2023 marks my 37th year of heavy involvement in Ohio politics. Over those nearly four decades, I confess that I have made many mistakes. But I have also learned lessons and grown from those mistakes. The most important lessons that I have learned is the importance of being gracious in victory and humble in defeat.
In June of 2019, after a bitterly contested Speaker fight, I stood and chatted with the then Speaker at his birthday fundraiser. I told him that this was hard because there sure were a lot of people there that weren't at his event last year. He gave me great advice. He said, "Scott, don't hold grudges, go in there and make friends." So I did.
Likewise, in August of this year, after spending around $15,000 or so of my personal funds, I lost a very close primary to a well funded incumbent House member. It would have been easy to become bitter and pout, but I refused to do so. Instead, I publicly endorsed my former opponent and urged you all to support and vote for him. I then went back to work to help elect Republicans.
Its long past time that our newly elected representatives in the Ohio House learn these same lessons. While Derek Merrin won the majority of House Republicans to be Speaker, he squandered that vote by being vindictive and vengeful to his former opponents.
Its been reported that he had former Majority Leader Bill Seitz physically ejected from his statehouse office in December. He refused to even call his former opponents and threatened them with retaliation, loss of committees and primary opponents. Even today, he has declared himself the Leader of what he is now calling the Republican Majority Caucus.
Sadly, Knox County's two new representatives in the Ohio House, Beth Lear and Darrell Kick remain a part of this childish nonsense. I urge them to put this quickly behind them and work together with duly elected Speaker Jason Stephens. We have too many important issues that are important for Coshocton, Holmes, and Knox Counties for this infighting to carry on. Thank you.
Scott Pullins
In June of 2019, after a bitterly contested Speaker fight, I stood and chatted with the then Speaker at his birthday fundraiser. I told him that this was hard because there sure were a lot of people there that weren't at his event last year. He gave me great advice. He said, "Scott, don't hold grudges, go in there and make friends." So I did.
Likewise, in August of this year, after spending around $15,000 or so of my personal funds, I lost a very close primary to a well funded incumbent House member. It would have been easy to become bitter and pout, but I refused to do so. Instead, I publicly endorsed my former opponent and urged you all to support and vote for him. I then went back to work to help elect Republicans.
Its long past time that our newly elected representatives in the Ohio House learn these same lessons. While Derek Merrin won the majority of House Republicans to be Speaker, he squandered that vote by being vindictive and vengeful to his former opponents.
Its been reported that he had former Majority Leader Bill Seitz physically ejected from his statehouse office in December. He refused to even call his former opponents and threatened them with retaliation, loss of committees and primary opponents. Even today, he has declared himself the Leader of what he is now calling the Republican Majority Caucus.
Sadly, Knox County's two new representatives in the Ohio House, Beth Lear and Darrell Kick remain a part of this childish nonsense. I urge them to put this quickly behind them and work together with duly elected Speaker Jason Stephens. We have too many important issues that are important for Coshocton, Holmes, and Knox Counties for this infighting to carry on. Thank you.
Scott Pullins
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