8th District candidates square off

U.S. 8th District Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Troy, faces Democratic challenger Dr. Vanessa Enoch and write-in independent candidate Isaac Reed in the November general election.

Warren Davidson

Davidson, a Republican, represents the 8th District and says it's been a humbling experience.

"I'm excited about the work I've been able to do," he said.

Davidson is a former Army infantryman and West Point U.S. Military Academy graduate, who studied American history and mechanical engineering while in school. After serving in the Army, Davidson earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

The 50-year-old businessman spent 15 years owning and operating manufacturing companies in Ohio. He has represented the 8th District since 2016.

Davidson said he's qualified for the position due to his experience on the job and added the more experiences people have, the more equipped they are to get results.

A representative needs to defend freedom, including the civil liberties that have shaped America's way of life, he said.

"You hear freedom after freedom under attack, whether it be freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, Second Amendment rights, right to privacy, right to life - all these kinds of things that are essential parts of what's made America exceptional," Davidson said.

The father of two said the path the country is on is not compassionate and is bankrupting the nation fiscally and in some ways morally. He wants to continue to be the voice in Washington, D.C., that says "Don't bankrupt America."

As America stares down the barrel of trillion-dollar deficits, Davidson said the time for a balanced budget has come.

A challenge representatives face is bringing the values and important issues of the district's constituents to Washington, he said, adding he's worked to make the capital a little more like his district to the greatest extent possible.

Warren lives in Troy with his wife, Lisa.

Vanessa Enoch

Dr. Vanessa Enoch, a Democrat, wants to help 8th District's constituents by implementing policies that will ease the burden on working families.

She has been a business owner since 1999, when she started her own management and public policy consulting company. Enoch received her bachelor's degree in criminal justice from The Ohio State University, an MBA from Xavier University and a Ph.D. in public policy from Union Institute and University.

The 50-year-old said she has ample experience for the position as a person who has been working in community advocacy for several years. Enoch has worked to make changes in the juvenile justice system, as well as create child care options for working parents.

She has also served as a college professor and a department chair/dean of students for nearly 18 years. As a business owner, Enoch said she has worked with companies and nonprofit organizations, making her well-versed in public policy. She has also done a lot of journalistic work by contributing to The Cincinnati Herald as a criminal justice reporter.

Enoch considers herself more of a concerned citizen than a politician. In a district where the median income is $5,000 below the national average, she believes Davidson's leadership will lead to more of the same and less meaningful change.

"I'm running because I care," she said. "I care about people who are struggling in this district."

Enoch said she's had her own share of struggles. After her husband died, she raised two children by herself.

"I've had to struggle raising my kids and keeping a roof over our heads," she said.

The district needs a representative who understands constituents' circumstances, and Enoch said she believes she is the right candidate for the job.

If elected, she said she would promote policies and introduce legislation that advocates and supports families, from farmers to factory workers. Bread-and-butter issues such as fair pay, access to health care, affordable college and improved public education are all causes Enoch plans to tackle if elected.

Saving Social Security benefits for people who are elderly or have disabilities has not been a priority for Davidson, Enoch said, yet it's something that affects a sizable portion of the district.

"Our district needs to change, and I want to be that advocate," she said. "I want to see less suffering across the 8th District."

Enoch lives in West Chester and has two daughters, Christina and Mikela.

Isaac Reed

Reed is running as an independent write-in candidate for the 8th District and believes the district needs a representative who will listen to the everyday, working-class people.

The 41-year-old received a master's degree in divinity and religious studies from the Trinity Institute and two doctorate degrees from the Franklin Institute in divinity and philosophy in the field of theology.

Reed works full time in the transportation industry as a freight broker and previously worked full time in ministry.

He said he's worked in the background of politics for several years, starting in 2008 when he began working with various Ohio state representatives from both parties. He gave faith guidance and offered help with questions of faith on a bill of equality in Ohio.

Reed participated in an H1N1 pandemic interfaith conference call for the Obama administration in 2009. As a faith leader, Reed spoke directly with scientists working on the vaccine and discussed how he could help slow the pandemic in his community. Later, Reed worked with the Obama administration with a group of faith leaders regarding the Affordable Care Act.

As an independent, Reed said he understands that many Ohioans fall down the middle politically, rather than strictly right or left.

"I know people are hesitant to consider someone outside the two-party system," he said. "But I want to give that extra option."

Reed supports term limits, which he proposes should be extended to Congress and the Senate. U.S. Supreme Court justices should serve no more than 18 years with a new justice leaving the bench every two years, meaning a president can fill only two seats per term.

Term limits have been set at the state level and for the president, so the same should apply to other offices, he argued.

Politicians and justices who serve without term limits can lead to out-of-touch and distant officials who can't relate to constituents, he said.

Reed said he supports a free-market health care system free of government or lobbyist interference. He supports President Donald Trump's "most-favored nation price" executive order signed Sept. 13 aimed at lowering drug prices, which he believes should be made into law and include all drug costs.

Reed lives in Hamilton with his boyfriend, Ryan, and their pet Corgi.