Three will face off in 4th U.S. District race

Democrat Shannon Freshour and Libertarian Steve Perkins are challenging incumbent 4th District U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, in the Nov. 3 general election.

Shannon Freshour

Freshour is a native of the 4th District and knows the difficulties local families face.

The 45-year-old Marysville resident has been a litigation paralegal for 25 years, attending Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C., to study political science and art history as an undergraduate student. She later earned a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University, specializing in congressional and federal policy making and writing a thesis on human trafficking.

Freshour said she is running because the people of the 4th District deserve to have a legislator who actually represents them. As a person who benefited from programs such as Head Start, Freshour said she knows the difficulties her constituents face on a day-to-day basis.

Freshour said her mother left an abusive relationship and raised her as a single mother. Through job training and educational opportunities offered through government assistance, her mother was able to lift their family from poverty and later own her own business.

Among her concerns are cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, which harm not only low-income families but also the farmers who provide food to the program, she said.

Climate change has long been ignored, hurting farmers as they try to adapt, she continued. Fighting climate change could help revive unions and bring manufacturing jobs back to the area.

Health care is the most important issue on the ballot this election cycle and a basic human right, Freshour said, and having access to medical care is essential.

Medicare and Medicaid are social safety-net programs that need to be protected so people who may otherwise not have access to health coverage can get the care they need. Other programs such as Social Security also deserve funding, she said, noting she would vote for policies or laws that would help support them.

"I would make sure I'm acting in the best interest of my constituents," Freshour said. "I want to be a champion for workers, job training and access to education."

Jim Jordan

Jordan said he plans to do what he's always done if re-elected: lower taxes, protect the unborn, reduce regulations so the economy can thrive and hold the bureaucracy accountable.

The 56-year-old has been the representative for District 4 since 2007 and touts himself as one of the most conservative members of Congress.

Jordan earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin, a master's degree in education from The Ohio State University and a law degree from Capital University.

He said he has been an advocate for taxpayers and seeks to end waste, fraud and abuse in federal government. He also serves as the ranking member on the House judiciary committee and on the House oversight committee.

At a recent debate against Democratic nominee Shannon Freshour, Jordan focused on national issues such as the right to bear arms, freedom of speech and police funding while asserting the values, principles and rights of Americans are at risk if Democrats are elected.

Jordan said personal liberties and freedoms are at risk in this election cycle and encouraged his constituents to vote Republican.

"My job on the committees that I've been assigned to - the oversight committee, the judiciary committee - is to protect your liberties, to expose corruption that exists in our agencies when they come for you and your rights, and we're going to keep doing that," Jordan said at the debate.

Steve Perkins

Perkins, 44, Pataskala, is running to show residents in the 4th District they have an option other than Democrat or Republican.

"Democrats and Republicans like to argue over who gets to tell you what to do," he said.

Perkins is the Libertarian candidate for District 4 who wants to protect citizens from political overreach.

Perkins received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowling Green State University in technology education and is an automotive technical trainer. He said he has received the endorsement of the Libertarian Party of Ohio.

The father of one said he'd bring a balance to Republicans and Democrats when it comes to decisions affecting everyone in the district and encourage "economic sanity."

The current administration's economic policy has put Ohio farmers on government assistance, and the tariffs and trade war haven't helped either, he said. Instead, Perkins said he'd fight for a free market to help Ohio farmers.

Perkins said he'd also like to see an end to the drug war and encourage an end to qualified immunity from lawsuits and ending no-knock warrants.

"People should vote for me because I'm not a Republican or Democrat," he said. "Republicans and Democrats can't agree on much, but they do agree you don't need another party."

Perkins also voiced his displeasure about being excluded from a candidate debate hosted by the St. Marys Rotary Club in early October. Freshour and Jordan were invited to the debate while Perkins said club officials gave flippant excuses why he was not invited to participate.