MOUNT VERNON — Democratic challenger Jerrad Christian is vying for the contested Ohio 12th District Congressional seat against Republican incumbent Troy Balderson.
Christian participated in a phone interview with Knox Pages. Several attempts to reach Balderon via email were unsuccessful. Campaign information can be found on his website by clicking here.
Being a Republican for the majority of his life, Christian left the party after former president Donald Trump went into office.
“I saw what his rhetoric of hate and divisiveness was doing to our country I decided it was time to be a part of something that more accurately reflected my ideals,” Christian said.
While serving in the U.S. Navy, Christian was a meteorologist and oceanographer, stationed in Naples, Italy.
“Coming from a meteorological background in the military, I worry a lot about climate change and the effects it’s going to have on our future,” Christian said. “
And working in cybersecurity now, I’m very aware of the threats that we face as a nation and how the future of our safety as a nation, our alliances, our wars, our enemies are all going to depend on our ability to protect ourselves in that way.”
Economic Policy
Christian has previously stated the 12th District is economically challenged, finding infrastructure improvements as a way to spike growth.
“I think we learned during COVID-19 that too many people in the region don’t have access to internet,” Christian said, “and that some children couldn’t even attend school in any meaningful way.
“But there are places in this district that don’t have water. In some cases, just affordable water.”
In September, Knox Pages reported Spectrum invested around $16.4 million in high-speed internet in Knox County, bringing fiber optic cable to about 3,000 locations. The addresses are in Butler, Clay, Clinton, College, Harrison, Jackson, Liberty, Miller, Morgan, Morris, and Pleasant townships.
Also, Christian said this key infrastructure is needed for small businesses to have a greater chance of success.
“Small businesses in the region, they need internet,” Christian said.
When asked about Intel’s chip factory effect on the region, Christian said he’s worried about possible gentrification.
“The raising of property taxes, which in a way is good because people’s land is worth more, but at the same time, the people who have lived here for such a long time can’t afford the property taxes anymore,” Christian said.
“They got to find somewhere else to be. Rents are going to get raised and housing is already too tough to afford.”
Creating affordable housing is one way Christian said he hopes to combat rising property valuations.
I just want the temperature turned down.
Jerrad Christian
Also when asked if there needs to be regulations around large banks purchasing groups of housing, Christian said there needs to be regulations around it.
“Not necessarily to stop investment because we do need investment but to ensure that maybe a certain percentage of housing is owned by individuals or have different tax policies depending upon how many individual properties they own,” Christian said.
“What I care about is making sure that, you know, in 10, 15, 20 years we have a safe place for our kids to live and we’re not in the midst of a, God forbid, a civil war (..) I just want the temperature turned down.”