To the editor:

Why will I vote for Frank Hoagland in the May 5 Republican primary for the 96th Ohio House? It’s simple, he’s earned my vote by the work he did for Eastern Ohioans when we elected him to the Ohio Senate. As my senator, he got the job done right for me, for my family and our community.

I voted for him in the past, and am glad to have him to vote for in May’s Republican primary. Right now we need a solid change.

I didn’t expect to have the chance to help Hoagland get elected to the Ohio House with my vote in 2026, but it’s an opportunity I welcome because we need him. I’m grateful for the chance to put him to work again for us who call Eastern Ohio home.

He’s plain speaking and never been accused of being fancy.

Hoagland is, however, known as a man who gets results. He is about providing strong leadership to successful team efforts that will benefit us, the people he’s asking to represent in the 96th District. He has done it before and can do it again, if we give him the chance.

A retired Navy SEAL, the group they call quiet professionals, his focus is always on mission success.

Hoagland has proven he’ll listen to what Eastern Ohioans have to say, to our concerns and about goals we expect to see reached when he is in the Ohio House, goals that will be beneficial to all Eastern Ohioan communities.

As a voter, I would welcome the chance to find out what options he can help develop for us when it comes to the issue of property tax reform, because the blanket change out there now will bring chaos to places like our region. And at least he’ll be there for the vote, unlike our current representative who failed to show up in November.

Hoagland has said he knows that what might look like a sweet solution to big cities could devastate places like many in Eastern Ohio by leaving small communities without funding for local law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical departments and other first responders and our schools.

So, how do we see property tax reform help and not hurt our communities? Carefully and responsibly, is what Hoagland has said will be his tactic to help find us a beneficial form of relief. To me, that sounds like a path toward a real answer, not a knee-jerk electioneering comment. I plan to vote for Frank Hoagland on May 5 in the Republican primary.

Alex McKenna

Steubenville