Ohio Statehouse, District 9: Janine Boyd runs for reelection against Joe Miller — again
By Samantha Ubalde-Fay
On a chilly October night in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, a candidates’ forum was held at the local community center. White fluorescent lights hung above the glass entrance doors and the squeaks of rubber shoes against hardwood floor, from children playing basketball in the courts, filled the otherwise quiet atmosphere. On the first floor, outside the meeting room, was a table cluttered with informational pamphlets for those in attendance, staffed by the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland.
As one neared the forum space, Mary Osborn, the moderator, could be heard through the microphone, speaking from the podium. Attendees sat staggered throughout the rows of chairs, giving her their undivided attention.
“On behalf of the candidates themselves, it is not easy to run for public office,” Osborn said. “Every single person who runs for public office has a certain amount of sacrifice, has a certain amount of skin in the game and a certain amount of privacy that they sacrifice because they want to do something that’s important.”
From this moment, the meeting between two candidates running for the Ohio House of Representatives in District 9 commenced. Janine Boyd is the Democratic incumbent in District 9, which includes Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights and University Heights. Her Republican opponent is Joe Miller. With the Nov. 6 election coming up, it is a race to see who will win over the citizens in the 9th District.
Daughter of Barbara Boyd, former member of the Ohio House of Representatives for District 9, Janine Boyd succeeded her mother as state representative in November of 2014. Having had such a significant political influence during her upbringing, Boyd claims that did not always motivate her to enter politics herself. Indeed, she said she “ran from it like it was a house on fire for a long time.”
Despite her avoidance of the idea throughout her youth, she eventually became a councilwoman in the city of Cleveland Heights in 2012. Boyd served for nearly two terms before she was elected into Ohio legislature.
Boyd left the Cleveland Heights City Council to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives in 2014. In addition to leaving City Council, she also had to leave the board of the Heights Emergency Food Center, an establishment for which she served as a trustee.
“Janine was an active member during her short tenure,” Charles Ware, board president of the food center, said in an interview. “In addition to valued community and political insight, [she] volunteered and researched management structure of other pantries in the area as we looked at possible realignment.”
When asked how he felt about Boyd running for state representative for District 9, Ware said, “She’s a good fit. Her personality — I think she’s able to assess the needs, you know, just being able to speak to people, asking them what they need.”
When asked why her candidacy was important for the food center as an establishment, Ware said it was “because she has an understanding of the needs of some of the people that are less fortunate in the area.” The Heights Emergency Food Center is located in Cleveland Heights.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, Boyd defeated Sean Malone in the Democratic primary in 2014. Then, she went on to overcome Charles Hopson in the election. In 2016, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, she defeated Isaac Powell as the incumbent in the Democratic primary. She then went on to beat Miller, her current opponent, in the election that year. Boyd ran unopposed in the Democratic primary this year.
During the candidates’ forum on Oct. 4, one significant issue discussed was gun laws.
“Please tell us your position on current Ohio gun laws.” The moderator read this question and others from an anonymous index card from an individual in the audience — the system used at many candidates’ meetings because it prevents rambling questions and grandstanding by audience members.
Boyd stated that she does not want to take away anyone’s right to bear arms. However, she came up with two proposals to try to combat problems Ohio has encountered under its current laws. The first has to do with the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act. This bill was proposed by Boyd and Nickie Antonio, fellow state representative in the 13th District, in July 2017. It requires that any gun held by someone accused of domestic violence be relinquished when a protection order has been issued.
The second proposal is that no matter where you purchase a firearm in Ohio, be it in-person or online, you must present qualified liability insurance for up for $250,000. Boyd said, “I am pro-Constitution, but I am also pro (the) right for everyone to have freedom from gun violence.”
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted this year, there has been an increase in voter engagement during this midterm election season. Because of this, President Mike Bishop of the College Democrats at John Carroll University was interviewed.
“I think it’s important to vote, especially as students, because we are the next generation of leaders. I think it’s good because of the generational gap. There’s such a difference of opinion, even within the same political parties, that you have a difference between older Democrats and younger Democrats,” he says. “You have to represent everyone on the spectrum, so getting out and voting is so important.”
When asked about his thoughts on Boyd running, Bishop said, “I think she’s got a pretty straightforward set of ideas. I typically take a look at the issues, of course, but also how they present themselves — how their websites are built and how the news media reflects them—just to see what kind of person they are because they’ll ultimately be making decisions.”
Maya Farhat, an Ohio-registered student voter at John Carroll University, had some input for her fellow peers about this upcoming election. “Since we are in college now, it is a time and opportunity for all students to research candidates and form our own opinions based off of what we read and hear in the news, not just from our parents,” she says. “Growing up, I’ve always gone with whatever my parents believed. However, we are the next generation for the political world in America.”
As Osborn said during the candidates meeting, “It is not easy to run for public office.” Who will win over the citizens in the 9th District of Ohio? On Nov. 6, we’ll have the answer.
There will be an election watch party here at John Carroll University! It will take place at The Underground, beside the cafeteria in the Lombardo Student Center, starting at 7 p.m. For more information call (216) 397–4311.
Don’t forget to go out and vote! To check your voter registration status, click here. To find your polling location, click here.
