Kristina D. Roegner (born November 27, 1968) is an American politician who serves as a member of the Ohio Senate. She has represented the 27th senatorial district since 2019. Her district encompasses the majority of Summit County in Northern Ohio.

Career

Roegner graduated cum laude from Tufts University in 1990 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Soon after, she worked for Westinghouse Power Generation overhauling power turbines, from 1990 to 1993.

She then moved on to consulting. Roegner entered public office in 2004, when she was seated on the Hudson City Council.

Ohio Senate

Roegner is serving her second term in the Ohio Senate representing the 27th senatorial district, which includes the majority of Ohioans living in Summit County. ^[1]

The 27th senatorial district was redistricted to exist solely in Summit County for the 2022 election cycle. Senator Roegner won re-election to a second term on November 8, 2022, defeating challenger Patricia Goetz 51.1% to 48.9%. ^[2]

Ohio House of Representatives

When Mike Moran won the 42nd district in 2008, he took a seat in what was traditionally a Republican district. Therefore, he was a top target for House Republicans in 2010, and Roegner was fielded to try to unseat him. ^[3] In the end, she went on to beat Moran 51% to 49%. ^[4]

For the 129th General Assembly, Speaker of the House William G. Batchelder named Roegner as a member of the Republican majority caucus' Policy Committee. ^[5] She was sworn into office on January 3, 2011.

Roegner won reelection to the seat in 2012 with 54.18% of the vote over Democrat Tom Schmida, and again in 2014 with 58% of the vote. She is known for being one of the most conservative members of the House, despite her competitive district.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Public Utilities (Vice Chair)
• Committee on Commerce and Labor

Initiatives and positions

While in a traditionally swing district, Roegner supported a controversial bill that looked to limit collective bargaining for public employees, stating that it is something taxpayers should celebrate. ^[6]

Roegner has also been an advocate for selling state lands for oil and natural gas drilling, including on Lake Erie. She had urged rejection of the amendment, which would have added an extra layer of protection for Lake Erie on top of an existing federal ban on drilling, stating that it is foolish to let only Canada reap the benefits of the reserves underneath the lake. ^[7]

She has been critical of Governor John Kasich and his education funding formulas, calling them "wealth redistribution".

In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Roegner and Senator Rob McColley introduced a bill that would immediately end Ohio's stay-at-home order and limit the state health director's ability to give similar orders. The bill is contrary to the recommendation of the country's top medical experts; Governor DeWine has promised to veto any bill that curb's the health director's authority during the crisis. ^[8]

In 2023, Roegner voted for legislation to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors and ban transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. The legislation was vetoed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, who argued that medical care should be left to families and their doctors, not be dictated by the government. Roegner said she was "disappointed that the Governor chose not to protect girls across the State of Ohio." ^[9] The Senate passed the bill into law via override in January. During a Senate debate on the veto, Roegner falsely stated that gender-affirming care does not exist: "Despite what the liberals say, gender is not assigned at birth, but rather from the moment of conception, you are either male or you are female. There is no such thing as gender-affirming care. You can't affirm something that doesn't exist." ^[10]

Elected history

References

External links

• Kristina for Ohio official campaign site