Summary
Kevin J. Coughlin is a former Republican member of the Ohio Senate, who represented the 27th District from 2001 to 2010. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1997 until 2000. He served as Clerk of the Stow Municipal Court from 2013 to 2015.
Born: 1970 (age 54 years), Mayfield Heights, OH
Party: Republican Party
Spouse: Anne Coughlin
Candidate for: 2024 Ohio Member of the US House elections. Coughlin lost this race.
Previous offices: Ohio State Senator (2001–2010), Ohio State Representative (1997–2001)
Education: Bowling Green State University, Woodridge High School
OnAir Post: Kevin Coughlin
News
Voters throughout Summit County, parts of Stark County and a sliver of Portage County on Tuesday chose Kevin Coughlin as the 13th Congressional District Republican candidate they want to run in the November election.
Coughlin took an early lead in the three-way race and ended up beating his closest competitor by about 22,500 votes.
He had 39,088 votes compared to Chris Banweg’s 16,583 and Richard Morckel’s 4,451, according to unofficial results.
He finished first in all three counties, receiving about 67% of the vote in Summit, 62% in Stark and 65% in Portage.
He will face U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, in the fall.
About
Overview
Kevin Coughlin grew up in an Ohio working-class family where he learned the values of hard work and resilience early on. Kevin was raised by his single mom and they moved in with his grandparents to keep a roof over their head.
His mom worked to help the unemployed, his grandfather was a veteran and union electrician, and his grandmother was a phone operator and grocery store clerk. Together, they showed him that with sacrifice, hard work and can-do attitude, anything is possible.
Kevin took his first job at 15 earning $2.50 an hour flipping burgers and hot dogs at the B-K Rootbeer Drive-In and worked his way through college flipping pizzas at Mark’s Pizza’s Pub to afford his studies at Bowling Green.
After graduating, Kevin became passionate about creating educational opportunities that would break the cycle of poverty for Ohio students. Kevin got involved at the grassroots level to pass scholarship programs to help K-12 students to escape underperforming schools and attain better opportunities to achieve the American Dream.
This commitment to public service led him to the Ohio House of Representatives and State Senate where he fought tirelessly to protect victims of crime and stood up to the leaders in both parties to defend Ohio taxpayers. In the legislature, Kevin created Ohio’s Amber Alert System, passed legislation to close the domestic violence loophole, and stood up to the party bosses when they worked to pass the largest tax increase in Ohio history.
Since then, Kevin remained active in his community, raised a family and has become a successful small business owner.
Now, Kevin is running for Congress to defend the American Dream for future generations – because he’s lived it – and is worried as he sees DC pushing policies that have put the American Dream further and further out of reach for too many.
He lives in Bath with his wife of 30 years, Anne, a physical therapist. Together, they have two daughters.
Source: Campaign Site
Web Links
Politics
Ohio Senate
After four terms in the Ohio Senate, Senator Roy Ray retired early in 2001, leaving Senate Republicans to appoint someone to the vacant 27th District. Coughlin was appointed, and was sworn into office on February 2, 2001. He won his own four-year term in 2002 with 52.98% of the electorate against Democrat Tom Bevan. He won reelection in 2006 with 52.28% again Judy Hanna. In the Ohio Senate, Coughlin was Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services, & Aging Committee from 2004 to 2011.
Among Coughlin’s achievements in office:
- Authored the law creating Ohio’s Amber Alert System, aiding in the safe return of missing and abducted children.
- Authored Ohio’s Prompt Pay law and the Health Care Accountability Act, streamlining the administrative relationship between physicians and insurance companies.
- Co-authored Ohio’s Healthy Choices for Healthy Children Act, a comprehensive school-based approach to addressing child obesity and wellness.
- Co-authored Ohio’s law protecting private property owners from unwarranted takings of land through eminent domain.
- Sponsored Ohio’s election reform law implementing the Help American Vote Act requirements and reducing voter fraud.
- Authored law helping Ohio’s sheriffs to better protect communities from sex offenders.
- Authored legislation creating Ohio’s special needs scholarship for children with special need to attend the school of their choice.
Issues
Priorities
Source: Campaign Site
CRIME AND SAFETY
The mission is simple. Keep the people who are committing crimes away from law-abiding citizens. It’s time to throw out the politicians whose soft-on-crime policies have helped create this deadly and dangerous crime surge. Kevin supports our police and worked tirelessly in the Ohio legislature protect children and the victims of domestic abuse by giving law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges the tools they need to keep our communities safe. He will fight for border patrol agents, first responders, and law enforcement officers. Kevin will work to coordinate federal, state, and local efforts to combat drug and human trafficking, homelessness, and addiction.
STOP RECKLESS SPENDING
Kevin is the candidate in this race who has walked the walk when it comes to responsible spending. Kevin helped pass balanced budgets in Ohio that generated surplus revenue. In Congress, he will advocate for a constitutional amendment to balance the budget to get America’s fiscal house in order. He will work to hold the line on the Biden administration’s 40-year-high inflation so that everyday expenses for Ohioans are brought under control.
PROTECT TAXPAYERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
As a small business owner, Kevin understands what we need: a more competitive tax rate and less unnecessary red tape. Kevin is a five-time Watchdog of the Treasury Award winner. He has signed the pledge to oppose any attempts to raise taxes on Americans. In Ohio, he led efforts to cut the income tax, eliminate the estate tax, and he held the line against tax hikes. Letting Ohioans keep more of their hard-earned money allows them to save, invest, and spend to meet their needs, and start to grow a business.
