COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the March primary election approaches, a handful of Statehouse races are expected to be competitive. The Republican primary for Ohio's 86th district features State Representative Tracy Richardson against Wezlynn Davis.
Both candidates hope to win the Republican primary for the seat representing Union County and portions of Marion County.
Tracy Richardson, R-Marysville, served in the Army Reserve and is a 35-year veteran. She has represented the district at the Statehouse since 2019.
“In my district, we’ve had major improvements in our infrastructure and that affects people’s quality of life,” Richardson said.
Wezlynn Davis serves as a Board of Trustee Member in Jerome Township and is a small business owner. The message she hopes to send voters is she’s a candidate who will fight for more tax breaks.
“I will run on a small business platform where we need to have a stronger champion for small businesses, for reducing taxes, for bringing meaningful, regular deregulation to the table to help incentivize our small businesses to keep more money in their pockets,” said Davis.
Political scientist Thomas Sutton, Ph.D. told Spectrum News that Richardson’s name recognition could help her in the primary election due to her incumbency. But Davis believes it’s important to elect someone who will help put the Republicans’ choice for House Speaker in power.
“Jumping on board to side with Democrats to elect the Speaker of the House,” said Davis. “That doesn’t sit well in this district. We are a conservative district.”
“I am a true conservative Republican who votes my conscience for the best candidate on behalf of the people who trust me to do that, on behalf of my district,” Richardson said.
“The Republicans who have been split by the Merrin and Stephens split. Merrin, of course, is running for the congressional district in the primary to possibly face incumbent Marcy Kaptur in the Toledo area,” Sutton said. “So, in that respect, I think this is an opportunity to reunify the Republicans. And, she is seen as someone who could do that for the party caucus.”
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Tracy Richardson serves in the Army National Guard. She served in the Army Reserve and is a 35-year veteran. This has been corrected. (Jan. 10, 2024)