For many years, political analysts have colored Ohio’s 6th Congressional District a purple for

For many years, political analysts have colored Ohio’s 6th Congressional District a purple for its trend of alternately electing Democrats and Republicans. This year, one can also color the two candidates in the district’s Democratic primary a vibrant shade of purple as well.

Both Jennifer Garrison and Greg Howard offer philosophies and platforms that blend red-based Republican ideology with blue-tinted dogma of Democrats.

Politically speaking, it represents an astute philosophy given the traditionally conservative makeup of the district. It’s not surprising then that Garrison, 52, of Marietta says she would not have voted for the Affordable Care Act, that she is a died-in-the-wool pro-life advocate and disagrees with many planks of President Barack Obama’s political platform.

Similarly, Howard distances himself from Obama and mainstream Democratic policies. Although he would have unenthusiastically voted for Obamacare as “the best [health care] option we got for now,” he is disheartened by the president’s support of the TransPacific Partnership, a frree trade agreement modeled after the North American Free Trade Agreement and his use of drone attacks.

Although Howard may be perceived as a shade to the left of Garrison on the political spectrum, the differences between these two moderate Democrats are minimal.

To his credit, Howard has made campaign finance reform -- particularly undoing the Citizens United decision of the Supreme Court that paved the way for corporations to give unlimited amounts of cash to campaigns as a measure of their First Amendment rights. Howard, too, also would work to promote legislation to imrpove job creation and retention and fair trade.

We commend HOward for taking an active role in the process but we believe Democrats would be best served by nominating Garrison on May 6.

Unlike Howard, Garrison has run for and has won public office. SHe served as 93rd District state representative for three terms from 2005 through 2010. The state House, of course, is a microcosm of the U.S. House in the roles and responsibilities of its members.

Color the two candidates in the 13th Congressional District Democratic primary purple.

History of mediation. working together to solve problems. involved in more than 700 mediations with landowners.

I am a Democrat because i believe in lifting up the middle class.

Union family, support collective bargaining rights.

I view myself as a moderate Democrat.

She is defintiely prolife.

She would not have voted for it, but realizes this train has left the station and there’s no turning back. Can work to make it better.

I’m a conservative progressive.

Seeks fair trade, not free trade.

Opposes common core curriculum standards.

wo candidates are running in the Democratic primary. The winner faces two-term U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, a Republican, and Dennis G. Lambert, a Green Party candidate, in the general election.

JENNIFER GARRISON

Age: 52.

Address: 427 Fifth St., Marietta.

Employment: Attorney representing the Southeastern Ohio Landowners Association.

Education: A law degree from Catholic University School of Law in 1987; a bachelor of science degree in economics from Xavier University.

Family: Husband, Russ; three children.

Priority: To develop relationships with people in both political parties, to work on job-creation opportunities and reduce the tax burden on middle-class families.

GREGORY D. HOWARD

Age: 59.

Address: 41329 Gibson Ridge Road, Albany.

Employment: Runs a certified organic farm and manufactures the Gibson Ridge Portable Egg Washer.

Education: A bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Ohio State University; and a Kyger Creek High School graduate in Gallia County.

Family: Wife, Geraldine; two daughters.

Priority: To sponsor legislation to improve job creation and retention, and monetary reform.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former State Rep. Jennifer Garrison, who dropped a 2010 bid for statewide office after Democrats complained about her conservative views, is running for Congress.

The Democrat from Marietta announced this week that she will seek the 6th District seat held by two-term Republican Rep. Bill Johnson, also from Marietta.

“Both political parties have not focused enough on jobs, job security, and the kitchen-table issues that our neighbors and families face everyday,” Garrison said in a statement first reported by the Youngstown Vindicator, which covers the northern portion of the district. “Whether it’s been improving education funding for rural Ohio, keeping utility rates low for consumers and manufacturers, or demanding transparency from the legislature, I have a track record of getting results and look forward to this campaign.”

The district is one of the state’s most competitive -- and one that until recently was reliably Democratic. Johnson unseated the late Charlie Wilson by 5 percentage points in 2010. Wilson lost a rematch last year by a slightly larger margin.

And though Garrison boasts support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, she could draw a formidable primary challenger. State Sen. Lou Gentile, who represents 10 of the 18 counties in the 6th District, is exploring a run.

“I’m still sort of recovering from the budget,” Gentile told The Plain Dealer this morning. “I’m talking to the people in my district about whether I should run.”

Gentile, from Steubenville, outperformed President Barack Obama in parts of his district last fall. A former state representative, he worked as an aide to former U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland in Congress and was a driver and top assistant -- or “body man” -- during Strickland’s successful run for governor in 2006. Gentile later went to work for the Strickland administration as assistant director in the Office of Appalachia.

Garrison also has ties to Strickland. He encouraged her to run for Ohio secretary of state in 2010. But her right-of-center views on core Democratic issues -- including abortion and guns -- upset the party’s base, and Garrison withdrew from the race. (The candidate ultimately fielded by Democrats was routed by Jon Husted.)

