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Sharon Sweda
Sharon Sweda (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Ohio State Senate to represent District 13. She lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Sweda completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Sharon Sweda was born in Lorain, Ohio. Sweda's career experience includes owning American Patriot Title Agency.[1]
Elections
2018
- See also: Ohio State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Ohio State Senate District 13
Nathan Manning defeated Sharon Sweda and Homer Taft in the general election for Ohio State Senate District 13 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Nathan Manning (R) | 52.7 | 69,286 |
 | Sharon Sweda (D)  | 44.2 | 58,159 | |
 | Homer Taft (L) | 3.1 | 4,037 | |
| Total votes: 131,482 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio State Senate District 13
Sharon Sweda advanced from the Democratic primary for Ohio State Senate District 13 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sharon Sweda | 100.0 | 15,837 |
| Total votes: 15,837 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- David Ashenhurst (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Ohio State Senate District 13
Nathan Manning defeated Ryan Sawyer in the Republican primary for Ohio State Senate District 13 on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Nathan Manning | 74.7 | 13,755 |
 | Ryan Sawyer | 25.3 | 4,668 | |
| Total votes: 18,423 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Sharon Sweda completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sweda's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
My top three priorities if elected will be to: return government funding to local communities, create good-paying jobs and support our unions as well as protect the Medicaid Expansion.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about restoring Local Government Funding and restoring Ohio's economy. According to USA Today (10 Years Later, These 28 U.S. Cities Never Recovered From the Great Recession, October 12, 2018) Ohio tops the list with eight cities of the twenty-eight. Economic recovery must be a priority and our current legislatures are not effective. My experience is heavily laden with economic development and restoration.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
I look up to our military and first responders who face life threatening challenges on a daily basis and continue to stand for us. The courage of these brave heroes amazes me and I am in deep gratitude for their service.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is of special importance to me as a first-time candidate who is challenging an opponent who traveled to London with PayDay Lending Lobbyists while a house bill to reform payday lending languished in Columbus. I will stand to end all corruption.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Elected officials must be willing to put people before self.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I possess the unique ability to work with others, the desire to improve the quality of life for our constituents and the hands-on experience to get the job done.
What legacy would you like to leave?
If I could craft my own legacy, it would be that I was kind, compassionate, honest and hardworking. I have been said to be 'fair to a fault' and pride myself on always keeping my word.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
My first job was as a Pantry Girl then Waitress at Perkins Pancake House in Lorain, OH. I worked there until graduating from high school but would also work at second jobs during the summers. I enjoyed working and would take a second job babysitting or additional waitress hours at Howard Johnson's to supplement my Perkins Pancake income.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving when we pack the long weekend with family gathering, helping those less-fortunate and an annual special holiday event with our grandchildren.
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
I especially enjoy our deck that overlooks the woods and creek below it. It is a great place to sit and read.
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
In 2010, my then six-year old grand-daughter was diagnosed with a rare blood disease. Through her diagnosis and several years of treatment, I experienced the fear and worry that parents and grandparents face when a child is stricken. We were abundantly blessed when the condition was arrested and went into permanent remission.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
The economic recovery mentioned previously indicates that Ohio is failing. We are additionally one of the worse states for opiate addiction and one of our greatest exports is our educated youth. There is much to do to restore Ohio during the next decade.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Relationships are a key element for respect. Respect is one of the most sound foundations for working together, compromising and accepting another's viewpoint without attaching personal feelings to points of view.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
I do not have immediate plans for any position beyond the state senate. It is my hope to be effective in that position before considering any subsequent role.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
While door knocking in an affluent neighborhood, a young gal answered. We chatted briefly and when I began to discuss our need for preventative measures to decrease the addiction statistics in Ohio, she burst into tears. She had recently lost her niece to an overdose. She felt as though there was no hope for others and together we vowed to work on solutions once I am elected. Another problem within our district is the state takeover of the Lorain City Schools. In a district where voters should be more concerned with economic issues, many moms are seeking input on school solutions. I am not in favor of state control and hope to remedy the chaos they are facing.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
External links
Footnotes
