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On June 11, a special election will be held to choose whether Republican Michael Rulli or Democrat Michael L. Kripchak will fill the 6th Congressional District seat that had been held by Bill Johnson before he resigned Jan. 21 to become the 10th president at Youngstown State University.
The winner will serve the remainder of Johnson's term, and then the two will meet again in the Nov. 5 general election for the full two-year term starting in January.
As shown in March's primary election, both candidates bring appealing attributes to voters across a swath of Eastern Ohio that includes Jefferson, Mahoning, Columbiana, Carroll, Belmont, Harrison, Monroe, Noble and Washington counties and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties.
While Kripchak, 42, of Youngstown lacks political experience, he served in the Air Force for three years and has a diverse professional career with experience in various industries. He currently works as a prep cook and food runner for a restaurant in Columbiana and is an adviser for MGHealth Advisors. His resume states he facilitated integration of International Space Station partner nations with the broader NASA-European Space Agency's $1.5 billion operational and life-support framework. It also states he coordinated medical suppliers across three continents to fulfill U.N. requirements for a $700,000 U.N. COVID-19 emergency relief package to Algeria.
Kripchak has goals of creating high-skilled and high-paying jobs and also wants to improve the federal farm bill by using technology that can help maintain farmers' sustainability.
He has been dead set on getting things accomplished in Congress, whether it was working with the Democratic Party or crossing the aisle. His willingness to have a bipartisan approach is an attribute heading into this election.
Rulli, 55, of Salem is director of operations for his family-owned Rulli Brothers Markets. He was elected to the state Senate in 2018 and re-elected four years later. He also served as a Leetonia Board of Education member from 2009 to 2017.
That legislative experience gives Rulli the edge, and believe Rulli's success and experience in the Senate can translate to working with both political parties in Congress to get things done for the district, which is what has earned him our endorsement.
While Republicans hold a supermajority in the Senate, a 26-7 advantage over Democrats, Rulli has said that he works closely with Democrats to co-sponsor bills and garners their support by adding amendments.
"Bipartisan isn't the worst word in the world," Rulli said recently. "Extremes on the right or left get nothing done."
For example, Senate Bill 98, which addresses fraudulent business filings, deceptive mailings, reinstatement of canceled business entities and addresses of statutory agents, was passed unanimously in the Senate, 32-0. Also, Senate Bill 46, which creates the Commission on Eastern European Affairs and the Office of Eastern European Affairs and to make an appropriation, was passed in the Senate by a 32-1 vote in the 134th General Assembly.
While those two bills may not be the most controversial, getting them passed with overwhelming support from both sides speaks to Rulli's experience in the process and his ability to get things done. Rulli has an understanding of what the district needs. When it comes to making the nation energy independent, he supports fracking for natural gas and oil, particularly in the 6th District. However, he isn't against utilizing green energy, such as wind, solar and water and believes that it could come into play in the future.
"Right now, people need to have the lights on, and you have to keep the grid operating. The reality is natural gas is the only thing that will serve the grid," he said.
Kripchak and Rulli have proven to be credible candidates, and each brings his own attributes to the table. While he lacks the political experience, Kripchak displays a personality that could connect with politicians on both sides of the aisle. After the incidents of Jan. 6, 2021, Kripchak is also motivated to make a change and wants to do whatever he can to get things done. That is commendable.
That said, Rulli's experience in the Senate, his overall understanding of the process and his ability to work with both sides make him the right choice for voters in the 6th District.