Given the increasingly Republican lean of eastern and southeastern Ohio, Garrison’s conservative history might play better in a congressional race there. Gentile, though, has appeared more recently on a local ballot. He also could appeal more to state party activists enraged over recent GOP restrictions on abortion.

While he described himself as a defender of the Second Amendment, Gentle also said he supports abortion rights in most cases. He voted in favor of a ban on late-term abortions while a member of the Ohio House. But, much like Garrison focused on economics in her announcement, Gentile said he doesn’t emphasize social issues.

Garrison, according to the Vindicator, already has picked up a key endorsement. Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti, who himself had considered a run for the seat, told the newspaper that he would back Garrison.

Republicans, meanwhile, welcomed Garrison to the race by casting her as U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s “handpicked candidate.” the Vindicator has reported that the DCCC courted Garrison to seek the 6th District seat.

“Jennifer Garrison has announced her candidacy for Congress with the promise of being Nancy Pelosi’s lap dog in Washington,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Katie Prill said in an email. “Unfortunately for Garrison, the last thing Ohio families want or need is a representative who will fight tooth and nail to make Nancy Pelosi speaker of the House.”

That response underscores the competitive nature of the district. Sixteen months until the election, and the GOP already is engaging a potential challenger.

Jennifer Garrison was born just across the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky. Her dad was a union pipefitter and her mom was a secretary before returning to school to become a counselor. Growing up surrounded by a father and uncles who belonged to unions, Jennifer witnessed firsthand the importance of a living wage to working families. The unions provided opportunities for quality family time, the ability to buy a home, save for children’s college, and retire with dignity.

Jennifer has been working to improve the lives of Southeastern Ohioans for over 20 years. She believes that the 6th District needs a representative who will look out for their needs – creating jobs and providing educational opportunity – not someone who is simply interested in continuing the broken political system in Washington. As an attorney, a mediator, a small businesswoman, and a state representative, Jennifer has a track record of bringing people together to achieve results.

In 2004, Jennifer’s commitment and proven leadership to the people of Southeastern Ohio resulted in her being elected to the Ohio House of Representatives for the 93rd district, representing all of Noble, Monroe, and Guernsey counties and parts of Washington and Muskingum counties. She twice won reelection in the 93rd House District, which falls entirely within the 6th Congressional District. Jennifer spent her six years in the legislature focused on creating jobs, improving education, and holding government accountable. She passed legislation to create a fairer system for funding rural schools, to keep energy costs low, to build new schools, and to put hundreds of construction trades back to work.

For her ability to achieve results, Jennifer’s fellow lawmakers elected her to the leadership position of Majority Floor Leader. She also received numerous awards, including the “Distinguished Legislator” award by the Ohio Economic Development Association and the “Friend of Public Education” award by the Ohio Federation of Teachers.

Since her time in the legislature, Jennifer has continued to serve her community and to create jobs in Southeastern Ohio. She began the Southeastern Ohio Landowners’ Association (“SEOLA”), where she has successfully negotiated over $200 million of shale oil and gas mineral leases, providing landowners with some of the best financial outcomes, while also protecting their land and water. She is also a member of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association and the Washington County Ohio Shale Task Force. Working with SEOLA and these organizations, she is helping to ensure that generations of Ohioans will have safe, well-paying union jobs while landowners’ rights are protected.

Following high school, Jennifer attended Xavier University in Cincinnati, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Business Administration. She then received a law degree from Catholic University Law School and was awarded with a clerkship under Judge Moss in Philadelphia.

Upon completing her clerkship, Jennifer and her husband Russ, who is an engineer at DuPont, moved to Marietta. She joined the Marietta law firm of McCauley, Webster & Emrick in 1990, rising to partner in only three years. Three years after that, she opened her own private law practice. She previously served as the president of the Washington County Bar Association, and has conducted over 700 mediations.

Jennifer has also sought to aid domestic violence victims and to improve the lives of those struggling with mental health and substance abuse by serving on the boards of the domestic violence shelter EVE (Ending Violence Effectively) and the Washington County Mental Health & Alcohol Addiction Board. She has volunteered in the Marietta City School and has served as a commissioner on the Marietta Civil Service Board. She is a member of the Marietta Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Farm Bureau.

Jennifer and Russ have three children: Emily, 20; Sam, 19; and M

Instead of voting to shut down the government, Congressman Bill Johnson ought to be voting to pass legislation that provides reassurance to veterans and military families, that pays Elkton prison guards for going to work, that helps the hard-working people at the Ormet plant receive the worker retraining they will need to provide for their families, and that protects against another catastrophic economic recession.

Congressman Johnson is a political opportunist more interested in the theatrics of politics than finding solutions. We witnessed this as Johnson stood on the front steps cheering on this mess and we witnessed before as he moved into the district recently because it gave him a shot to be a viable candidate for Congress. We need problem solvers not political opportunists.

I believe it is time for people who have common sense to be elected to Congress. I am running to solve the tough problems, to stand for the people of eastern and southeastern Ohio.