Incumbent Beth Lear will face challenger Michael Holt for election to the Ohio House of Representatives in District 61 in the Republican primary on March 19.

Here is a profile of the candidates, based on their social media sites, in alphabetical order.

Mike Holt

“Taking Action for Ohio,” is Holt’s campaign slogan. “I’ve grown tired of listening to politicians who talk endlessly about issues that are supposedly destroying our country, but who don’t do anything to fix those problems,” he said on his campaign website, mikeholt-ohio2024.com.

Holt said he is a lifelong farmer, a research and development chemist, and small business owner. He feels those “real-world skills … have given me the experience necessary to take action for Ohio. By thinking analytically and uncovering the underlying issues at their source, we can fix the problems that have gone unaddressed for too long.”

Protecting Ohio’s rural areas, as well the state’s education system, and agricultural and economic development are among his priorities.

“I believe in Ohio, and I am genuinely concerned with the problems that our state is facing,” Holt said. “However, I also believe that together we can find solutions to our problems and create a better life for the 61st district, all of Ohio, and our future generations.”

Beth Lear

“Promises Made, Promises Kept,” is Lear’s campaign slogan, on her website bethlear.com. She lists as her accomplishments: “Jointly authored House Bill 236 to prohibit medical facilities from keeping patients isolated and possibly dying alone, including during health emergencies; jointly authored H.B. 183 to prohibit boys and girls from sharing school bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight rooms and beds; co-sponsored HB 187 to reduce property taxes for all Ohio families…”

She describes herself as a military veteran, education policy expert, fighting for conservative values and standing up to her own party, and feels “we need less government, nor more.”

Lear said if reelected to a second term, her priorities would be to: “Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving state benefits; regulate marijuana to keep it away from our schools and kids; focus classrooms on reading, writing and arithmetic; defend parents’ rights; stand up for the 2nd Amendment and the unborn.”

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak photographs and reports on stories in eastern Delaware County and surrounding areas.