Voters in the sprawling 6th Congressional District of Ohio are fortunate this fall to have two credible candidates seeking to represent its 785,000 residents in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The two candidates also will be familiar names to district voters as this race rises as a rematch of the special election in June in which Republican Michael Rulli defeated Democrat Michael L. Kripchak. The results of that special election — Rulli, 55 percent of the vote; Kripchak 45 percent of the vote – were much closer than most analysts had predicted and the closest in years for that traditionally Republican-dominant 11-county district that winds southward from Youngstown to Marietta.

Clearly, both candidates have appealing qualities to the electorate. After reviewing their backgrounds and conducting interviews with each of them, members of this newspaper’s Editorial Board conclude that either Kripchak or Rulli would serve competently the interests of the 6th District in general and of the Mahoning Valley in particular.

Both Rulli and Kripchak have respectable backgrounds in leadership and public service and neither has made politics a lifelong career.

Rulli has served as director of operations for Rulli Brothers Markets in Boardman and Austintown for three decades and therefore has acquired strong business and customer relation skills.

Kripchak has distinguished himself as an honors graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and has worked in myriad fields as an acquisitions officer, research scientist, production manager and as chief of strategy and partnerships for NEGEMS Inc. of New York.

Clearly, neither candidate is a slouch.

Both Rulli and Kripchak share similar goals of more sustained job growth and economic development in the district.

Kripchak, for example, has developed plans for a Mahoning to Marietta Manufacturing Corridor with the Youngstown area designated as the home base for advanced manufacturing.

Rulli, for his part, vows to prioritize initiatives that stimulate entrepreneurship and investment in job growth. He also plans to work with groups such as the Youngstown Neighborhood Corridor to fortify the housing supply in the region to help attract new businesses and new residents.

Both Rulli and Kripchak share similar visions for strengthening the region’s infrastructure as a catalyst for such job growth. Kripchak seeks to guarantee a minimum level of public utilities to all residents and work aggressively to promote alternative energy sources.

Rulli, in the first weeks of his interim congressional term, already has co-sponsored legislation to address longstanding safety failures of class-one freight railroads to prevent disasters like last year’s massive train derailment in East Palestine.

And both candidates appear to stand in the moderate middle of their respective party platforms. Neither Kripchak nor Rulli espoused any of the talking points of the more extreme wings of their respective political parties.

With that said, however, each clearly has his own priorities if elected.

Kripchak, for example, puts a premium on exploring alternative energy sources, such as fusion energy. He also vows to support labor unions and protect women’s reproductive rights.

Rulli, for his part, lists as his top priority controlling the Southern border of the U.S. That priority is shared by millions of Americans, as many polls clearly have found. He argued the current system under the Joe Biden administration fails to address the security challenges of illegal immigration, which he cites as depressing wages for American workers and in facilitating human trafficking and illicit drug trafficking.

Rulli, a former punk rock musician, also told members of the Editorial Board that he has made strong constituent services a top priority in his congressional office. We pointed out, and he acknowledged, a glaring weakness in his early years as a state legislator in promptly responding to constituent concerns and questions. He said he has now instituted a three-strikes policy. Under that policy, a staff member who fails to return a call or email to a constituent within 24 hours gets one strike. Once accumulating three strikes, that staff member would be suspended. If elected, we’ll hold Rulli to his word on ensuring stellar communication lines with constituents.

Although both candidates have their strengths and likely would serve the district credibly, voters must make a choice. With that in mind, we recommend Rulli over Kripchak in this race largely for the experience in legislative government he has acquired over the past five years in the state Senate, for his clear understanding of the needs of the district and for his proven ability to work effectively with members of both political parties.

We’re confident Rulli would serve honorably and in the best interests of the Mahoning Valley.

editorial@tribtoday.com