Niraj Antani now represents House District 42 and he is the Republican candidate seeking election to represent Ohio Senate District 06

In yesterday’s Dayton Daily News front page article on the contest for Ohio Senate District 06, Republican candidate Niraj Antani stuck to his guns, repeating three times: “I do not support any bill that increases restrictions on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens.”

More to the point, Antani wants to remove any limitation on guns.

Antani got national attention for advocating that 18 year olds should be allowed to take their long guns to school. He is famous for saying: “My view is that anyone who is of age should be able to carry a firearm wherever they want. The only restriction I believe in is for private property.”

Will Garbe of the DDN reported Antani saying: “Law-abiding high school students age 18 years or older should be able to carry long guns inside public high schools.”

There seems no limit to Antani’s zeal to liberate guns:

• Should people to allowed to carry concealed weapons in the Ohio Statehouse and its grounds? Yes, sure.
• Should workers be permitted to keeps guns in their cars in their employees parking lot — even if prohibited by the employer? Of course.
• Should a gun holder have the right to “Stand their Ground” ? Yes. Yes.

Democrat Mark Fogel is seeking election to the Ohio Senate to represent District 06

In her April 19, 2020 DDN article, “Gun laws: Where local Statehouse candidates stand,” Laura Bischoff writes:

“Niraj Antani, a Republican state representative from Miamisburg, holds an A+ rating and endorsement from the Buckeye Firearms Association. He is undecided on DeWine’s Strong Ohio plan, though he is endorsed by DeWine for the Senate seat. Antani opposes bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as red flag laws. He favors enacting a stand your ground law and supports eliminating training and background checks for people who want to carry concealed weapons.”

After the Oregon shooting, Antani’s wild stubbornness for complete gun liberty was too much for Republican Senator Peggy Lehner. Term-limited after eight years as senator for District 06, she refused to endorse Antani. Weighing on Lehner’s decision had to be the memory of the shouts of the crowds who gathered to tell Governor DeWine to: Do Something. Do something. Do Something.

After the August 4 mass shooting, Governor DeWine, two weeks later, responded to the “Do Something” cries and made some specific recommendations for new gun laws. Lehner supported Gov. DeWine’s proposals and Antani opposed them. Antani’s stubbornness may have been the final straw for Lehner. Antani said he had asked Lehner about her support, but they differed too much on firearms.

“Lehner and I disagree on the 2nd Amendment,” Antani said. “I believe in supporting the 2nd Amendment. She believes in gun control. “I’m not willing to compromise on that issue. And I believe that’s why she endorsed my opponent,” Antani added.This from the August 18, 2019 DDN: Ohio lawmakers mixed for law changes from shooting:

In the Senate 16 members — evenly divided by party — support the governor’s red flag proposal. In the House 23 Democrats and two Republicans said they support it.State Sen. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering said she supports all of Gov. DeWine’s proposals and considers the red flag and universal background check proposals “to be the most urgent and potentially most life-saving.”“In addition, I support a ban on high

capacity magazines and assault weapons. These are probably more effective at federal level,” Lehner said. …

Of those surveyed, only State Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg said outright that he is against DeWine’s red flag proposal. “The proposal lacks necessary due process,” Antani said

The issue of gun legislation is one big difference between Republican candidate Niraj Antani and the Democratic candidate Mark Fogel. Here are their responses to DDN’s three questions:

Q: SB221, the governor’s Strong Ohio gun reform package, isn’t likely to pass this legislative session and will likely be re-introduced next session. Where do you stand on the basic elements of the package?

Antani: I do not support any bill that increases restrictions on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens.
Fogel: Common-sense, reasonable gun safety legislation is one of my top priorities. I say this as a gun owner myself, and someone dedicated to keeping our community safe. As we all know, after the Oregon District shooting, our neighbors demanded that leaders ‘do something’. While the Governor’s gun reforms are a step in the right direction, it’s upsetting that our legislators have failed to pass this bill, not to mention failing to enact the will of the people.

We need to make sure dangerous people don’t have access to guns, so we need universal background checks for gun sales. Ohio needs ‘red flag’ laws that help keep guns out of the hands of those deemed to be an imminent threat. Unlike my opponent, I believe that people with concealed carry permits should be required to complete training, and that high schoolers should not be able to take guns to class. The latter idea is dangerous and preposterous. I’m proud to be a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, and be endorsed by Ohio’s Police, because they know I’ll fight for smart gun policy in Ohio.

