General Election 2022: Four candidates face off in 7th US Congressional District race

Four candidates are vying for control of the 7th U.S. Congressional District in what has become a crowded race.

The Democrat Matthew Diemer is running against Republican Max Miller. But two write-in candidates running as independents−Vince Licursi and Brian Kenderes−hope to provide a third option for voters.

Miller was not available for comment and did not respond to email requests.

More: On the ballot: General election 2022: Here's what's on the ballot in Ashland, Wayne and Holmes counties

The newly drawn district runs from Southern Cuyahoga County through the entirety of Medina and Wayne counties into a northern sliver of Holmes County.

Matthew Diemer

Cleveland-native Diemer's top issues include women's rights such as abortion access, correcting supply chain issues, improving health care, putting more money in workers' pockets, focusing on clean energy and protecting Social Security benefits.

Improving health care, Diemer said, means expanding insurance coverage via Medicaid while capping the costs of medicine.

"My girlfriend works at MetroHealth in Cleveland; most of her patients come there by foot, carpool or (use) public transportation," he told a group of voters at a League of Women Voters Candidates Night. "A patient was kicked out to free up a bed at 3 a.m. and their only way home was public transportation."

He said patients shouldn't be removed from hospital beds with no dependable way home.

Additionally, he hopes to bring the different communities of the 7th district together.

As a child, Diemer's father often moved for work. Living in communities like Chardon, Solon and Bay Village, Diemer said he has experience in urban and rural communities.

"I lived in many of these places, some of my mentors are from rural communities," he told the Daily Record in April.

"No one wants to see anyone else's point of view," Diemer said in April. "I want to navigate solutions and work together."

Vince Licursi, write-in

The first of two write-in candidates is Vince Licursi, 35, who has no political affiliation.

Licursi joined the congressional race because he believes voters should have more options at the polls and wants to see defense-related spending reduced.

"I could not find a single politician that wanted peace," said Licursi, who has worked in sales and distribution and is a school baseball coach. "War costs trillions in damages and over 200 people per day are paying for it with their lives."

For him, peace equals stability, he said. If elected, he hopes that withdrawing from conflicts will bring about a lower cost of living and better living standards in the U.S.

"You can be pro-military and pro-peace, the two are not mutually exclusive," he wrote on his campaign website. "Peace brings global stability and a better life for everyone."

He said eliminating tariffs would ease international tensions and help Ohio workers. At the same time, he wants to remove the federal income tax overtime, he said.

Licursi would aim to mandate personal finance lessons and physical fitness programs, he said. For him, this would address personal debt and a growing "health problem."

If elected, Licursi said he would donate 100% of his congressional pay to local organizations, including the Parma Animal Shelter, Cleveland Metroparks, Akron Children's Hospital, Feed Medina City, Fraternal Order of Police and Global Peace.

Brian Kenderes, write-in

A self-described moderate conservative Christian, the 40-year-old Kenderes aims to be a write-in alternative option for Republicans tired of extreme politics.

"I want to be a counter to Jan. 6 and Max Miller," said the Brunswick native and chairman of I Can Schools. "Christians can't support traitors like Max Miller, Donald Trump and those at January 6."

Kenderes said both men tried to undermine democracy by stoking an insurrection in Washington, D.C., that led to the events of Jan. 6.

"We have a Christian candidate, and I have called out the church saying we can't support Trump or Max Miller," he said. "The Church needs to lead the Republican party away from Trump."

Despite this divergence from other Republicans, he supports many conservative issues, including abortion.

"I 100 percent agree that we need to end abortion, but we need to do it responsibly," he said.

For Kenederes, this means improving adoptive care, foster and support services for mothers and children.

He also wants to improve legislative oversight of the judicial branch, citing activist judges who "make up laws."

With a background as a care coordinator at Applewood Centers, mental health is a top issue for Kenderes.

"There is a natural fear of mental health, but we need to educate the population and help people by planning and walking them through times of crisis," he said. "I'm very open with my mental health; I have PTSD and it's a constant fight."

If elected, he hopes to expand mental health services.

While he also hopes to address inflation and focus on clean energy, Kenderes said he wants to do all of this with bipartisan support.

"I like Diemer's moderate approach because I think bipartisanship will make us a family," Kenderes said. "The Trumps and the Max Millers are tearing that family apart."

Max Miller

Max Miller started his career in the United States Marine Corps Reserve before becoming an aide to President Donald Trump.

When he declared his intention to run in 2021, Trump quickly endorsed his former senior adviser.

A Cleveland native, Miller serves on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, according to his website.

His website outlines several key policies he would support if elected.

Miller would support restarting construction on a border wall with Mexico to limit immigration and take aim at corporations that limit free speech. He would support legislation that would ban Critical Race Theory in schools and limit "anti-American propaganda," a reference to Trump's controversial 1776 Project.

He "wants to get gender ideology out of schools," according to his Twitter, referencing anti-LGBTQ efforts in schools and library systems.

He would limit federal spending and oppose movements to defund the police.

To learn more about Miller's campaign, visit his website.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: 7th US Congressional race has 2 write-ins along with party candidates