Name:Lee Fisher

Age: 59

Party: Democrat

Resume: Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Ohio State Senator and Representative

After obtaining both a law degree and a master’s degree in nonprofit organization from Case Western Reserve University, Lee Fisher set his sights on politics. Fisher spent the 80’s in Ohio legislature, where his colleagues voted him as “Ohio’s Outstanding Freshman Legislator” during his first year in office. In 1990, Fisher became Ohio’s attorney General but lost his bid for reelection to Republican Betty Montgomery. Fisher next ran for governor of Ohio against Bob Taft, but lost despite earning 45% of the popular vote. Taking a break from politics, Fisher returned to nonprofit work. He led the Center for Families and Children in Cleveland and later founded and ran the Mental Health Advocacy Coalition. In 2006, Ted Strickland chose Fisher as his running mate in his bid for governor. Currently, Fisher serves as Ohio’s lieutenant governor and is campaigning against Rob Portman in the Ohio senator race.

Issues:

Higher Education

– Fisher strives to help make college affordable for any child interested in attending.

-As Lieutenant Governor, Fisher helped Gov. Strickland make college not only more affordable, but more accessible as well.

-Fisher believes that economic prosperity begins with education, and therefore a quality, affordable education is necessary to develop a strong workforce in Ohio.

Economic Recovery

-Fisher supports what he calls common-sense economic ideas like living within our means, maintaining fiscal discipline and growing a stronger middle class.

– In tax policy, Fisher feels that policies that support the middle class, reward hard work and encourages job creation and investment are crucial to recovering Ohio’s economy.

-Fisher helped create Ohio’s first Strategic Plan for Economic Development and was also appointed as Director of Development by Gov. Strickland in 2006.

Healthcare

-For Ohioans, Fisher wants to lower health care costs, increase choices of health care providers, expand coverage and improve the quality of care given to those who seek it.

-Fisher plans to avoid funding healthcare through tax increases on the middle class, and instead supports finding other ways to financially back health reform.

-While Attorney General, Fisher came down hard on Medicaid fraud and set the record for the most convictions and financial settlements from this that Ohio has ever seen.

Sources:

http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=23452 (Project Vote Smart)

http://governor.ohio.gov/AboutUs/AboutLee/tabid/57/Default.aspx (Office of the Governor)

http://www.fisherforohio.com/home (Fisher Campaign Website)