issues facing the district are fair funding for education, providing robust public transportation, protecting women's health care rights, and ensuring seniors receive the comprehensive care, Lawson-Rowe said in a candidate questionnaire.

Marco Miller

Marco Miller, 74, resides in the city of Columbus near Canal Winchester. Miller applied for a vacancy on the Columbus City Council in 2018, but didn't get it. He is an insurance agent and former Columbus firefighter and president of the local firefighters union. Miller has four children with his wife, Barbara, and 12 grandchildren. He has lived in the area the current district serves his entire adult life.

"I am running for office to be a voice for the workers and families in the state of Ohio and the 5th Ohio House District," he said in response to a candidate questionnaire. "I have had a passion for public service and have dedicated my life to helping others."

The issue he thinks rises to the top is the housing crisis: "I think that we must stop talking about the housing crisis and do something about it. We need to work on getting developers to build affordable housing, and work to make sure that landlords and companies keep their properties in good repair and free of crime."

Leo Almeida

Leonardo "Leo" Almeida, 36, who resides in Columbus' Southeast Side near Canal Winchester, is a government relations director with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

"I am running for office because I strongly believe my purpose in life is to be a servant leader and to give back to my community," he said. "As a father of two young boys, I want to improve our community for them and future generations.

Almeida and his mother moved from Brazil to Ohio when he was 4 years old to start a new life and pursue better opportunities, he said. It is crucial to have more racial and ethnic representation at the Statehouse, he said. He is committed to advocating for racial equity and justice.

"Despite facing many challenges, I was determined to be the first person in my family to graduate from college," he said. "I was also determined to become a U.S. citizen."

He said he achieved both.

Almeida said he feels neighborhoods outside of the Interstate 270 outerbelt are often ignored. "If elected, I will hit the ground running and ensure that this area has a champion in the Statehouse," he said.

Economic development and infrastructure, health care accessibility and education are the top issues facing the district, with the growth of Columbus making housing a challenge, Almeida said. New apartment complexes and warehouses have led to more commuter traffic, with connecting roads not designed for large vehicles, he said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Lawson-Rowe's last name.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Three Democrats vie for open Ohio House District 5 seat