Highland County Democratic Party hosts candidates at annual picnic

By Linda Emery
Highland County Democratic Party

It was a great day as over 75 people gathered to hear local, state and national candidates discuss their plans to respond to the needs of local people in these challenging times. 

The event began with a delicious meal provided by the Democratic Party and catered by Veronica Zimmerman.

Additionally, the Party members demonstrated their culinary skills with fabulous desserts. But the highlight of the day was hearing from the candidates that will be on our November ballot in Highland County. 

Steve Hughes, County Party Chair, introduced the first speaker, Amy Wright, the energetic and knowledgeable candidate for Ohio House of Representatives, District 91. Wright, a lifelong resident of Fayette County, built a career as a mental health counselor and understands the issues facing Ohioans. She will bring a strong work ethic and represent all people in our district. 

Wright is not new to political races as she sought a seat as the first woman commissioner in Fayette County in a previous election. She is a bright light for the future of Ohio and District 91.

Howard Zody, candidate for Highland County commissioner, was next to speak. Zody is on the ballot as an independent candidate and indicated he will represent all Highland countians.

His background as a teacher and school administrator provides a unique perspective on the task of leadership. He said he wants to reach out to all residents and hopes to speak with citizens via a variety of organizations, including those without political affiliation. Zody said county commissioners must respond to all citizen issues and become knowledgeable about issues such as data centers, battery storage facilities, etc. He decided to run for office by acknowledging the need to become involved for the future of children and grandchildren. As Zody said, “if not me,
then who? We all need to step up in these concerning times."

Don Leonard, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in District 15, has become a familiar face in Highland County as he recently completed his “Do Something” listening tour with a stop at The Porch restaurant. Leonard said that he is very concerned about the direction of our country and how quickly a country can devolve into chaos as Germany did. He thinks of his young daughter and what the nation will be like for her. He wants to ensure she has the future promised to all Americans. 

Leonard is a professor at The Ohio State University, and his wife is a public school teacher. He is so concerned about the direction of our U.S. government that he has set aside his employment to run for the U.S. House.

John Kulewicz, a candidate for Ohio attorney general, stated that among other endeavors, he will pursue the trial and conviction of those involved in the legislation that gave money to the First Energy Company and those that benefited from taxpayer dollars. He spoke about the passage of House Bill 6 and the impact on electric bills for Ohio citizens. He promised to work for the people of Ohio to ensure legal protections against discrimination and overreach of government. 

Attorney Kulewicz grew up in Columbus. He learned the values of hard work and independent judgment from his
parents and grandparents, who came from Martins Ferry and Cincinnati, and saw firsthand the importance of good jobs and union membership to the economy of Ohio.

The featured speaker for the evening was Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner, who is seeking re-election.

Introduced by Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss who noted that she was a past winner of the JFK Profiles in Courage award. 

Justice Brunner, spoke of the current concern that our Ohio judiciary races have become politicized, which led to a one-party court and extreme gerrymandered voting districts enacted by the Legislature. She talked about her Ohio heritage and how important it is to just keep going as we bring balance back to Ohio. 

She and her husband live on a farm in northern Ohio, but her family roots extend into Jackson and other southern counties, and she often encounters friends and relatives as she visits areas around the state.

In addition to her judicial office, Justice Brunner is one of just five women to be elected to statewide nonjudicial office since Ohio became a state in 1803. She is the first Democratic woman in Ohio to have been elected to two statewide offices – Ohio secretary of state and justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio. She was Ohio’s first and only female secretary of state and now has served at all three levels of Ohio’s judiciary. 

Before her election to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2020, she was a judge of Ohio’s 10th District Court of Appeals for six years. She also was a judge of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court for nearly five years. While a trial judge in Franklin County, she became concerned about the high percent of people in the criminal justice system who were addicted to drugs and experienced mental illness. 

She founded in 2004 the county’s adult felony drug court, still operating today. This special court docket helps people move from crime and addiction to clean and healthy lives and give back to their families and communities.

The Highland County Democratic Party is grateful for the County Hi-TEC facility that is a wonderful location for our events. The staff of the facility keep the building in excellent condition and are very accommodating for an organization like ours. We are also thankful for local press that provides a format for us to reach voters and citizens.

Our Party meets on the second Monday of each month. The next scheduled meeting is Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hi-TEC Center. We will have an information booth at the Highland County Fair. Please look for us and pick up candidate information, voter registration materials or just stop by to chat. We encourage others to join us as we work to bring good, balanced government and change to our county, state and nation. 

For more information about the Highland County Democratic Party, please write us at P.O. Box 102, Hillsboro, Ohio or email us at highlandcountydems@yahoo.com. To reach our chairperson by phone, call Steve Hughes at (937) 
763-2580.