To add more clarity to the title, I’m discussing the Democratic Primary in the 3rd district - you can figure out if you're part of the district here (it is large and gerrymandered to hell).
Because the GOP currently has a super majority it’s CRITICAL to take back some seats and replace them with quality democrats who will stand up for Ohio’s rights. So basically, even if Amy Acton wins, a large enough part of the house and senate (60% typically, 66% in some instances) can vote to override her veto on atrocious bills. Reforming our senate has never been more important.
Please see my email correspondence with the candidates further below to clarify their positions on topics not addressed on their websites.
Candidate Overview
I looked over both candidates’ websites: Stacie A. Baker and Natasha Wheatley Caffrey. and their platforms looked relativelyy the same except that Natasha opposes data center developments and that she refuses to take corporate PAC money. Of course that’s simplified so I recommend checking their websites for yourself which I'll include below. I did also note Natasha refuses to use AI for any of her content or emails.
Was glad to see the economy and education taking priority for both candidates, but also wanted to understand if they’re going to stand for our personal freedoms while the Ohio legislature is working as hard as possible to pass as much outdated, unconstitutional, and authoritarian bills as possible.
I sent the same email to each (as listed on their campaign sites) on Thursday last week to gain more clarity and only Natasha replied.
I sent this:
Hi Natasha/Stacie,
I am preparing for primaries and I wanted to know what your stance is on these three areas:
1. Reproductive freedom
2. LGBTQ+ and trans rights
3. Immigration enforcement policy
I also noticed your platform is very similar to your running mate Stacie A. Baker/Natasha Wheatley Caffrey. So I’m wondering if you could share why you believe you would be a better fit for the job.
Thanks and have a nice day!
Natasha's reply was, in my opinion, long but refreshing and tells me she’s passionate about these issues, understands exactly what’s going on, and that I can count on her to do more than protect our economy.
Natasha Wheatley Caffrey
Her reply:
Thank you for reaching out! And for being a voter! I'd be happy to answer your questions in order:
- Reproductive Freedom - I was proud to run all the canvassing in my neighborhood for the reproductive freedom state constitutional amendment out of my home in 2023. People have the right to access whatever medical care they need including abortion. It is infuriating but not surprising that the current state legislature is still looking for ways to circumvent the amendment voters clearly wanted. We need another vote in the State Senate who will fight back against their attacks on reproductive freedom as a legislator and work to build a large coalition to fight back through other means as well. I'd love to be that State Senator.
- LGBTQ & Trans rights - Individuals who are members of the LGBTQ+ community are entitled to the same rights as any other individual: assembly, speech, worship, etc. Things like bathroom bills and drag performance bans attack our neighbors, do nothing to build a better Ohio, and weaken everyone's rights because they give the government the power to decide who is actually allowed to exercise those rights.
- Immigration Enforcement Policy - We need immigration reform that actually focuses on the root of the problem: large corporations that benefit from having two classes of people by exploiting one of those classes. It is especially helpful to corporations if they can convince one class that the other is the root of all their problems and therefore should be hated. The people who are working to make a better life for themselves and their families are not the problem and should be supported in a path to full citizenship. At the state level, I see three clear things that I can do as a State Senator to fight back against the abduction and abuse of immigrants:
- continue the work of existing democratic members of the State legislature in inspecting detainment facilities in Ohio to ensure humane conditions and that detainees are able to access their rights
- fight back against ridiculous bills introduced by the Republican majority to punish communities who refuse to work with ICE and instead support their immigrant communities
- introduce legislation that refuses tax breaks and state contracts to any corporation that doesn't participate in the E-verify program - not to demonize working immigrants but to try to reduce the incentive corporations have to try and maintain the current status quo on immigration and instead push them towards meaningful and empathetic immigration reform
As for your final question, I have a background in rural and union organizing. This gives me extensive experience talking to the types of folks that the Democratic Party has been losing over the past decade, all without compromising my democratic values. This district is a winnable but tough; it will require winning more votes in the rural areas than we have in the recent past. I run a listen-first campaign and take no corporate PAC money because
- it is the right thing to do and
- those are things we need to build trust in every community across the district.
I believe my approach and my background will allow me to connect with voters in any part of this district - and that is the path to winning. I intend to connect with those voters not by ignoring my values - but by listening to them and their frustrations and presenting a path that shows them the true bad guy - billionaires and large corporations operating with impunity in Ohio's current political context.
I apologize if this response is longer than you hoped, but I want to be thorough. I also view this primary as a process to determine who will be first string in the fight against the Republican incumbent in November (first-chair if you are more musically inclined) and I fully intend to support Stacie if he were to win this primary.
Stacie A. Baker
https://www.staciebakerforohio.org/#issues
[No reply.]
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Anyways, I wanted to post this info to give people more context on the issues that are important to them, so that this important race isn't ignored and we don't have to guess values. I did forget to ask about their stance on the illegal war in Iran and the genocide in Gaza, largely because it's a state senate race as opposed to a federal senate race, but I think it’s safe to assume Natasha would oppose these given the rest of her stances and that she doesn’t accept corporate PAC money. She also has an endorsement from CAIR Ohio, indicating support from the Muslim community.
Please go vote so we can stop Ohio from backsliding further!