13th District state senator race offers competition from both parties

In Ohio's 13th Senate District, Republican voters will have a choice in the primary election on Aug. 2. Republicans will choose to send either incumbent state Sen. Nathan Manning or state Board of Education member and Lorain County Totally Engaged Americans Chair Kirsten Hill on to the general election. The winner will face Democrat and Ohio Army National Guard 1st Lt. Anthony Eliopoulos in the general election. Kirsten Hill Age: 58 Party: Republican Education: MBA, Baldwin-Wallace College; BA (accounting), Adrian College (MI); Marion L. Steele High School, Amherst Family: Husband of 33 years is Andy. Children are Kyle, a software engineer, and Nina, a medical doctor. Job history: Kirsten is a member of the State Board of Education. She and Andy operated Penton's Farm Market, her family's year-round market in Amherst Township for 25 years. She also ran a seasonal farm-tour business, hosting families and elementary classes for many years. Prior to being a small-business owner, Kirsten worked as a certified public accountant for KeyBank in Cleveland and for a CPA firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kirsten was a member and chairman of the Amherst Township Board of Zoning Appeals for 15 years and a member of the Amherst Schools Educational Foundation for 20 years. Website: kirstenhill.com Nathan Manning Age: 40 Party: Republican Education: Bachelor of Arts (Denison University, 2004); Juris Doctor (Capital University Law School, 2007). Family: Wife, Jennifer Manning. Job history: Assistant prosecutor, City of North Ridgeville (2010–2014); partner, Manning & Manning Attorneys at Law, LLC. (2008–current); state representative, 55th District (2015–2018); state senator, 13th District (2019–current). Website: manningforohio.com; Facebook: @ManningForOhio; Twitter: @Manning_Nathan; Instagram: @nathanmanningoh What makes you the best candidate for the position? Hill: I lived the daily challenge of all aspects of running a small business, from training and operations to maintenance and marketing. As a parent of two college graduates and with experience as a member of the state Board of Education, I understand the challenges of families striving to get a good education for their children. The attacks on the institutions of our country and Ohio are many. I bring a lifetime of varied experiences and problem-solving to the Ohio Senate. I would represent the people's interests and not special interests. Manning: The voters of the 13th Senate District should have high expectations for their state senator. They deserve and should expect a senator who works hard to fight for their interests in Columbus — someone who is a thoughtful problem solver, a responsive leader, and who delivers on promises. I have checked all these boxes and more over the past three years and I will continue to deliver positive results for the 13th district for the next four years. What is the biggest challenge facing Ohio's 13th Senate District and how would you address it? Hill: The biggest challenge is recovering from the response to the pandemic. Many families and small businesses experienced grave losses and students' academic performance and personal well-being have suffered. I will support laws which reduce barriers to opening new and growing existing small businesses. I will support laws which provide families opportunities to get a solid academic foundation for their children. Recovering from the pandemic will take time and dedication. I will support laws which increase health freedom. Manning: One of the biggest issues facing the 13th Senate District is the development of our workforce. Even prior to COVID, workforce development has been a key issue, but today this issue is even more important as we strive to create an environment beneficial to people returning to work. I've worked hard to support and pass legislation addressing some of the key issues attributed to the shortfalls in our workforce. Specifically, in bills like H.B. 166 (133rd), we made historic investments in programs and scholarships to help people further develop their skills to be better positioned to enter the workforce, whether it be in the skilled trades, STEM careers, or anything in between.