WOOD COUNTY, Ohio —
Voters will cast ballots in Ohio's primary election on March 19 is for the 75th District Ohio State House of Representatives seat. Incumbent State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari faces a challenge in the Republican primary from Sally Culling.
Ghanbari, who is in his second term, was born and raised in Ohio and has served in the U.S. military for more than two decades. He previously worked as a photojournalist for the Associated Press.
Culling immigrated to the U.S. 20 years ago and now lives in Perrysburg with her husband and two children. She said she has been involved in politics for most of her life whether being elected or volunteering.
Public safety, U.S. border policy
Culling said she supports Gov. Mike DeWine's decision to send Ohio National Guard troops to the southern U.S. border.
"Also working with law enforcement here to stop the flow of drugs, to try and intercept the human trafficking misery and do those things, but what we need to do is stem it at its source really," she said.
In 2020, DeWine sent 115 members of the Ohio National Guard to support the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Texas. In 2023, he authorized the deployment of 14 Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and supervisors to the border.
Culling also said she wants to work with northwest Ohio law enforcement "to stop the flow of drugs, to try and intercept the human trafficking misery and do those things."
"But what we need to do is stem it at its source really," she said.
Culling said she wants to work on addressing this on a local level while waiting for federal intervention.
Ghanbari in 2023 went to the southern border with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and said supporting law enforcement can have benefits in other areas.
"Making sure that our first responders, our women and men in law enforcement are properly equipped and properly supported is key to making sure that businesses want to open businesses here, families want to move here, raise their families and choose the best schools for those children to go to and become educated in," he said.
Economy
Ghanbari expressed his support for fiscal responsibility when it comes to the state budget.
"Making sure we are fiscally responsible with the tax dollars that are entrusted to us is of paramount importance because we want to make sure we are passing a budget that is No. 1, sustainable, and No. 2, we are respecting the voters that have entrusted in us how to utilize those precious tax dollars that have been allocated to the state."
Culling noted her support for lowering taxes.
"People are paying far too much tax," she said. "We see that old people are being priced out of their homes with big property tax increases and I think we really, really need to go back to being a low-tax state, to attract business. We also need to look at the regulations on our books and cut the ones we don't need anymore."
Education
Both candidates said they support parents having choices when it comes to their children's education.
"Education is obviously top of mind to many people including myself as a mother of two young children," Culling said. "What I support is an 'all-of-the-above' approach. We need to make sure that our public schools have what they need, but we need to empower parents to make the best choices for their children."
Ghanbari said, "We've also looked at education, to make sure that parents have the choice in where they want to educate their children. so, we've gone through some strides to make sure that we've been able to not only support our public schools, but also expand and support choice."
The election is on March 19, but early voting is already underway. To find your polling place and for more information on the election, check WTOL 11's Voter Guide.
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