Klopfenstein, Penner vie for GOP nod in 82nd District

Jul. 17—OTTAWA — With a new state district map in place and Rep. Craig Riedel, R-Defiance, making what was ultimately an unsuccessful bid for Congress, Ohio's 82nd District has both a new look and new candidates aiming to represent the area in the House of Representatives.

The district will now include all of Putnam, Paulding and Van Wert counties, as well as the southern part of Defiance County. Seeking the Republican nomination on Aug. 2 are Paulding County Commissioner Ted Klopfenstein and attorney Ted Penner, who lives just outside Defiance. The winner of this primary will face off against Van Wert Democrat Magdalene Markward, who is running unopposed in the primary.

Both Klopfenstein and Penner have long-standing ties to their respective communities, with both seeing that as a strength in their campaign.

"I was born and raised here in Paulding County," Klopfenstein said. "I actually live on the homestead I was born in."

"I live northwest of Defiance about a mile from where I grew up," Penner said. "So I've been here almost my whole life."

Klopfenstein has been farming since 1980 and has also run a custom harvesting business in the area. His public service experience has been with the Paulding County Board of Commissioners, serving there since 2013. Along with working as an attorney and accountant, Penner also has public service experience, serving as a township trustee for 14 years and as a township fiscal officer for six, while also serving as treasurer for the local school board.

Reasons for running

Both candidates saw this open seat as an opportunity to expand their public service outside of the township and county level and into the broader region.

"I'll be 58 this fall, and having transitioned out of the farm and reduced the practice to just my longstanding clients, I took a look and I'm at the right time in my life for the opportunity to serve a broader constituency," Penner said. "I believe I have the experience and some talents to where it made sense to try and see if I could make an impact in Columbus."

"People reached out to me and wanted me to consider doing it," Klopfenstein said. "It certainly is a new opportunity to serve and give back to not only Paulding County but also the surrounding counties that make up the 82nd District. When we have the opportunity to serve and take the experiences we have and improve things more for our community, it's our duty to take on that challenge."

Plans for Columbus

One issue Klopfenstein hopes to address in Columbus is combating what he sees as government overreach into personal medical decisions in the wake of the COVID epidemic, saying that "when the government tries to get between the patient and a doctor, not good things happen." He also wants to ensure that the state-level health-related mandates in public schools are not reinstated and that such decisions are made by local school boards.

"I want to protect our way of life in the 82nd District and protect the parents' rights when it comes to making decisions for their children when they go to school," he said.

Penner wants to work to encourage further economic development in the region and the state, saying that term encompasses so many areas that impact the lives of residents.

"Education is a part of it," he said. "Are the schools producing the workforce our industry needs? And when we're talking about child care, and when companies are coming, they're looking at quality of life. Are there things to do here? Is there housing?"

What sets each candidate apart

Neither candidate sought to vilify his primary opponent, with Penner noting that "we've both said that, however this thing turns out, we're going to work with the other one." For Penner, he points to his experience in law and accounting, as well as his public service experience, as a reason for voters to support him.

"I also hope that I can bring some civility," he said. "We need to work together and build some coalitions."

Klopfenstein also points to his experience, especially as a county commissioner, a role through which he has been able to form relationships with many state legislators and other county commissioners.

"We have relationships with all four counties," he said. "We also have relationships with Columbus because they make the rules, and we call them and say, 'Help us out here,' or 'Here's a problem.' So those relationships are built through that experience."