Cooke is running because he wants to be involved “and I just want to help people, that’s what I’m all about.”
“My bottom line is I want to put the heart back in Ohio,” said Cooke, who moved to Oxford from the Washington, D.C., area just after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022. “I don’t think that the people of Ohio, particularly my opponent, are focused on people. George Lang continues to talk about business development, but I don’t think he’s looking after the people or his own constituency.”
Lang had been in office since 2003, when he was a West Chester Twp. trustee, and has been working in Columbus since he was appointed to the Ohio House in September 2017. “Business first” has been his focus for the past 21 years in office.
“I want to continue on the path that I’ve been on — I call it the Butler County model — lowering taxes, lowering regulations, helping businesses to success because when our businesses flourish, our citizens prosper.”
Education
In Lang’s business-first approach, he said “education is critical” to succeed. He said workforce development is a pillar of his approach, and “we have to have able-minded people that are there to meet the needs of current and future employers.”
He said in the last state budget, lawmakers increased public education on top of expanding the state voucher program. Lang said he would like to expand the voucher program even more, addimg , “I think we should expand to institutions like Montessori schools that today don’t qualify.”
Cooke would like to not give so much state funding to private schools and put some of that money into public schools.
“Local public schools are hurting for money,” he said. “Like here in Oxford, they had to put out a levy (in November 2023) to try to get enough school buses to get kids to high school and the elementary schools, and it did not pass because at that same time, people were hit with the increase of the property tax.”
Additionally, he’d like to look at the school taxing structure across the board, not just in Butler County.
“Public education is a right under the constitution, and I would look across the board where the shortfalls are,” he said. “I would request each of the school districts identify where their shortfalls are and make that proposal to the state and maybe the state can pick up some of that slack instead of making some of the counties or jurisdictions collect that money from the people.”
Gun control
Lang said current gun laws need to be enforced and more laws will not address the issues with gun violence.
“There are too many people that are operating or carrying a gun under a (legal) disability,” he said, adding he sees the issue akin to putting more regulations on businesses. “By putting more regulations on guns, they’re not going to stop the bad guys. They’re not going to stop the crooks and the criminals. They’re going to only make it more difficult on law-abiding citizens.”
As for kids obtaining guns from their parents, Lang said, “I think the real answer is we have to punish the parents who get guns from their parents. If you want to make the laws more tough for people who violate the laws, make the penalties more stringent, I think that’s something I could support.”
Cooke said it’s not gun control the state and country needs to focus on, it’s “regulated,” as in “a well-regulated militia,” the language in the Second Amendment.
And he compares gun regulations to the ability to drive a car.
“Just like you have to have a car registered, you have to demonstrate you know how to drive, you have a license. I think if you want to own — depending on your definition — an assault weapon, you should be held to that same criteria.”
He said there should be a waiting period to ensure the purchase is not an act of passion, and there should be red flag laws.
“If you’re a law-abiding citizen, I have no problem with you having a weapon,” he said. “If you drive your car, and you don’t do something erratic, the police won’t take your car away. But if you’re driving down I-75 going 160 miles an hour, weaving in and out of traffic, you’re probably going to be losing your driving privileges for a while.”
Abortion
Lang said if Ohio Republicans supported outlawing a 15-week ban on abortions with exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother, as opposed to the approved Heartbeat Bill, “I don’t think we would have seen the issue on abortion pass (in 2023) by the voters.”
“There’s got to be a time the majority of people can agree on,” he said, adding he would support an abortion pill being included in rape kits and offered to women who have been sexually assaulted.
Cooke said he’s a supporter of a woman’s right to choose “and having decisions over their own body.”
“I’m a big supporter of women’s health and abortion is only part of that. I think that in certain cases, an abortion should be available to a woman. It’s her choice to make that decision,” he said. “Rape and incest, she should make that decision herself, whether she wants to carry that fetus to term. There are a myriad of cases where women right now have to wait until (they are) near death before a physician can perform a DNC to save the life of a mother. I just think that should be left between the family, the woman and the physician, and not up to a legislative decision.”
Early voting is underway now. Election Day is from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
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