Candidates emerge at Auglaize Democratic Dinner

By Bob Tomaszewski - Freelance Reporter (The Community Post)

Several candidates shared their views at the annual Auglaize County Democratic Party Fall Dinner, including state and US congressional candidates.

Locally, Ari Childrey (D-St. Marys) announced her candidacy for the 84th state house district in 2024, taking on Angie King.

“I was hoping that there would be someone else who would step up,” Childrey said after the recent drag show ban and protest. Childrey explained Angie King had put a statement saying that protestors were adults fighting for the right to “twerk and gyrate” in front of children.

“When we have all of the hate in our district, Angie King had an opportunity to speak out and say these are people practicing their rights under the Constitution,” Childrey said. “She leaned into the hatred. Our group saw it. We got death threats shortly after that. People saying that at the next protest they were going to drive a car through our event.”

Childrey said there was no more sitting on the sidelines for her.

Childrey said while King has been in office “there have been attacks on minority groups right and left and no effort to do anything to actually help constituents in the 84th district.

“We are going to take this battle to her,” Childrey said pledging to campaign all over the district. “We are going to fight to make sure people actually have an option on the ballot. I could not be more different than Angie King.”

Childrey sees opportunity for more rural broadband projects in the 84th district and expand tech and union labor opportunities.

“Not only am I a loudmouth trans woman that doesn’t care what anybody says, I am the wife of a union worker,” Childrey said.

Childrey also wants to fight for fair education funding and stop moving money to private voucher systems. She wants to see an end to poverty wages in education and teachers buying their own classroom supplies.

Childrey wants to see tax code revisions to ensure those at the top pay their fair share to benefit the poor and middle class.

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