Rita Darrow
Democrat | Ohio
Candidate Profile
Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Rita Darrow
Party
Democrat
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
State Representative, Dist. 31
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Westlake High School, Westlake, OH, 1980
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, ; Federated Democratic Women of Summit County
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Macedonia City Council, 2012 to 2015
Summit County Council, 2020 to Present
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Ohio House District 31 Representative, 2022
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (7)
Ohio AFL-CIO
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio
Pro-Choice Ohio
Matriots
Progressive Turnout Project
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
United Steel Workers Local 21, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Ohio AFL-CIO, Casey Weinstein (Ohio House), Emilia Sykes (Ohio House), CWA Local 4302, Summit County Progressive Democrats, Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (8)
Casey Weinstein (2022)
Emilia Sykes (2022)
Jeffrey Crossman (2022)
Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations (2022)
Matriots (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (8)
Casey Weinstein (2022)
Democratic Women's Groups (2022)
Emilia Sykes (2022)
North America's Building Trade Unions (2022)
Patricia Goetz (2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
A women's health care decisions should be made among herself, her family, and her doctor with no government interference prior to the point of viability.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Disagree
Withholding aid from abortion providers provides a hardship for working and poor families.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Choose not to answer
In general, I support the individual's right to make his or her own decisions but I recognize that this is an extremely difficult and complex issue.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
The tax code is presently heavily slanted in favor of the very well to do. Tax reform over the past decade has focused more on reducing the taxes paid by wealthy individuals and organizations. I strongly support a 15% minimum tax on all corporations and closing the carried interest loophole.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
The idea that the federal budget must be "balanced" is mistaken. That said, there is spending that aids society and families and spending that doesn't. Subsidies to fossil fuel companies, for example, should be reduced.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Agree
Investment in an educated citizenry pays $7.50 back to the nation for every dollar spent. Tax-payer funded education is one of the very best investments we can make for the country's future.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Agree
This is complex question. Should a kosher butcher be required to sell a non-kosher product? Of course not. On the other hand, that kosher butcher should be required to sell his or her product to any customer, regardless of that customer's own beliefs.
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Other than for matters of public health and safety, there are no circumstances under which the government should ever close a church.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
My view is that healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
A government, school, or employer should be allowed to require vaccinations whenever the health and safety of everyone in the region, school, or organization would be put at risk by those who chose not to vaccinate.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
We must always remain vigilant against any forms of terrorism against our nation's citizens. The threat of Islamic terrorism has been effectively addressed by our nation for the past decade or more. Over the past few years, terrorism sponsored and carried out by white supremacists has been more frequent and more deadly.
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Choose not to answer
This is another complex question. As the only democracy in the region, Israel is a strong ally; strong economic sanctions against Israel would be harmful to that country's and our own interests. That said, Israel can and should do more to assure the basic rights of Palestinians.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Disagree
We have seen that simply "building walls", while it might play well to some voters, is ineffective. The country needs a comprehensive and effective immigration policy.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone who is willing to abide by our laws should be allowed to immigrate to the US. Those who are experiencing severe physical, emotional, or economic danger should be especially welcome.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Disagree
A lot has been packed into this statement. Private schools have a long and illustrious history in our country. Home schooling is the right of any family. On the other hand, charter schools and voucher programs have been utter failures, serving only to fill the pockets of some corporate leaders with taxpayer dollars.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Disagree
The forefathers spoke of a "separation of church and state" and forbade the federal government to intervene in our religious lives for a good reason. They knew that any state that built its systems on religious values was certain to punish any citizens who didn't choose to share those values.
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Agree
I support forbidding anyone or any organization the ability to withhold benefits or privileges from some citizens that it happily provides to others.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition
Strongly Disagree
The government's job is to protect, equally, the rights of all its citizens. Picking and choosing who gets certain rights and privileges that it withholds from others is wrong.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Agree
That's not what CRT says but, yes, I do agree with what CRT actually does say and that is that many of our institutions and laws have promoted the interests of white citizens to the detriment of people of color.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was raised and remain an active Roman Catholic.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Agree
As we've seen, voting fraud is extremely rare. We've also seen that the photo ID requirement is modified to suit certain parties' ideologies. For example, some states don't allow student photo ID's but do allow gun permits as identification.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I'd support automatic voter registration, mailing absentee ballots to all voters, widespread access to ballot boxes, extended early voting periods and making election day a work holiday.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes. The scourge of racism continues to divide our country. Citizens afraid of making laws more equitable for all are threatening violence. Teachers, school board members, doctors and nurses, election workers, law enforcement officers and first responders are all being threatened by white supremacists.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Agree
Centuries of policies and laws that denied people of color access to loans, jobs, good housing, good healthcare, and good education have created significant differences in the socioeconomic status of different races. It's another complex question as to just how this can be addressed but the answer starts with how the playing field can be made level for everyone.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. Climate change has become a national security issue. Investments in climate action would go far to build a sustainable economy. An investment of US$1, on average, yields US$4 in benefits.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Disagree
The costs of hydraulic fracking include contamination of groundwater, large volumes of water use in water-deficient regions, exposure to toxic chemicals, and blowouts due to gas explosions.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
It's in the Preamble to our Constitution: "to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity".
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Liberal
I view myself as pro-worker, pro-family, and pro-children. The policies that positively impact the lives of workers and their families are generally labeled as liberal.
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Summit County Council Website; Ballotpedia, Akron Beacon Journal article (January 21, 2021)
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
I have worked diligently on behalf of the workers in my community, their families, and their children and will continue to do so. The right of women to make their own healthcare decisions with their families and their doctors has been stripped away. I'll devote myself to revitalizing this right. I see the wide and easy availability of guns as a national health crisis and will work tirelessly for common sense weapons safety regulations.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Disagree
This is another complex question. Law enforcement officers and public servants in general deserve some protection from litigation and prosecution for actions necessary to effectively carry out their jobs. On the other hand, law enforcement officers nor public servants should be above the law. We're all held accountable for our professional conduct. Public servants should be no exception.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Disagree
I support increasing funds to police departments for community policing and other proven methods AND increasing funds to mental health and community programs.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Universal background checks are a common sense policy that is proven to advance public safety. The sale of assault weapons and high-count magazines should be severely restricted. If we have to register to vote, we should have to register our guns.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Agree
