Frank LaRose

Frank LaRose
File:LaRose-6.JPG
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Kevin Coughlin
Personal details
Born	(1979-04-18) April 18, 1979 Akron, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Lauren LaRose
Residence	Copley Township, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	Ohio State University (B.A.)
Profession	Legislator
Religion	Catholic
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Sergeant First Class
Unit	101st Airborne Division 19th Special Forces Group
Awards	Bronze Star Medal

Frank LaRose (born April 18, 1979) serves the people of Ohio's 27th Senate district which includes Wayne County as well as portions of Stark and Summit Counties. He serves as chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Public Safety, Local Government, and Veterans Affairs and he is vice chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Public Utilities. Senator LaRose lives in Copley Township with his wife Lauren, daughters Hadley, Ellison, & Lainey, and their dog Rosie. LaRose is a decorated Army Veteran who served in the U.S. Special Forces as a Green Beret.

Personal Life and Service

Frank LaRose, Jr., was born on April 18, 1979 at Akron City Hospital and grew up in Copley Township in Summit County, Ohio. He developed his strong work ethic and sense of responsibility at a young age while working on a small family-owned farm in northeastern Ohio. From an early age, he showed an inclination for leadership and dedication to his community, earning the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest award given by the Boy Scouts of America. His scout leader, a World War II veteran, was his inspiration to pursue a career defending his fellow citizens. Following his graduation from Copley High School, he fulfilled his life-long dream by enlisting in the United States Army with the 101st Airborne and eventually serving in the U.S. Special Forces as a Green Beret. Over the course of his decade in uniform, during which he was stationed throughout the globe, LaRose received numerous commendations and honors, including the Bronze Star for his service as a Sergeant First Class in Iraq with the U.S. Special Forces.

After returning from Iraq, LaRose married Lauren Kappa and graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Consumer Affairs and Business. LaRose continues to serve his community as a board member of the Ohio Historical Society and as the Jr. Vice Commander of the Fairlawn VFW. He is also a member of the executive board for the Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America. He lives in Copley Township, where he grew up, with his wife, Lauren, their three daughters, Hadley, Ellison, and Lainey, and their dog Rosie.

November 2010 Ohio Senate Election

LaRose, who had never run for elected office, let alone held office, pulled off the noteworthy feat of winning an Ohio Senate seat in his first election, handily defeating Democrat and Summit County Councilman Frank Comunale in the 27th District, a Democratic-leaning district. LaRose edged out Comunale 56.5% to 43.5%. LaRose’s electoral success was attributed to a combination of old-fashioned campaigning, such as door-to-door visits, and the use of Facebook and other social media. He and his supporters knocked on 22,000 doors, appeared at more than 400 public events and made more than 9,100 phone calls. LaRose ran on the promise of balancing the budget, "but not on the backs of the middle class." An Akron Beacon Journal Article quoted then Senate president pro tempore Tom Niehaus, who was about to become Senate president, describing LaRose as “very organized, methodical and relentless in his campaigning” and said, “He will be a person who will help us teach other candidates how to effectively campaign."

Ohio Senate (2011 - present)

Since joining the Ohio Senate in 2011, LaRose has distinguished himself as an active legislator who has championed innovative policy solutions in several complex areas while trying to increase civility in politics. Governing the States and Localities, a publication dedicated to covering politics, policy, and management for state and local government leaders, named Senator Frank LaRose a “State Legislator to Watch” in its January 2014 edition. Governing stated that the lawmakers chosen for this year’s recognition “have shown a keen ability to strike alliances across party lines,” or have “racked up significant accomplishments during their time in office.”

For the 130th General Assembly, LaRose was named chair of the Public Safety, Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee, and vice-chair of the Public Utilities Committee. He is currently a member of the Transportation Committee, the State Government Oversight and Reform Committee, the Finance Committee, the Criminal Justice Committee, and the Agriculture Committee. Additionally, LaRose serves as a member of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, which is composed of members of both the Senate and House and is responsible for reviewing administrative rules proposed by state agencies, departments, boards and commissions. He has also been appointed to the Clean Ohio Council, the Ohio Rail Development Commission and the Ohio Homeland Security Advisory Council by the Senate president.

Upon being elected to office, Senator LaRose made headlines due to changing his mind regarding Ohio's infamous Senate Bill 5. He initially stated that he would vote against the bill but made the final decision to approve it. While LaRose stated that there were enough changes to support the bill, many critics felt that his last minute change of heart was due to pressure from other Republicans. Larose was considered to be the deciding vote for the controversial bill that was later recalled.

Sponsored Legislation and Dedication to Restoring Civility in Government

LaRose has put his name atop several complex pieces of legislation.

He sponsored legislation to make Ohio’s regulatory system more efficient and more conducive to economic growth.

He sponsored a resolution that revises the process by which Ohio draws its state legislative and U.S. congressional districts; it passed by a vote of 32 to 1 in the Ohio Senate on December 12, 2013.

He introduced two election reform measures. One would allow Ohio to join 19 other states in allowing its citizens to register to vote online; the other seeks to make the absentee voting registration process more fair and accurate.

He also sponsored legislation that would allow spouses of active duty military members to be eligible for unemployment compensation when their family is transferred to a new duty assignment. Currently, 44 other states and the District of Columbia provide similar benefits to military spouses.

LaRose has pursued these policy changes while also gaining a reputation as someone who will reach across the aisle to achieve sound public policy. He helped form an informal civility working group among members of the Ohio General Assembly to promote civility in government. When describing his process, he said, “I naturally ended up partnering with people on both sides of the aisle and working to try to get things done.”

A fellow legislator and current Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Joe Schiavoni (D-Boardman), has described LaRose as “honest” and “very hardworking.”

2014 Ohio Senate Election

After his first term, LaRose filed to run for his second term in the Ohio Senate on February 3, 2014. LaRose’s campaign issued a press release shortly after he filed for his second term. Upon filing for his second term, LaRose described how Ohio has improved since he took office: "When I came to Columbus in 2011, our state was in rough shape. We were facing the largest state deficit in history and every day businesses were leaving Ohio and taking thousands of jobs with them. By balancing our books and transforming Ohio into a state where businesses and families want to be, we're seeing progress toward rebuilding our great state. I'm confident that Ohio's best days are ahead, not behind us, but only if we roll up our sleeves and work together as Ohioans to make it happen. I'm humbled to have the opportunity to do my part in achieving the goal of a stronger, more prosperous state of Ohio and excited about our state's future. That's why I'll be campaigning hard this year for the chance to return to Columbus and continue building on the successes we've seen." In his first term, LaRose was dedicated to eliminating unnecessary regulations which cost jobs, protecting families from the hazards of homes used as meth labs, working with colleagues to balance the state budget while increasing funding for education and infrastructure, cutting taxes so that all Ohioans can keep more of what they earn, working to reform Ohio's process for drawing legislative districts, standing-up for his fellow military veterans and advocating for common sense election reforms.

External links

• The Ohio Senate: Senator Frank LaRose (R) - District 27
• Frank LaRose, official campaign website