Michael Scarmack, ’24 Meet the Candidate

Michael Scarmack is running against incumbent Jeff LaRe to represent Ohio House District 73.

October 13, 2024
By Rachel Scofield

Michael Scarmack decided to run for the Ohio House of Representatives to “give voters a choice be they Democrats, Unaffiliated Citizens and disgruntled Republicans, in a gerrymandered district, to balance the legislative field within the Ohio House General Assembly.”

“We are running a race to work for our grandchildren’s future based on logic, science, and in the interests of the reasonable compassionate majority of people in our House District 73.”

Good in Ohio House District 73

“The most special part of the district is its natural environs that includes diverse treed hills, vast plains of agricultural farms i.e. ‘Fairfields and Greenfields’, slow moving rivers and creeks, criss-crossed with pedestrian trails within the precious conserved forests,” Scarmack said.

“There exists a continuum of history with built artifacts that have survived our prehistoric beginnings surrounding us. The Great Hopewell Road, an ancient trail from Oregonia runs through Chillicothe to Newark, crossing Fairfield County, and within a mere mile from our home. This is very good for us to know; particularly how other indigenous peoples revered the land.”

Improving Ohio House District 73

Scarmack believes the district needs to protect its “finite natural resources with forward thinking strategies”. He also would like to see “transit solutions such that hours a week are not consumed sitting in rush hour parking lots”.

He feels that it is “essential” for communities to rediscover a respect for people, land, air and water.

“Individualistic-only freedoms have left us with a culture of human wastefulness,” Scarmack said. “This activity has destroyed our upper atmosphere globally and unless rehabilitated the outcome for future generations is extremely serious.”

It is his goal to meld people of various backgrounds and political affiliations into a “sea of purple”.

“Most of us share commonly the daily activities of living,” Scarmack said. “Ahhhh, the atmosphere of commonality moves us.”

Policies Scarmack would implement.

“I will continue the path I have traveled the past decades as an apprentice and a registered architect by insisting on sound, safe, and accessible policies for the health and safety of residents and the general public, while being compliant with the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions,” Scarmack said.

To accomplish these goals, Scarmack is for supporting sustainability practices, insuring that public education is available to all and codifying gun safety measures

He intends to see that the common good is served with “every thought, word, and deed in the capacities of a state representative.”

This includes policymaking with a focus on conserving resources and reducing waste, thus contributing to long-term climatic stability by utilizing materials to minimize environmental impact. He also plans to work towards enhanced energy efficiency.

Scarmack promises to be “honest and transparent with all constituents to address their needs and dreams consistently avoiding any and all conflicts of interest.”

“Know that I am, Michael Scarmack, an Ohioan who cares … for our home. I invite all the readers here to visit scarmack.net and solemnly consider being active in our HD 73 campaign by letting us know who you are, and the issues that drive you.”

“You are encouraged to use your voice as a volunteer, and a as donor, and as a patriotic citizen who also cares for our common home. Signups are on the webpage.”

Voting matters.

Scarmack said that voting matters as illustrated by the “A, B and C of political activism:

A. “Help reclaim democracy in Ohio for its citizens, to displace rogue policies, fraught from gerrymandered districts, led by theocrats and kleptocrats that cater to special interest, ignoring the reasonable majority of citizens, in this keen moment of Ohio history.”

B.” Work for all citizens to have freedoms to speak freely, believe with personal independence, able to live with one’s own choices (i.e. reproductive freedoms), without harm to anyone, and for all to have fulfilling life void of fear from those others doing their best to control people and / or being injurious to earth.”

C. “Not only in Ohio do we live under political chaos, as most of us are aware, we also live under climatic chaos. Safe levels for CO2 in the upper atmosphere are 350 ppm today we stand at 426 ppm leading us to a dire future for all earthlings, if policies are not immediately changed as climatologists profess.

Promotion of the strongest measures to protect the air, the water, and the land have been, always will be, foremost to making policy for benefit of all species on earth. It is why I am typed as an ‘earth architect’, and branded as a “healthy materials advocate”. Each choice and decision we make individually or collectively has consequences to the entire globe about us.”

Scarmack’s Family and Childhood

Scarmack was born in his mother’s hometown of Opp, Alabama where his grandparents worked at a cotton gin. His father had grown up in a Pennsylvanian steel mill town and joined the Air Force at an early age. He was serving in Korea when Scarmack was born.

Two years later, his father was assigned to the ROTC program in Athens, Ohio for nine years during which time Scarmack attended St. Paul’s parochial school. The family moved to Laon, France then a year later to Cordenons, Italy. After a three-year tour in Oklahoma, the family returned to Athens. Scarmack’s three brothers and two sisters all attended Ohio University.

Scarmack and his wife Stacey have “four loving children and five extraordinary grandchildren.”

The couple also shares their home with a nine-year-old tripod Pomeranian named “Baci” (little kisses) and “Olive” a sixteen-year-old cat.

Scarmack’s Interests & Hobbies

In addition to be a member of the Fairfield County Democratic Party and serving as a central committee member for the Greenfield Township ‘B’ Democrats, Scarmack has been involved with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for 34 years and “has a place within the Roman Catholic Church.”

For as many years as he can recall, writing has been Scarmack’s passion and in recent years he has published a blog at zoetic.substack.com.

“I often look to learning from the family tree in genealogical ventures that inform a world view of life,” Scarmack said. “I like a good game of Bocce, the western world’s oldest game – call me a ‘traditionalist’.”

What Supporters Say About Scarmack

There are two issues which are most important to me.

A women’s access to reproductive healthcare is essential. Medical decisions are between a patient and the Doctor. We don’t need the government to interfere.

Access to quality public education is the foundation of our society. The Republicans have been taking money away from public education and paying for private education with public money. This needs to stop, and public education should be funded properly.

Because these two issues are strongly echoed in the current House District 73 campaign, I believe Michael Scarmack is the best candidate for our district.

Tony Barletta
Former Pickerington City Council Member

Michael is smart, caring, and committed to improving the lives of all of us. A first requirement for that is that each of our voices matters, and that the rule of law matters, but Republican supermajorities in the Ohio Legislature have forgotten that.

Immediately after the people of Ohio voted to put reproductive freedom in the Ohio Constitution, Republican legislators were scheming how to undermine the will of the people.

For decades, the Republican majority has been doing the will of big donors, not the will of the people. Former Speaker Householder’s scheme for the benefit of First Energy was so far over the line as to be highly criminal, yet HB6 has not been entirely repealed. The corruption is deeply embedded in our Republican-controlled state government, the exact opposite of acting for the good of the people.

Michael Scarmack recognizes the corruption for what it is and stands up for the rights of all of us; he will continually ask how a policy affects the people whose voices are not being heard.

Charlotte Owens
Former Candidate for the Ohio House

Scarmack has also been endorsed by: