Dylan Gross, left, talks with his mother, Tasha Mitchell, center, along with Angela Cotrell, right, during his Ohio House campaign kickoff Saturday at Faurot Park in Lima.
LIMA — It started Saturday as a gathering at the Faurot Park amphitheater, but organizers are hoping that the message from that gathering will reverberate throughout Allen County and northern Auglaize County.
Dylan Gross officially launched his campaign to run as a Democrat for Ohio’s 78th District House seat Saturday. The 22-year-old American Township resident is hoping this run will offer voters a true alternative come November 2024, originally running to challenge incumbent Rep. Susan Manchester, R-Waynesfield. Manchester has since announced that she will be running to succeed outgoing Sen. Matt Huffman, R-Lima, in the Ohio Senate in 2024.
“We’re focusing on just, really, Ohio family first problems,” Gross said. “We have one of the highest gas taxes in the nation. We have stagnant wages happening and more importantly, families are just trying to be able to proudly call Ohio home. [Democratic] State House leader Allison Russo said that Ohio went from the heart of the country to the heart of corruption in the country. We’ve had a lot of plagues happen at the State House over the last few years, but we need candidates and elected officials who are willing to focus on the issues that people are really talking about.”
Gross maintains that Republicans in power are choosing to focus instead on cultural issues that aim to appeal to those on the right rather than a broad range of political views.
“With the State House focusing on drag bans and banning, you know, minors from having gender reassignment surgery, we’re not really taking in the importance [of these other issues],” he said. “Drag isn’t bothering everybody, but a 35-cent gas tax and stagnant wages are really hurting American families, particularly Ohio families, people here in this area.”
Gross knows that running as a Democrat will be an uphill battle in an area that has tended to vote for Republicans in recent history, but he hopes that getting to know the residents of the district and hearing their stories will help him make deeper connections that will convince more people to vote for him next year.
“I might not know them directly, but I’m someone’s brother, someone’s neighbor, someone’s friend,” he said. “I’m not here to think I know better than these communities. I’m here to visit with these communities, speak with the voters and see what the issues are that they’re facing.”
Allen County Democratic Party Chair Rachelle Twining was in attendance at Saturday’s campaign launch and was gratified to see someone from Gross’ generation stepping up to participate in the political process.
“He brings to the campaign a real commitment to the people of Allen County,” she said. “We need less Mitch McConnells and Diane Feinsteins. They were great in their day, but it’s time for new people.”
To learn more about Gross and his campaign, go to grossfor78.com.
