Meet the candidates: Three Democrats vie for 12th district house seat - The Reporting Project
The Reporting Project – Covering Licking County, Ohio
Three Democrats are vying for the party’s nomination for the 12th district house seat, hoping to run against incumbent Republican Troy Balderson of Zanesville in the 2026 midterm election. The district spans across Licking, Fairfield, Knox, Muskingum, Coshocton, Guernsey, Morgan, Perry, Delaware, Holmes, Tuscarawas and Athens counties.
Ohio’s primary election is Tuesday, May 5. Polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Jerrad Christian, who grew up in Athens County and currently lives in Galena, joined the military in 2002.
“It was either I worked at the factory or in the military,” Christian told The Reporting Project. During his service, Christian fueled planes during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He later trained as a software engineer and used the GI bill to access higher education, but the road to financial security was long and bumpy.
This run marks Christian’s second campaign for the seat; He previously ran …