Jim Obergefell, Whose Case Ended U.S. Ban on Gay Marriage, Running for Ohio House Seat
newsweek.comSupreme Court case legalizing same-sex marriage, announced he is running for a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives.Obergefell moved back to his hometown of Sandusky, Ohio, in 2021 to be closer to his family.
This puts him in the 89th House District. The Ohio Supreme Court ordered the district, currently held by Republican D.J. Swearingen, to draw new boundaries.Obergefell, who grew up in Sandusky, said he's seen people leave because of job opportunities and wants to bring jobs back to the area."I'll put jobs in working people first so we can rebuild our communities," Obergefell said in a campaign video.In addition to creating more job opportunities for his community, he said another priority is protecting Lake Erie, vital to the Erie and Ottawa county economies."When I look at Lake Erie, I see tourism, drinking water for our communities and jobs.
I see opportunity. I also see the place where I grew up and learned my values from my parents," he said.Obergefell said he learned about being a champion and standing up for what's right during the Supreme Court case, Obergefell v.
Hodges. The case involved getting his marriage to John Arthur, who was dying of Lou Gehrig's disease, recognized nationwide.Since his home state of Ohio had a ban on same-sex marriage, the pair elected to get married in Maryland.
