Wilmington resident Jacob Dawson has filed to run for Ohio’s 86th District House seat.

The Washington Court House native said this is his first bid for political office, but he feels he can be a true representative to the district’s constituency, which includes Clinton, Highland and Pike counties.

“I see the needs of working-minded people,” Dawson said. “People who know what it is like to be the position of, ‘How do we afford the house payment? How do we feed the family?’ (People who know that) make better lawmakers because you are making laws for those same people. Career politicians don’t know what that’s like. They know where their next paycheck is coming from. Government doesn’t close. Unless it snows, and then there’s still a paycheck.”

A member of the Navy reserves, Dawson goes to school full-time at Cincinnati Christian University where he is majoring in leadership and ministry. He works full-time as a customer service representative at the American Buildings Company in Jamestown, where he has been for five years. He is married to Kris Dawson and has three children who attend the Wilmington City Schools and Greenfield McClain Exempted Village Schools. He volunteers at the Wilmington House of Prayer, is a member of the NRA (National Rifle Association), the Cincinnati Tea Party, the Wilmington 912 Project and the Cincinnati 912 Project.

Dawson is running as a member of the Libertarian Party, although he was a member of the Republican Party for many years.

“I have been with employers who closed the door with no warning — not DHL either. I know what it is like to be in the position many people in the area are in — struggling to make it, struggling to find jobs; struggling to find what they need to do — and I can relate to those people very well and let their voice be heard through me.”

Seeking a state office, Dawson said, was a decision that was made out of a desire “to change politics at a level where I think it will affect people at the local level, state level and national level. All three. I see where our politics are starting to filter down from (Washington) D.C. States are mimicking what the federal government is doing, and there’s a lot of corruption in both parties, the one party with two heads. I can’t really tell the difference between Democrats and Republicans, and I was a registered Republican for 19 years.”

Dawson said when it comes to addressing the problems of Ohio and the 86th District, creating jobs is the first step.

“Our state needs to look at the other states around us to bring jobs in,” he said. “We’re losing jobs to those others states and we need to find out why. Is it our tax code? What are others states doing to pull jobs away from quality places here? I don’t think our current government is actually listening to the people. Being in customer service and sales, I truly what to be an actual representative of the people. I want to be back in the counties talking to people. I’m not going to be a politician with another job other than state representative either. I’ll either take two years’ leave of absence or find another job when I’m done. My time is going to be spent in the district, and representing the people’s views in Columbus.”

Saying he does not want to be a career politician, if elected, Dawson said he wants the people to hold him accountable for the decisions he makes on their behalf.

“I am a strong supporter of 10th amendment rights under the Constitution of the United States and will actively introduce and support legislation to this measure” Dawson said. “I want to make sure that all legislation that is introduced is first constitutional by both the United States Constitution then second by the State of Ohio constitution. In making sure this is the case I will need to actually read any bill before I vote on the bill. I would like to look hard to see what we can cut out of the budget. The first of these is government. Take a look and see where we have two or more branches or departments taking care of the same things and knock them down to one arm of government. The other thing I would like to see happen is welfare and Medicaid be investigated for fraud, waste and abuse. I think we would see major savings right there.

“I am a representative who represents them. My opinions shouldn’t matter because I am there as their voice,” Dawson said. “You hear a lot of people say that a vote for a third party candidate is wasting your vote. I would say wasting your vote is voting with somebody you don’t agree with. Vote for something you agree with who shares the same values.”

Democrats Bill Horne and Laura Curliss, and Republican Cliff Rosenberger have also filed to run for the 86th District seat, which is currenlty held by David Daniels (R-Greenfield). Daniels cannot seak the seat again due to term limits.

Dawson’s Web site is www.dawson4you.com.