BRING OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Congress has given away much of its power to the executive agencies over the span of our lifetime. It’s time to reel in the bureaucrats. Kevin will be a warrior against wasteful spending and abuse. It begins with passing regular budgets, rather than continuing spending resolutions that do nothing but empower the bureaucrats and drive up the deficit. Kevin will advocate for greater Congressional oversight of the administrative state so that agencies are following the intent of the people’s elected representatives.
STOP THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS
The Biden administration’s open borders are allowing drug cartels and human smugglers to flood into the country, bringing illicit drugs and crime into communities across the United States, and opening us up to the risk of terrorism. Kevin will work to secure the border and close loopholes that allow illegal immigrants who commit a crime to escape justice. A path to citizenship for people who came here illegally is unacceptable.
EDUCATION, NOT INDOCTRINATION
Kevin’s record on education is clear. He was on the ground floor of the parents’ rights movement in Ohio, helping to establish choice scholarships and sponsoring Ohio’s special education scholarship so that kids with special needs can go to the schools that best fits their needs. He will be a voice for kids and parents in Washington.
PRESERVING THE GREAT LAKES
Lake Erie and our Great Lakes notably provide pristine recreational opportunities, but they play a vital role in our economy. Kevin will work to protect our Great Lakes for future generations while strengthening both the ecology and the economy of these incredible resources.
DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION
Defending our Constitution is the foremost responsibility of any Member of Congress. As the size of government grows, the American people are rightly concerned about its interference in our lives. Kevin will always ensure Congress is acting as a check and balance to protect the freedoms and liberties that we hold dear.
PROTECT OUR MILITARY AND VETERANS
Kevin grew up with his World War II veteran grandfather in the home. Anne’s grandfather was shot down over Europe and escaped from the Nazis after being taken prisoner. In the Ohio Senate, he chaired the State & Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee where he prioritized health care and long-term care for our veterans, including building a new veterans home in the state. Additionally, he helped secure funding for the construction of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., where Ohio honor flights frequently take place. In Congress, Kevin will fight fraud and wasteful spending that weakens military readiness and takes away resources for our men and women in uniform. He will work toward prompt and quality health care through the VA and to provide choice to veterans. And he will work to improve mental health care services for veterans, and resources to help them integrate into civilian life.
ENERGY DOMINANCE
Kevin is committed to American energy independence. He will promote policies that boost domestic energy production, lowering costs for Ohio families and businesses. By supporting oil, gas, and renewable energy projects, Kevin aims to create jobs and drive economic growth in Northeast Ohio. He will fight against overregulation that hinders energy development, ensuring a stable energy supply and securing our nation’s future. Kevin’s vision is clear: American energy dominance that benefits our communities and strengthens our national security.
More Information
Wikipedia
Kevin J. Coughlin is a Republican former member of the Ohio Senate, who represented the 27th District from 2001 to 2010. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1997 until 2000. He served as Clerk of the Stow Municipal Court from 2013 to 2015. Since 2010, he has been President of Lexington Companies, Ltd, marketing company.
Life and career
Coughlin graduated from Woodridge High School in Peninsula, Ohio, in 1988, received a BA from Bowling Green State University in 1992, and a Master of Public Administration from BGSU in 1994. In 1996, he ran for the Ohio House of Representatives after Representative Wayne Jones vacated to run for the Ohio Senate. He won the seat, and was sworn into office on January 3, 1997. He won reelection in 1998 with 63.64%, and again in 2000 with 63.9% of the vote.[1]
Coughlin served two and one half terms in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Ohio Senate
After four terms in the Ohio Senate, Senator Roy Ray retired early in 2001, leaving Senate Republicans to appoint someone to the vacant 27th District. Coughlin was appointed, and was sworn into office on February 2, 2001. He won his own four-year term in 2002 with 52.98% of the electorate against Democrat Tom Bevan. He won reelection in 2006 with 52.28% again Judy Hanna. In the Ohio Senate, Coughlin was Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services, & Aging Committee from 2004 to 2011.[2]
Later career
In 2009, Coughlin considered running for Governor of Ohio. He declined to run after former congressman John Kasich announced his candidacy.[3][4]
Coughlin formed an exploratory committee to consider a run for United States Senate in 2012. In October 2011 he announced he would not run citing incumbent Sherrod Brown‘s strong polling numbers.[5]
Coughlin serves on the board of directors of the Ohio Capital Square Foundation and is a member of the Summit County Republican Executive Committee and Finance Committee. He lives in Bath Township, Ohio.
United States House of Representatives
Coughlin defeated two opponents to win the 2024 primary to be the Republican candidate for Ohio’s 13th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.[6] During the general election, he was defeated by incumbent Democrat Emilia Sykes.[7]
References
- ^ “2000 general election results”. November 7, 2000. Archived from the original on June 27, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ “Senator Kevin Coughlin (R) – District 27”. 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 26 March 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
- ^ “State Sen. Kevin Coughlin drops from governor’s race”. Cleveland.com. 13 July 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
- ^ “Coughlin quits governor’s race – News – Ohio”. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
- ^ “Kevin Coughlin pulls out of U.S. Senate race”. Cleveland.com. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
- ^ Eaton, Sabrina (19 March 2024). “Kevin Coughlin wins GOP primary in Ohio’s 13th congressional district; will take on freshman Democrat Emilia Sykes”. cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ Kreider, Derek; Williams, Patrick (5 November 2024). “Emilia Sykes reelected in 13th Congressional District race as Kevin Coughlin concedes”. Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
External links
- Kevin Coughlin.com official website
- Lexington Companies official website
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