Russo to run for secretary of state

SANDUSKY — State Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, announced Thursday that she's running for secretary of state. Russo is running against Dr. Bryan Hambley in the Democratic primary next year, and any other Democratic candidates who might enter the race. Hambley, a Cincinnati cancer doctor, has been running for months. In fact, he campaigned Monday at a Democratic women of Erie County picnic in Perkins Township. Republican candidates for secretary of state are Robert Sprague, the state treasurer, and Marcell Strbich, an Air Force veteran. The new secretary of state will replace Frank LaRose, who can't run again because of term limits. He is now running to become Ohio's next state auditor. Russo said she will work to "restore trust, integrity, and transparency in elections and to fight so every voter feels confident their vote matters." Russo represents District 7 in the Ohio House, the Columbus area. Until June, she was the House minority leader, which means she was the leader of Ohio House Democrats. Russo has a doctoral degree in health policy from The George Washington University and a master's degree in public health epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She lives in Upper Arlington with her husband and their three children.