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On Tuesday, November 4th, Ohio voters will elect a slew of statewide offices and decide on many local issues.

Ohio Senate Race Heats Up In The 5th District

Republican State Senator Bill Beagle of Ohio’s 5th district is defending his seat against Democrat Dee Gillis in a race that has become both expensive and contentious. 

Gillis has spent seven years as a Tipp City councilwoman, serving as mayor for four years. She says she’s running for state senate to make a difference.

“I want to be sure that we have good paying jobs," she says. "We need to be sure that we have good public schools that our children have what they need to make it in the world.”

Gillis opposed Senate Bill 5, the 2011 law that would have limited the collective bargaining abilities of unionized workers. Beagle voted for SB5 before it was overturned by Ohio voters.

The two candidates have locked horns on tax cuts for businesses in Ohio—Beagle supports them, while Gillis believes they’ve been done at the expense of the middle class. The two also disagree on issues like abortion, renewable energy standards, and state budget cuts.

State Senator Bill Beagle’s campaign did not responded to our request for an interview, but the senator has characterized his first term in office as a story of kept promises, focusing on job creation and fiscal responsibility.

Both campaigns have spent big money getting their messages out in the 5th district, which includes most of Dayton and western Montgomery County, Preble and Miami Counties and southern Darke County. 

WYSO will carry live election coverage from NPR and the Ohio Statehouse News Bureau from 8pm to midnight Tuesday

Jerry began volunteering at WYSO in 1991 and hosting Sunday night's Alpha Rhythms in 1992. He joined the YSO staff in 2007 as Morning Edition Host, then All Things Considered. He's hosted Sunday morning's WYSO Weekend since 2008 and produced several radio dramas and specials . In 2009 Jerry received the Best Feature award from Public Radio News Directors Inc., and was named the 2023 winner of the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors Best Anchor/News Host award. His current, heart-felt projects include the occasional series Bulletin Board Diaries, which focuses on local, old-school advertisers and small business owners. He has also returned as the co-host Alpha Rhythms.
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