OBERLIN — The candidates running for the Democratic nomination for the 4th District U.S. House — Janet Garrett and Cody Slatzer-Rose — are hoping to make a difference in their districts. Both Democratic candidates would like to see the Tax Reform Bill reversed and would like to see the problems of healthcare and environmental issues addressed.

Janet Garrett

Garrett’s past career, working 35 years in teaching, is her primary focus for running for this position. She worked with children and now sees their futures slipping away. She has run against Jim Jordan twice before and is hoping that a third time is the charm.

“I see the middle class collapsing. It’s very hard for young people to get started in their independent lives in America now. It’s very hard for people to find jobs that pay a middle-class wage so that they can have a decent life. It’s becoming more and more difficult for people to have a secure pension so that they can retire with dignity. When I was teaching, I always had an affinity for the children that were struggling. And I have an affinity for all of the people who are struggling to survive in America right now. And so I want to be part of the solution. I’m wanting to be a change agent,” said Garrett.

For Garrett, the passage of the Tax Reform Bill was a giveaway to the rich, and she would like to see that reversed.

“They kept saying they wanted to give a tax break to the middle class. I talked to a man who is making $100,000 a year. He said that he noticed an increase in his paycheck of $7. Most of the people that live in this district, the average income is about $40,000 per household, and so I haven’t worked out the math, but I’m guessing it’s $1.50 to $2 per paycheck increase. If this man that makes $100,000 is getting $7, then you know people that are making considerably less. Seven dollars more in your paycheck is not noticeable, it’s not really enough to make a difference in your life. Whereas the 1 percent that got all the tax breaks, they’ve got so much money already that giving them thousands and thousands of dollars more is actually not even improving their lives, but it is taking away from the lives of millions of Americans,” said Garrett.

The other thing she would like to see to help the middle class is to get healthcare done right.

“The Medicare expansion bill that has been introduced is estimated that it will cost America half of what we’re paying now, but it would cover every man, woman and child from the cradle to the grave, regardless of whether they are employed or not, and it would be just a godsend to take it out of the hands of the employers and the insurance companies and put all of the money directly into healthcare. We could also have a lot more jobs in healthcare if we had that. We’re the last ones to the party when it comes to healthcare as an industrialized nation,” said Garrett.

Garrett feels supporters should vote for her because she is for the middle class.

“I am interested in dignity of life for all of our citizens. I am very much against the policies the pay and division that’s going on right now. My campaign is about country over party and I don’t think that this division is serving us well. I think my opponent [Jim Jordan] is fueling that. And he has been consistently rated the second least effective member of congress because he has no legislative successes and I have seen that on several different ratings. He works to create divisions rather than working together,” said Garrett.

Cody Slatzer-Rose

Slatzer-Rose, of New Albany, is a newcomer to politics. The Harrod native never thought he would end up pursuing politics. He is a software developer.

“There doesn’t seem to be any heart or any empathy in our Congress or in any of our politicians right now, and I think that’s one of the biggest gaps that we need to deal with. They all work for us, and everybody in this country is allowed to have an opinion on politics, and they should be listened to by whoever represents us. I also just don’t feel like Jim [Jordan] does a fantastic job at representing our district,” said Slatzer-Rose.

Slatzer-Rose was hoping to add some excitement to the race.

“I was just hoping for, if nothing else to maybe get more excitement in the primary whether it helps me or her [Janet Garrett], whoever ends up winning, because we need the Democratic turnout because a Democrat hasn’t won that district in like 80 years. So, anything to get excitement around the race,” said Slatzer-Rose.

Slatzer-Rose is interested in securing healthcare reform as well as environmental reform and repealing the Tax Reform Bill.

“[I want to make] sure they don’t rip away healthcare for millions of Americans with absolutely no plan in place to try to fix it or anything. Luckily that was blocked. One of the big things that really kind of turned me off government and made me sick to my stomach is just the attack on the environmental regulations. The climate denying, that is something that we really have to work on, [as well as] renewable energy. It just seems like they are just trying to slash the EPA’s budget right and left. The Tax Reform Bill, unfortunately, was not blocked. That just added to the deficit and Jim [Jordan], who claims to be a budget hawk, complained about the budget bill which is understandable, also voted for this tax reform which added $1.5 trillion over the next decade, and trickle down economics never works,” said Slatzer-Rose.

Slatzer-Rose would like to be the voice for the people of the 4th District.

“The people in power right now just don’t ever seem to look at the other side of the coin. I just want to be able to be a voice for all sides. I will do what I will say that I will do. The main goal is to get Jim out of there. I think I’d be great for it,” he said.