Ohio state Senate candidate Kevin Coughlin speaks to a group of students at the meeting of the College Republicans yesterday. Coughlin spoke mainly about the upcoming election and his experience as an incumbent senator. ELIZABETH MYERS | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: John Proppe

Tuition caps for higher education in Ohio and valuing the state’s public universities are important issues for the upcoming November election, said Sen. Kevin Coughlin, state representative for the 27th district.

“In my view, higher education has been undervalued in government,” Coughlin said. “Do we have a university that is great worldwide?”

Coughlin, who is running for re-election this November, spoke to about 20 students at the College Republicans meeting last night at the Student Center.

“(Coughlin) is one of the biggest proponents of our group,” said Elizabeth Eisaman, president of College Republicans. “He’s been involved with our group for as long as I can remember.”

Coughlin is in his 10th year working in legislature and began with two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Coughlin discussed the issues he is currently working on, as well as his campaign. Most recently, Coughlin said he has been concentrating on his position as the chairman of the Health, Human Services and Aging Committee.

But Coughlin placed the most emphasis of his speech on his campaign.

“There is going to be a big emphasis this year on jobs and economy – our manufacturing economy,” Coughlin said. “Our economy isn’t always going to be based on that.”

He stressed that “advanced technology” will be important in Ohio to help attract Americans from other states to live and work in Ohio.

“It will, in turn, attract more businesses,” Coughlin said.

Contact student politics reporter Kali Price at [email protected].