Former State Representative from Defiance and current candidate for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District in 2024, Craig Riedel outraised U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), who is currently in that seat.
According to Riedel, he took in $537,951 in the second quarter of fundraising compared to Kaptur’s $360,540, a difference of $177,411.
A spokesperson for Riedel (pictured above, right) told The Ohio Star that with this funding and continued support from the community, Riedel is confident in his ability to unseat Kaptur, who is currently serving her 21st term in Congress.
“Danette and I are grateful for the trust and support shown by our friends, family, and the community. Their belief in our ability to lead and bring positive change to Northwest Ohio is truly inspiring. With their continued support, I am confident in our ability to secure victory in the upcoming primary next spring and, ultimately to represent Ohio’s 9th Congressional District in Congress,” Riedel said in a statement sent to The Star.
In addition to the funds raised, Riedel has also recently received endorsements from Congressmen Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) and Max Miller (R-OH-07).
According to Jordan, Riedel is a “rock-solid conservative.”
“He will fight to cut spending, lower taxes, uphold the Second Amendment, and protect traditional family values. Craig’s private-sector experience and time in the state legislature have armed him with the tools needed to fight by my side and take on the radical left in Washington,” Jordan said.
Miller stated that Riedel is the candidate who can defeat incumbent Kaptur in the 9th Congressional District.
“Craig’s commitment to the America First movement and our conservative values is what we need in Washington. Craig will work hard for the people of Northwest Ohio. Craig has my full endorsement for this election,” Miller said.
Riedel is a former three-term State Representative who served the 82nd district from 2017 to 2022. The 82nd district consists of Defiance, Paulding, and Van Wert counties and a portion of Auglaize County.
Riedel was born in Oberlin, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University where he received a degree in civil engineering. He worked as an engineer for over 25 years with Nucor Vulcraft Group, located in Defiance. In 2015, Riedel retired but remained active in his community before being elected to public office.
There are two other Republican challengers in the race to unseat Kaptur Steve Lankenau, a former mayor of Napoleon, and Dan Wilczynski, a former mayor of Walbridge. Ohio Republican JR Majewski announced his candidacy earlier this year but dropped out of the race shortly after saying he needed to focus on his family.
Reports state that Kaptur has already filed the paperwork necessary for candidacy in the November 2024 race for Congressional District 9.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Craig Riedel” by Craig Riedel.
