State Representative Thomas Hall, representative of Ohio’s 53rd district, spoke at a Miami University College Republicans meeting September 27. Hall, a Miami alumnus, addressed topics including work he has accomplished at the statehouse, upcoming election campaigns and top Ohio issues.
Hall spoke about bills he sponsored and successfully passed, including House Bill 99, which clarifies the training requirements for teachers to be armed in schools. H.B. 99 was controversial and many people were concerned it was a push by the state legislature to arm teachers, which Hall said was a misrepresentation by the media.
Hall said Madison High School, from which he graduated, was the inspiration for H.B. 99. Even though the gun rights issue is contentious, Hall said both sides have good intentions. “Democrats and Republicans both want the same thing in terms of school safety. They both want schools to be safe.”
Hall also highlighted the upcoming election cycle taking place next month. The most important election campaign is Sharon Kennedy’s race for Chief Justice of Ohio’s Supreme Court, according to Hall. Kennedy is a current justice on the Ohio Supreme Court running against Democrat Jennifer Brunner “Before this job, I never really understood how important the Supreme Court was,” Hall said. “Now, I talk about the Supreme Court everywhere I go.”
If Kennedy becomes Chief Justice, her current seat on the Ohio Supreme Court will be open, leaving it up to Governor Mike Dewine to appoint a replacement. “If we don’t have a majority on the Supreme Court, everything we try to accomplish is going to get kicked back.”
Hall said he believes the race for governor is the second most important in Ohio this November. Governor DeWine’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic elicited criticism from some Republicans, but Hall said he believes it is important DeWine wins reelection. “We’ve always disagreed with the way he handled some of those things, but you’re either going to pick him or you’re going to pick Nan Whaley.”
After the meeting, Rep. Hall talked to The Miami Patriot about abortion and the economy, which he says are the biggest challenges facing Ohio. “We still have a pro-life bill to pass before the end of the term,” he said. Hall said he agreed with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and that he believes the issue of abortion should be left up to the states. “Going forward, I think it’s important to get the right information out to constituents and the resources out to constituents and to continue to push for people to have kids and not have an abortion. Each innocent life is valuable, each innocent life has a purpose, and as a legislature, we want to recognize that.”
Hall discussed the importance of making Ohio more business-friendly, citing Intel’s decision to build factories in Ohio as a positive step. “We had great success with Intel, but there is still so much we could do to deregulate Ohio and make it more business-friendly,” Hall told the Patriot. He said he hopes Intel will be the start of businesses coming to Ohio.
Rep. Hall presented an optimistic outlook on state politics to students in the audience, recognizing concerns regarding polarization. “When I got to Columbus, it’s the complete opposite of what you see on TV,” he said. “There is a lot of bipartisanship; there are a lot of people actually working together for the state.”
Hall concluded with words of encouragement for conservative students and those who want to be the next generation of leaders. “Continue to speak for the things you care about, the things you believe in. Continue to be a voice for the next generation.”
Hall won his August 2 primary race and faces Democrat Lawrence Mulligan in the November 8 midterm election to represent District 46 following the redrawing of electoral maps earlier this year.