Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman
Greg Landsman is seeking a new political role beyond that of Cincinnati City Councilman.
On Jan. 6, Landsman, a Democrat, announced he would be running for Congress in Ohio's 1st Congressional District, seeking to unseat Steve Chabot. Chabot, a Republican, has represented the district since 2011, and from 1995 to 2009.
“As a father of two, I see first-hand how Washington isn’t doing enough to help families in our community,” said Landsman when announcing his candidacy. “We desperately need better leadership in Congress, and that’s why I’m running.”
He also said Chabot is "part of the chaos in Washington that is undermining our efforts here at home."
“We can no longer be represented by someone who voted against relief checks for families, voted against rebuilding the Brent Spence Bridge, voted against funding to reopen schools and support for frontline workers, and voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election,” Landsman said.
Landsman has been on city council since 2017. A former public school teacher, he is viewed as an advocate for families and education. In 2016, he led the drive to convince voters to pass a tax levy for Cincinnati’s Preschool Promise, which ensures "equitable access to high- quality preschools," per its website. He also touts his work for the county's infrastructure and transportation.
Back in a 2018 interview with CityBeat, Landsman was concerned about the same issues, wanting the city to focus on "reducing poverty and growing our middle class, transforming our public transit system, fixing the Western Hills Viaduct, investing in neighborhood revitalization efforts" and working for a "modernized public transit system that gets people where they want to go."
In 2021, he also re-established the city's "Safe and Clean" fund for neighborhood community projects like security cameras, better lighting, signage and cleanup efforts, all of which contribute to lower criminal opportunities.
His listed endorsements include newly-sworn-in Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus, Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey, and State Senator Cecil Thomas, among others.
“Councilman Landsman is going to help us get off to a great start at City Hall, and then we need him in Congress to fight for the investments we desperately need: ensuring we get funding for the Brent Spence Bridge, money for roads and other bridges, and continuing the support for our city and families as we recover from this pandemic," says Kearney.
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