Ohio's 8th Congressional District encompasses five counties in southwest and western Ohio, including Butler, Darke and Preble counties, and portions of Hamilton and Miami counties. Former House Speaker John Boehner held the seat from 1991 to 2015, when he resigned. Warren Davidson was elected to finish Boehner's final term and has held the position since 2016.
Learn more about Democratic candidate Vanessa Enoch below. Republican candidate Warren Davidson did not respond to multiple requests, via email and phone, to complete the candidate survey. You can learn more about Davidson's campaign on his website.
Candidates were given the same survey questions and word limit of no more than 300 words to respond to each question. All candidate responses have been lightly edited for grammar and style.
Vanessa Enoch
Campaign website: enochforcongress.com
What, if anything, needs to be done at the federal level to address concerns about the environmental, financial and quality-of-life impacts of data centers?
Growth should lift our communities, not leave them with the bill. Economic development must pay its own way. Right now, families in Darke County and across Southwest Ohio are being asked to absorb the cost of grid upgrades built for massive data centers. I would fight for a firm federal cost-causation standard so the companies that drive new transmission and generation costs pay for them. I would also strengthen the Ratepayer Protection Act beyond its weak "consider" standard and push the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to closely oversee how PJM Interconnection allocates transmission costs and runs its capacity auction. Protections like AEP Ohio's take-or-pay tariff should reach every Ohio ratepayer, including AES Ohio customers. On the environmental side, I support federal reporting requirements for data centers' water and energy use, incentives for on-site clean power and water recycling and a real voice for local communities before land, water and transmission corridors are committed. I'll measure success by residential electric bills that don't rise to subsidize corporate growth, transparent public reporting on every large facility and communities that share in the jobs and tax base.
Immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration have often moved beyond people suspected or convicted of serious violent crimes. Do you support this approach? Why or why not?
I believe our country can be both secure and humane, and that the law should be applied with fairness and good judgment. I support vigorous enforcement against people who threaten public safety: violent offenders, traffickers and cartels. I do not support the current approach of sweeping up workers, parents and longtime neighbors who have no serious criminal record. That approach separates families, frightens entire communities away from reporting crimes and strips workers from farms, factories and small businesses that Ohio's economy depends on. It also pulls limited enforcement resources away from real threats, and too often it has disregarded due process protections that belong to everyone. I would prioritize funding for immigration courts to reduce backlogs, focus enforcement on genuine public safety threats, require clear accountability and transparency from enforcement agencies and pass comprehensive reform with an earned path to legal status and a modern legal immigration system that meets workforce needs. Success means safer neighborhoods, fewer backlogs, a stable workforce and a system Americans can trust to be both firm and fair.
What steps would you take to address high inflation and other cost of living concerns?
Every family deserves to make it to the end of the month with something left over. Several of the biggest price pressures in our district today come from Washington's own choices. Broad tariffs work like a sales tax on families and small businesses, and we have illegally entered what appears to be a forever war that is draining our limited resources, and the prolonged war has sent gas prices climbing. I would work to replace across-the-board tariffs with targeted trade enforcement and to press for a diplomatic path that stabilizes energy markets. Beyond that, I would take on the costs that squeeze households most. On health care, I would expand Medicare and drug price negotiation and cap out-of-pocket costs. On housing, I would boost supply through incentives for local zoning reform, fund the development of affordable housing supply and down-payment help for first-time buyers. I would also invest in affordable childcare, crack down on junk fees and price gouging and hold utilities accountable so energy bills stay fair. I'll know we're succeeding when real wages outpace prices, and families spend less on rent, prescriptions, childcare and utilities.
What is your stance on the Trump administration’s approach to Iran? And what do you think the U.S. should aim to get out of it?
I believe American strength is measured by how wisely we use it and that decisions about war belong to Congress and the American people. Iran's regime is a genuine danger, and it must never obtain a nuclear weapon. But this administration took the country into a war without congressional authorization or a clearly defined objective. The results have included threats to annihilate an entire nation, American service members placed in harm's way, a disrupted Strait of Hormuz and gas prices that Ohio families feel every week. I would insist that Congress reclaim its constitutional war powers and require a clear strategy with defined goals and an exit plan. The U.S. should work toward a negotiated, verifiable agreement that permanently prevents an Iranian nuclear weapon, fully and reliably reopens the Strait of Hormuz, brings our troops home safely and builds regional security with our allies rather than open-ended conflict. Success means a verified end to Iran's nuclear path, a ceasefire that holds, stable energy prices and no more Americans lost in a war Congress never approved.
What legislation would you introduce to improve our roads, bridges and transit, and how would you fund it?
Good infrastructure is the foundation of opportunity, whether it's getting a farmer's crop to market, a worker to a shift or a child to school. As Congress writes the next surface transportation bill, I would introduce "Fix It First" legislation. It would prioritize repairing deteriorating roads and bridges before new expansion, create dedicated funding for rural bridges and county roads, expand transit and paratransit options connecting workers to jobs across I-75 and our regional corridors and fund safety improvements for pedestrians and rural highways. Small communities should get technical assistance so they can compete for grants that currently favor places with large grant-writing staffs. To pay for it, I would stabilize the Highway Trust Fund by modernizing its revenue sources, including a fair fee for electric and heavy vehicles that reflects their road use. I would close corporate tax loopholes rather than raise taxes on working families, and I would use Build America Bonds to leverage private investment responsibly. Success means fewer structurally deficient bridges, shorter commutes, safer roads and good-paying local construction jobs.
Your district includes a wide swath of urban, suburban and rural communities. How do you plan to represent the unique needs of each one?
I believe every neighbor deserves a representative who shows up, listens and delivers, whether they live on a farm in Darke or Preble County, a subdivision in Butler or Miami County or a neighborhood in Hamilton County. This district's communities share more than people think: rising costs, health care access, good jobs and safe roads. Their specific needs differ, though. Rural families need broadband, strong farm and commodity policy, rural hospitals and fair utility rates. Suburban families are focused on housing costs, schools, childcare and traffic. Urban neighborhoods need investment in transit, good jobs, public safety and affordable housing. I would open accessible district offices and run mobile office hours in every county, form community advisory councils that include farmers, small business owners, faith leaders, educators and young people and hold regular town halls in all parts of the district, not just the convenient ones. Our office will also help local governments of every size win federal grants. Success means constituents in every corner of this district can say their congresswoman knows them, hears them and brings resources home.
Warren Davidson
Party affiliation: Republican
Campaign website: davidsonforcongress.com
Editor's note: Davidson did not respond to multiple requests, via email and phone, to complete the candidate survey.