Q: Should Ohio require background checks for ALL gun purchases, including private party sales?

Fogel: Yes.
Antani: I do not support any bill that increases restrictions on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens.

Q: Should Ohio pass a red flag law that allows families and police to seek a court order to remove firearms from those deemed to be a danger to themselves or others?

Fogel: Yes.
Antani: I do not support any bill that increases restrictions on the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens.

It’s hard to think that a majority of the citizens of District 06 could possibly agree with Antani’s over-the-top — “I’m not willing to compromise on that issue” — radical views of total gun liberty. Could sanity for gun laws be the issue that will make a difference in this contest for District 06?

• See: His Was The “Fresh, Non-white Face” The Republican Party Wanted — Six Years Later, Peggy Lehner Rejected Him

In 1994, Newt Gingrich got Republican candidates to agree to support a “Contract With America” — promising that, if elected, they would to take action on specific legislation. This Contract nationalized the election and is credited with the Republican’s big success that election — gaining 54 House and 9 U.S. Senate seats — flipping both chambers.

Democrats seeking election in Republican leaning districts cannot win by expecting Republican voters to embrace a Democratic Party agenda. I’d like to suggest that Democratic candidates in this region — seeking election to the Ohio House and Ohio Senate in Republican leaning districts — agree on a “Contract With Voters.” Rather than establishing legislative goals, this “Contract With Voters” would establish standards of representation. It would tell how, when elected, the candidate will be accountable to voters and how the candidate will engage and empower voters. This might include a plan for town halls, a plan for a “Citizen Forum,” a plan for engaging citizens, especially youth, in understanding the issues, the work and the challenges of the Assembly.

What is our biggest problem?

In 1994, Gingrich with the “Contract With America” convinced a lot of voters that the biggest problems in America were deficit spending, crime, lack of term limits, etc. In the contract, the Republicans offered specific legislation to deal with these problems.

Here in 2020, we have a lot of big problems, but I’m thinking there is a growing consensus that our biggest problem is the on-going destruction of our democracy. Not all Republican leaning voters would agree with this assessment, but I think many would agree. A key section of Republican leaning voters, I believe, would respond to an authentic leader who was honestly working to bring citizens together and to empower citizens — regardless of party affiliation.

Authentic leadership, I believe, is “servant leadership” — the term used by Mark Fogel, Democratic candidate for Senate District 06. But without a contract to spell out what this term means in practice, to promise “servant leadership” amounts to just more political speech.

Fogel made an excellent TEDx talk, The Culture of a Fighter Squadron, in 2018. In this talk he explains how leadership works in this exclusive fighter group. Successful leadership in this setting is committed to accountability, transparency, and empowerment. This leadership is focused on the group working together to safely and effectively achieve its missions.

So, what is the mission of an elected member of the Assembly?

Democrats should define the mission. The mission of a member of the Assembly is not to get reasonable gun laws; it’s not to help citizens get health care. The mission, as defined by the “Contract With Voters,” I’m thinking, should be to make our system of democracy work as it should. The Contract, then, would spell out how the elected member of the Assembly will act to empower citizens to be co-servants, co-leaders in saving our democracy. When our democracy works as it should, we will have reasonable gun laws, we will have a health care system that helps every citizen.

This “Contract With Voters,” then, would show a specific plan for transparency, accountability, citizen empowerment and citizen engagement.  Creating such a Contract — establishing standards for representation — and promoting this Contract as a contrast with the typical Republican behavior of members in the Assembly, I believe might make a difference in the election.

In 1994, Newt Gingrich got Republican candidates to agree to support a “Contract With America” — promising that, if elected, they would to take action on specific legislation. This Contract nationalized the election and is credited with the Republican’s big success that election — gaining 54 House and 9 U.S. Senate seats — flipping both chambers.

I’d like to suggest that Democratic candidates in this region — seeking election to the Ohio House and Ohio Senate in Republican leaning districts — agree on a “Contract With Voters.”

Flipping an established Republican district — even if the Republican candidate is an idiot — will not be easy. For example, Democrats have a great hope that our excellent candidate, Mark Fogel, can beat the extremist and crazy right-winger, Niraj Antani, and win District 06. But here is District 06’s history:

• In 2016 Republican Peggy Lehner won the district with 68.1% of the vote.
• In 2012, Lehner won with 62.4%.
• In 2008, Republican John Husted won the district with 61.5%.
• In 2004, Republican Jeff Jacobsen won with 64.5%.

In order for Fogel to win, a lot of citizens who have habitually voted Republican will need to change their votes. Similarly, in order for our excellent Democratic candidate, Desiree Tims, to be elected to the U.S. Congress (OH-10), a lot of habitual Mike Turner voters will need to change their votes.

I’m thinking that To Help Flip Strong Republican Districts, Democratic Candidates Should Offer A Contract With Voters that addresses their biggest concern — the biggest problem of our time.

What is our biggest problem?

In 1994, Gingrich with the “Contract With America” convinced a lot of voters that the biggest problems in America were deficit spending, crime, lack of term limits, etc. In the contract, the Republicans offered specific legislation to deal with these problems.

Here in 2020, we have a lot of big problems, but I’m thinking our biggest problem that we must solve is the on-going destruction of our democracy. Not all Republican leaning voters would agree with this assessment, but I think many would agree and to flip their votes would make a big difference. We are at a crucial point in our nation and many Republican leaning voters agree that the division, hatred and polarization within the citizenry is a huge problem and that, without intervention, our democracy soon will be toast. “A house divided cannot stand.”

A key section of Republican leaning voters, I believe, would respond to an authentic leader who was honestly working to bring citizens together and to empower citizens — regardless of party affiliation.

Authentic leadership, I believe, is “servant leadership” — the term used by Mark Fogel. But without a contract to spell out what this term means in practice, to promise “servant leadership” amounts to just more political speech.

Fogel made an excellent TEDx talk, The Culture of a Fighter Squadron, in 2018. In this talk he explains how leadership works in this exclusive fighter group. Successful leadership in this setting is committed to accountability, transparency, and empowerment. This leadership is focused on the group working together to safely and effectively achieve its missions.

Leaders are all about accomplishing a mission. Businesses use the structure of “servant leadership” to accomplish the mission of making the business successful — encouraging and empowering members to work successfully together.

What is the mission of a member of the Ohio Assembly?

Democrats in Republican leaning districts will have trouble getting Republicans to agree that the mission should be to advance a Democratic Party agenda. The mission, as defined by the “Contract With Voters,” I’m thinking, should be to make our system of democracy work as it should. The Contract, then, would spell out how the elected member of the Assembly will act to empower citizens to be co-servants, co-leaders  in saving our democracy. Democrats can be confident that the agenda they want to advance aligns with a majority view — the point is to make our democracy was work as it should, and then this agenda will be enacted.

This “Contract With Voters,” then, would show a specific plan for transparency, accountability, citizen empowerment and citizen engagement. It would show a plan for using the office as a means of engaging youth and all interested citizens in practical civics education. I like the idea of this Contract promising to empower interested citizens in a “Leadership Community.” This was developed by Albert Griggs, candidate for Senate District 06 in the Democratic Primary:

“We Are All In This Together” — Let’s Use This Insight To Transform Politics And To Build Dynamic Civic Communities

District Six has 240,000 voters. My goal is to engage at least one percent of these citizens as voting members in a “District Six Leadership Community.” The goal is for this group to fairly represent the diversity of the district and for members of this group to be committed to leadership — committed to understanding each other and to understanding issues. I want to work with a group who has a real hunger to understand and to participate in politics.
This Leadership Community will study and debate the work of the Assembly and will partner with me — empowering me to be an effective, responsive, transparent, and creative member of the Ohio Senate. This Leadership Community will be committed to developing consensus within the group. It will write proposed legislation and will engage and inform the public. The goal is for young people to become active, creative members and leaders in this civic community and for this experience to prepare these young people for eventual election to public office.

Members of the Leadership Community will team together in their local jurisdictions to engage and inform citizens and to build community. These teams will network together on district wide projects. One big project — to engage citizens of all persuasions — will be to develop civics education opportunities for youth. I’d love to see district-wide projects dealing with the U.S. Constitution (Constitution Day, September 17) and the Gettysburg Address (November 19).

There is a hunger within every person for community. Democrats need to champion a politics of unity, a politics of community building, and dare the Republicans to do the same. “We are all in this together” is a wonderful notion. We need to make it real. I am offering leadership and vision to empower civic communities that will bring citizens together into active and meaningful citizenship. This is the vision and the plan that can flip this gerrymandered Republican district. I am asking for your vote in this Democratic Primary.