Race for Representative: Rep. Don Jones

Photo via: donjonesforohio.com

Rep. Don Jones is running for the 95th District seat of the Ohio House of Representatives. Jones is the incumbent candidate, and his challenger on Nov. 5 is Athens City Councilmember, Micah McCarey. Jones would be entering his fourth term if elected. 

Jones was a teacher for 23 years prior to his involvement in politics. To Jones, “experience is the best teacher.” He added, “I’m in my third term, or my junior year as some like to say, and I’ve really hit my stride. For my fourth term, I look to finish strong.”

Jones believes in the importance of education. He acknowledged the expansion of Ohio’s school voucher program and stated, “I’m not opposed to any parent having the opportunity to decide what’s best for their child.”

The topic of school funding and educational vouchers is controversial because the vouchers aim to make alternative schooling more accessible, but increasing state funding for such vouchers would detract from the funding of public schools. Voucher proponents stand by the parent’s choice to pursue whatever education may be right for their child, while opponents point to the possible consequences of reducing already scarce public school funding.

Jones argued that although he may not agree with every aspect of such policies, some students have different educational needs, and the option of alternative schooling is important for them. Still, he acknowledged the possibility of school vouchers contributing to educational disparities, arguing that the legislature should “level the playing field,” because not all educational institutions are held to the same standards.  

Jones stated from experience that teachers do appreciate the freedom to teach without constraints, but he also emphasized the importance of consistent standards and curriculum to follow. He added that there should be an unbiased curriculum that is approved by a given district’s school board, and, if families have concerns regarding the curriculum, they should make their voices heard within their communities.

In terms of environmentalism and climate change, Jones approached the issue as a farmer. When asked how farmers could work to reduce their impact on the climate, Jones responded by asking, “What is everyone else doing? Our goal is to feed the world, and to do it in the most efficient way that we can, because we’re less than 1% of the population.” 

“There are a lot of things that are beyond our control,” Jones said, citing many recent natural disasters. “I don’t know that anybody can pinpoint one specific thing that’s causing that, you know? I think we also have to remember that we’re not in control of everything that happens in our world.”

However, Jones referenced efforts that farmers have made to make agriculture more climate-friendly and environmentally friendly, including cutting back on harmful pesticides and fertilizers.

When it comes to issues of sustainability and renewable energy, Jones recalled that Ohio used to generate more than enough energy for itself, but the state has started having to import electricity from elsewhere. Ohio’s current nuclear plants are also nearing the end of their lives.

Jones added that solar panels are beneficial on a small scale, like assisting with powering individual homes. However, he discussed the difficulty and impracticality of implementing forms of renewable energy on a large scale, particularly within the 95th District. 

For example, windmills are not sustainable in Southeastern Ohio, as opposed to other regions like Northern Ohio. “The wind currents are simply not here,” Jones said. He suggested utilizing Ohio’s natural gas, prioritizing “[keeping] the lights on.”

When asked about gun violence, Jones shared that he believes that bolstering mental health resources is a possible reasonable way to address and abate mass violence. He also acknowledged the importance of the Second Amendment to many voters in the 95th District. He suggested that many people have different views on gun-related issues, as well as the merits and drawbacks of arming teachers. He brought up the concern that when school funding is cut, many counseling resources decrease, which could limit students’ access to mental health support. 

“This is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart. My wife is a fifth-grade teacher…it is every parent’s greatest fear to lose a child,” Jones said. He also discussed action on the state level to work with Ohio’s School Safety Center, saying: “[We need] to have safety plans in place, to make sure our students are always safe.”

When asked about the opioid crisis, Jones shared that the state legislature has been working on ways to help and even recently broke ground on a new addiction facility in St. Clairsville, Ohio. He also addressed the fact that many people go to addiction centers, detox, return home and relapse. That is indicative of a lack of resources to support people as they continue their recovery, and Jones emphasized the importance of directing more funding in resources in those directions.

Another important issue to voters is the economy and job market. On this topic, Jones argued that Ohio has a surplus of jobs, with 40,000 to 50,000 jobs visibly offered through Ohio Means Jobs alone. At the time of publication, that number is over 100,000. Some of the jobs are high-paying and some are even accessible without a college degree. The issue is that most of those jobs are not in this region of Ohio. 

“It’s hard to find people that want to work.” Jones continued, “We have to work on workforce development,” explaining his belief that there are countless jobs for young people that are relatively attainable, and class options focused on careers and trades could promote interest in such jobs. 

On the topic of healthcare, Jones first discussed the cost. He brought up issues of affordability and price inflation that can end up hurting businesses and people alike. He also discussed a bill the legislature is working on to improve medical pricing transparency. “Our healthcare system and our insurance system are very skewed in the fact that there is really no one keeping them in check,” Jones said. 

Regardless of personal belief, Jones acknowledged and respected Ohio’s decision to protect abortion rights in the 2023 Election. However, he expressed support for parental rights in aiding minors with decision-making when it comes to such issues. “Every situation is different…I believe it should be between a patient and their doctor, I do. But if they’re under the age of 18, their parents need to be involved as well,” Jones said. “These are our kids.”

When asked about Ohio’s involvement in foreign affairs and investment in Israeli Bonds, Jones asserted that legislators must listen to their constituents. He said that the state should be making good investments, and added that he was not aware of the bonds and would do further research into when they were purchased. He also asserted his “America First” stance, saying, “We have to take care of our folks here at home, first and foremost. We’ve got a situation right now in our country that we are not doing a very good job with.” 

Jones added that his heart breaks for those in situations in other states and countries. However, as a member of the state legislature, he argued that he could not do anything other than his job of focusing on the state of Ohio.

“I work for everybody,” Jones said. “When someone calls my office, I don’t ask them what their party is…We may not always agree on everything, and that’s okay,” Jones said. “There is a whole lot more that unites us than divides us. I think you always have to understand that there are going to be certain topics we are never going to agree on, and that’s okay. That’s part of a healthy society.”