U.S. House, Ohio - 15th District
Western Columbus and suburbs
Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
2008: Steve Stivers (R) vs. Mary Jo Kilroy (D)
2006: Rep.
It’s not inconceivable that the race to succeed Pryce will be as close as the congresswoman’s 1,062-vote win in 2006 over Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy, a county commissioner in Columbus who is again the Democratic nominee. Republican state Sen. Steve Stivers is a state senator and Iraq War veteran; he’s also been touting his MBA degree and economics training as helpful assets during these tough economic times. Democrats regularly refer to him as a “banking lobbyist,” a reference to Stivers’ past government relations work for Bank One Corporation. Republicans say that Kilroy had a profligate record on the commission and is too closely aligned with labor unions.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Mary Jo Kilroy, D
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Last Elected: 2006 (49.58%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
The 15th is centered in Franklin County and on Columbus, the state’s centrally located capital. It takes in most of Columbus, including all of the city that lies west of High Street, a major north-south thoroughfare. Ohio State University, one of the nation’s largest universities and a major regional employer and research hub, is located in the 15th’s portion of Columbus, as is the State Capitol, City Hall, the stadium for soccer’s Crew and the arena for hockey’s Blue Jackets.
Columbus, Ohio’s most populous city, has continued to grow, and Franklin County’s expanding service sector, which includes several large technology and research centers, has aided the district’s economy. Columbus serves as the home for the headquarters of many corporations, including Nationwide Mutual Insurance and American Electric Power. Columbus is not known as a tourist destination, but large crowds descend on the city for Ohio State home football games.
Outside of Franklin County, Madison County to the west is a major corn- and soybean-producing area. Marysville, in Union County north of Madison, is home to soybean fields, livestock and Honda auto and motorcycle plants.
The politically competitive 15th’s portion of Franklin County, where nearly 90 percent of district residents live, leans slightly Democratic. Ohio State’s academic community and neighborhoods in the West Side of Columbus support Democrats, but Republicans are strong in suburbs west of the Olentangy and Scioto rivers, such as Hilliard and Grove City. In 2004, John Kerry carried the 15th’s share of Franklin County, but George W. Bush achieved a razor-thin victory districtwide by dominating the vote in rural, and dependably Republican, Madison and Union counties. Union County last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 1932.
Major Industry
Retail trade, government, health care, research, higher education
Cities
Columbus (pt.), 384,491; Upper Arlington, 33,686; Grove City, 27,075
Notable
A full-scale replica of Christopher Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria, is in Columbus; Ohio State hosts the annual Farm Science Review, one of the largest farm exhibitions in the world, in Madison County near London.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 630,730
- Under 18: 23.4%
- Over 65: 10.0%
- Married: 49.1%
- Non-Hispanic White: 85%
- Black: 7%
- Hispanic: 2%
- Asian: 3%
- Foreign Born: 5.7%
- Language other than English: 9%
- Median Household Income: 43,885
- Owner Occupied Housing: 59.1%
- Income above $200k: 1.6
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 66.3%
- Blue Collar: 20%
- Services: 13.7%
- Bachelor's Degree: 32%
- Graduate Education: 11.1%
- Civilian Veterans: 55,912
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Mary Jo Kilroy (D) | 139,582 | 45.9% |
| Steve Stivers (R) | 137,271 | 45.2% | ||
| Mark Noble (LIBERT) | 14,061 | 4.6% | ||
| Don Eckhart (I) | 12,915 | 4.2% | ||
| Travis Casper (X) | ||||
| 2006 | general | Deborah Pryce (R) | 110,739 | 50.1% |
| Mary Jo Kilroy (D) | 109,677 | 49.6% | ||
| 2004 | general | Deborah Pryce (R) | 166,520 | 60% |
| Mark Brown (D) | 110,915 | 40% | ||
| 2002 | general | Deborah Pryce (R) | 108,193 | 66.6% |
| Mark Brown (D) | 54,286 | 33.4% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 49% | George W. Bush: 50% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 46% | George W. Bush: 54% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KILROY, MARY JO (D) | November 24, 2008 | $2,573,357.00 | $2,541,190.00 | $151,798.00 | $1,796,341.00 | $62,749.00 | $107,908.00 |
| PRYCE, DEBORAH D. (R) | September 30, 2008 | $673,581.00 | $628,783.00 | $61,804.00 | $120,179.00 | $115,026.00 | |
| ECKHART, DON ELIJAH (UNKNOWN) | November 24, 2008 | $34,256.00 | $33,680.00 | $2,761.00 | $576.00 | ||
| WAGNER, ROBERT M (R) | March 31, 2008 | $11,410.00 | $11,409.00 | $10,410.00 | |||
| STIVERS, STEVE (R) | November 24, 2008 | $2,373,189.00 | $2,061,870.00 | $193,899.00 | $1,080,148.00 | $152,996.00 | $50,000.00 |
