By Laura A. Hobson
Staff Reporter
LHobson@cherryroad.com
One candidate wants to keep his seat in the state senate while his competitor wants to take it away.
Incumbent State Senate 8th District Republican Louis Blessing III is running again being challenged by Democrat Ty Hogan.
Blessing is a lifelong Colerain Township resident who has three children, Louis, Jimmy and Jonah, with his wife Heather. He works as a licensed professional engineer at Super Systems Inc. in Sycamore Township.
He entered the race for many reasons.
“I’m running to continue my work in four important areas: affordable housing, property tax return, childcare and reducing corporate welfare. Many people are struggling due to the cumulative effects of inflation,” Blessing said.
“Property taxes have gone up significantly. I have proposed legislation that provides relief that will not negatively impact the great schools and communities in our district.
“I’m arguably the most bipartisan member of the Ohio Senate. Roughly 70% of my legislation has Democrat sponsors. This bipartisan work has earned me endorsements across the political spectrum,” he said.
Democrat Hogan is a resident of Miami Township with his wife Laura Schiller, who is a dentist at Schiller Dentist. The couple have one son, Timothy S. Hogan V.
He is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Pendleton Properties and teaches economics at the University of Cincinnati. He also volunteers on the boards of Honor Flight Tri-State, Magnified Giving and American Endowment Foundation.
“I believe America needs better leaders who believe in serving a purpose bigger than themselves,” Hogan said. “Leaders who are willing to sacrifice their self-interests for the greater good. Leaders who see a dangerous growing divide and have the courage to act. In a world with too many leaders pulling us apart, I’m running for office because I believe enough Ohioans want to hear a voice that can bring us together.
“My journey from growing up in Milford, being educated in the South Bronx, navigating the global financial crisis on Wall Street and serving abroad as a U.S. Marine has taught me countless lessons, but none as important as the value of leadership,” he added.
Hogan said the political climate is “toxic” and he believes better leadership leads to a betetr future.
“Cultural conflicts are the new era in politics, and their impact is dysfunction and decline. I am willing to fight and lose against those beliefs and their dangerous outcomes,” Hogan said.
“Imagine Ohio united behind leaders willing to do the right thing. Imagine a fairer Ohio where every voice is heard. Imagine a government acting in our best interest and protecting our freedoms. Imagine Democrats and Republicans willing to listen to each other. Imagine voters choosing people over political parties,” added Hogan.
His top priority is “is fighting to grow career opportunities for the people of Ohio’s 8th District,” he said.
In addition, he said honesty and travesty are important. “I am committed to legislation ending dark money donors and anti-corruption reform,” he said.
His third issues are utility and strength. “As a centrist refusing to take donations from either political party, special interest groups and corporate political action committees, I’m uniquely positioned to help bring Ohio together. As a Marine Corps veteran, I will leverage leadership I learned in the military to bring everyone to the table and craft common sense, bipartisan legislation that makes Ohio competitive again,” Hogan added.
“I think I will be a good candidate as a state senator because of my wide range of expertise and experience, community involvement and public service,” he said.
He has graduate degrees from Harvard University and Fordham University which, he said, provides him with an academic foundation in policy making.
