Latta challenger: It's not personal

FINDLAY — A paramedic is challenging Bob Latta's bid on March 19 for the Republican nomination for his reelection to represent Ohio's 5th Congressional District. Robert L. Owsiak Jr., 38, of Sheffield Lake, believes the incumbent has been in Washington, D.C., too long. It's nothing personal against Latta. It's just that 16 years is too long for anybody to be in the halls of the U.S. House of Representatives, Owsiak said. "I feel like there's a disconnect between the higher-ups in Congress and the 1 percenters apart from the people who work two jobs to make ends meet," Owsiak said. "I would like to be a bridge to that. "I just thought it's time for a change because I'm a firm believer in term limits and not having the same people in the same roles for decades," he said. "They lose touch with what it's like to struggle and be an everyday person." Besides working full time as a paramedic in Elyria, Owsiak works part time for a tree removal business. The big issue over which Owsiak disagrees with Latta is over abortion. "He's against abortion and I'm OK with it," Owsiak said. "That's the real huge difference between me and him. Other than that, I don't think he's done a bad job. I have nothing against the guy, personally." The winner on March 19 will face Democrat Keith Mundy in the November general election. U.S. representatives serve two-year terms. The 5th District includes Hancock, Wyandot, Seneca, Putnam, Henry, Wood and six other counties. Spending cuts Latta, 67, of Bowling Green, favors reductions in federal spending. He blames massive spending by congressional Democrats for the rise in prices of groceries and other goods. "When you have the federal government adding to the debt … When you're looking at a $35 trillion national debt right now, it just made everything skyrocket," he said. Interest rates rose. "For people to borrow money today, it's more expensive to buy a house, buy a car, buy a washing machine, buy a new dishwasher — go down the list," Latta said. "It's going to make it harder for people to buy these products." Energy As a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Latta has spoken out against the Energy Department's pause on pending approvals of exports of liquefied natural gas. The Biden administration has said the pending shipments' impact on climate change must be analyzed. Currently approved exports will be unaffected. Latta said the move could come at the cost of jobs and purchasing power. The rise in exports of liquefied natural gas in recent years has kept natural gas prices relatively stable and affordable, he said. Affordable energy is critical in the 5th Congressional District, which has 86,000 manufacturing jobs, Latta said. "If I don't have affordable energy, it's going to be a very expensive product and we can't compete," he said. "Energy and affordable energy for my district is essential because I have the largest manufacturing district in the state of Ohio." Latta last fall proposed the Nuclear Fuel Security Act, with bipartisan support, to establish and expand critical U.S. nuclear fuel programs to boost domestic uranium mining, production, enrichment, and conversion capacity. Latta is trying to reduce American dependence upon foreign sources of energy. In the case of nuclear power, the concern is over reliance upon Russia, he said. Border security Latta called President Biden's border security policy a "disaster." "We've got to get this thing under control," he said. Foreign drug cartels have been allowed to conduct human and child trafficking and to smuggle lethal drugs into the country, causing crisis in Ohio and every other state, Latta said. Guns, speech Owsiak said he is a firm believer in the Second Amendment to the Constitution. "I love guns. I have multiple. I think that having the right to bear arms is very important to keep the government in check," he said. With all of the talk about stricter gun regulations surrounding mass shootings, Owsiak is concerned the Second Amendment is in danger of being eroded. "I don't think there should be any more regulations on guns. The people that are doing these mass shootings and stuff like that, there is something mentally wrong with them," he said. "So it goes to mental health, or criminal activity, the gun violence from gangs, the drug trade, stuff like that. "I don't think making more laws for law-abiding citizens and taking their rights away is going to help that problem because if somebody's a sociopath or psychopath that has it set in their mind that they want to kill a bunch of people, they're going to find a way to do it," Owsiak said. "If you have it set in your mind that you want to hurt people, you're going to find a way." He also is a staunch proponent of the First Amendment. "I'm a firm believer in the right of free speech, even if it is something you disagree with or is mean or hateful. I think that should be protected. That needs to be protected," Owsiak said. "I don't want to give the government the right to say what is mean or hateful. I don't want to give the government more power than it already has."