Legislator plans run for secretary of state

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

COLUMBUS — A state lawmaker from southeastern Ohio came out swinging Monday in her bid to land the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State.

State Rep. Jennifer Garrison, from Marietta, launched her campaign during a press conference at the Statehouse.

Garrison is the second Democrat in the race, joining Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown, who announced her candidacy in March. Two Republicans also hope to become the state’s chief elections official: former House Speaker and current state Sen. Jon Husted, from Kettering, and Sandy O’Brien, a former county auditor who ran for state treasurer in 2006.

Garrison is in her third term representing Guernsey, Monroe and Noble counties, plus parts of Washington and Muskingum counties. She is a Cincinnati native who has a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration from Xavier University and a law degree from Catholic University Law School in Washington, D.C. She and her husband have three children.

Garrison, majority floor leader in the Ohio House, said her experience as an attorney and serving in state government gives her an edge over her Democratic opponent.

“I think that knowledge of the [state] budget and knowledge of legislation and how state governments is extremely valuable,” she said.