PERRYSBURG, Ohio — As people across the state cast their early votes in Ohio’s primary election, the balance of power among Ohio House Republicans is up for grabs.


What You Need To Know

  • Ohio's House District 75 includes most of Wood County

  • Incumbent State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari is seeking his third term in office, challenged by Sally Culling

  • Early voting is now underway, with Ohio's Primary Election Day March 19

A number of incumbent GOP state representatives are fighting to keep their seats in the Statehouse, a ballot battle that is heating up the closer we get to Election Day Tuesday.

Ohio House district 75 includes most of Wood County and is currently represented by Haraz Ghanbari. He’s serving his second full term in the Statehouse after he was first appointed to the role in 2019.

He said he’s proud of the work he’s done at the Statehouse so far this session.

“Things like the Save Women’s Sports Act,” he said. “Worked on some of the bills dealing with some of the challenges with, you know, the transgender dynamics that so many folks in Ohio are talking about.”

He said there’s more to be done for folks in the 75th district, as he runs for re-election to continue serving the community.

“I hear time and time again from my fellow Republicans or from Democrats that, ‘Haraz, we are thankful that you are our state representative,’” Ghanbari said.

He said he stands by his voting record and supported Jason Stephens becoming House Speaker last year, a vote that since split the Statehouse.

Now, the Ohio House Republican Alliance, a fund House Speaker Stephens oversees, is providing support to some campaigns of his supporters seeking re-election, including Ghanbari, who received more than $380,000 since January in contributions from the fund for advertising, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

Challenging Ghanbari on the ballot is Sally Culling, who said she began working in politics as a teen in the United Kingdom and moved to the United States 20 years ago, spending half that time in Perrysburg.

She said the number one issue she hears while visiting with voters is the economy.

“The full repeal of House Bill 6 will be a priority,” she said. “I think reform, perhaps abolishing the state income tax, is a good idea, deregulating so that businesses can thrive.”

Ohio’s Primary Election Day is Tuesday, March 19.