Congressional Special Election primaries held; picture for credit unions becomes clear
Published by: Andrew Canan
August 11, 2021 | Government Affairs
Last week, Ohio’s special elections took place to fill the vacancies following the resignations of now-HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and now-Ohio Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Stivers. With the winners of the primaries likely being the next members of Congress, the picture became much clearer for Ohio and its credit unions. In the 11th and 15th Districts, the primaries were hotly contested, with eyes across the nation watching to see the end result. In the 11th District, Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Shontel Brown was triumphant over former State Senator Nina Turner, and in the 15th District, Trump-endorsed Mike Carey was victorious over Stivers-endorsed State Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Township) and the rest of the crowded field.
Throughout deciding whether to get involved in a particular race, the League and CUNA prioritize credit union interests first and foremost as we weigh the pros and cons of involvement. For the 11th District, both candidates were favorable to credit unions and their priorities, with neither candidate standing out from the other specifically related to credit unions. Given the proxy battle that was taking place among the party faithful during the primary, we decided it was in the best interest of credit unions to remain neutral during the primary and look to provide support afterwards, alongside area credit unions, as the seat is safe for the Democrats.
The 15th District was a bit more complicated as many state legislators were vying for the seat, with all but one running in the crowded Republican primary. Moving forward, we are likely to get involved ahead of the General Election but will continue to monitor this race as the seat is likely Safe Republican. Still, the winner of the Democratic primary, State Rep. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), has also been a champion of credit unions during her time in the state legislature.
Reach out to the League’s Senior Manager of Political and Grassroots Affairs, Andrew Canan, for questions or if you would like to discuss either race in more detail.
Contact Andrew Canan for questions or assistance.
