REPLACING:
Brad Wenstrup (R) [i]
WORK HISTORY:
Sardinia Ready Mix (Owner); Clermont County (Part-time Assistant Prosecutor) [ii]
EDUCATION:
JD, University of Dayton School of Law; Miami University (Ohio) [iii]
CAMPAIGNED ON:
Pro-life; Economy; Donald Trump; Border; 2nd Amendment; Education; Cryptocurrency [iv]
ON THE ISSUES
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:
Taylor identifies as a pro-life conservative. He believes that “the unborn deserve to be protected by the law.” He supports prioritizing adoption access, childcare access, and the codification of laws that make men equally responsible in cases of unwanted pregnancy. [v]
IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:
Taylor has asserted that because of President Biden’s policies, “the Southern border has devolved into a war zone” where “criminals and cartels operate freely on both sides of the border.” He considers human and drug trafficking to be “virtually unchecked.” Taylor supports finishing the wall at the Southern border, increasing funding and resources for Border Patrol officers, and deploying military personnel when necessary. [vi]
ECONOMY & JOBS:
Taylor has stated that “Bidenomics” are “crushing hardworking Ohio families.” He has claimed that if American spending is not “rein[ed] in,” the country will be “owned and operated by China.” Taylor has committed to authoring legislation that will require Congress to balance the budget before they get paid, and only spend within the nation’s means. [vii]
TAXES:
In January 2024, Taylor signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written commitment to the voters of Ohio to oppose and vote against income tax hikes. Taylor has stated he is committed to “fiscal responsibility and pro-growth tax policies.” [viii]
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:
Taylor also supports prosecuting, “to the fullest extent of the law, criminals and cartels wreaking havoc on our country.” [ix] He has highlighted his history in the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office, noting that he “successfully tried cases related to drugs and violence in our community, putting criminals behind bars.” Taylor has pledged to “ensure law enforcement have the resources they need to crack down on fentanyl, violent crimes, and corruption.” [x]
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:
Taylor believes it is necessary to “unshackle[e]” American’s energy sector in order to restore the American economy. He discussed the “need to end the stigma on fossil fuels and lean into nuclear energy.” [xi]
FOREIGN POLICY:
International crises were a factor in Taylor’s decision to enter politics. He said in an interview with WLWT5, "[A] factor [in Taylor’s decision to enter the race] is the laundry list of crises both domestically and internationally that we're facing now. Whether it's the border and inflation or whether it's Ukraine and Israel and Taiwan, all of things going sideways in the last couple of years at an alarming rate, but to be honest with you, those two things alone probably would not have gotten me out of the life I was living.” [xii]
HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:
Taylor’s healthcare positions primarily focus on his pro-life positions. [xiii]
DEMOCRACY:
In July 2024, Taylor praised the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Trump’s immunity from prosecution on election subversion charges. [xiv] Taylor has been vocal about his support for Trump, writing on his website, “Let me be clear – I supported Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, and will be supporting him again in 2024. [xv]
SOCIAL ISSUES:
Taylor has been critical of the Biden administration’s position on Title IX, declaring that the policy is “under attack by Joe Biden and the radical left.” He has said that one of the first pieces of legislation he plans to introduce in Congress will focus on “protecting Title IX and saving women’s sports.” Taylor criticized Democratic positions on gender, saying, “We have an entire party that doesn’t know what bathroom to use and are confused about what the doctors put on their birth certificate when they were born. For a party that claims to ‘trust the science’, they certainly aren’t following their own logic when it comes to gender.” [xvi]
[i] Ohio's 2nd Congressional District Ballotpedia profile, accessed November 27, 2024, available at https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio%27s_2nd_Congressional_District.
[ii] “Intro to Congressional District 2 Republican Candidate David Taylor,” Kevin Coleman, WCHI Easy 1350, January 24, 2024, available at https://easy1350.iheart.com/content/2024-01-24-intro-to-congressional-district-2-republican-primary-candidate-david-taylor/.
[iii] “The race for Ohio’s 2nd U.S. Congressional District features two political newcomers,” Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal, August 14, 2024, available at https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2024/08/14/ohios-second-congressional-race-features-two-political-newcomers/.
[iv] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[v] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[vi] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[vii] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[viii] “David Taylor Makes ‘No New Taxes’ Promise to Voters in OH-02 Race,” David Taylor for Congress press release, January 11, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/david-taylor-makes-no-new-taxes-promise-to-voters-in-oh-02-race/.
[ix] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[x] Dave Taylor for Congress Facebook post, February 3, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid016hsb957U4UxEqJYaNdz9Q7z6gfazj1sAhZznBXojcTFmaZJNqppo3DcDjMcVkh9l&id=61554310032360&__cft__[0]=AZWYq1Ospuq3Z8xE6gdpNmkWp9sKV-RCLiKtWXlsLBUeWdSI-c1rP7LPzH6dTvnR54tHLQk6HH8vSFkFUB0wvCIUHPJWN6DwQMJWOkzclS9HWvg7oAfb-fAv8yY3-ImzmpzIpUHuvhrK9TjX62MiVi6pJpO-ALEy6x77GRnZ3Bg0dB7t4nD4T1Mq8MmmzB2eTTjWI5xYbobFVKRWoJxilHz2&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
[xi] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[xii] “Who is Dave Taylor? Republican vying to fill Ohio congressman Brad Wenstrup’s seat,” Sheree Paolello, WLWT5, October 2, 2024, available at https://www.wlwt.com/article/dave-taylor-ohio-second-congressional-district-brad-wenstrup/62350846.
[xiii] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[xiv] Dave Taylor for Congress Facebook post, July 1, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Vesiv964vSbiZYM4oFTStsV7c8rCGkcQpQWGzWH8GHWAAcyEg6pYeaRSkvUGCgoZl&id=61554310032360&__cft__[0]=AZXRuhEXmypp0MblG62EmSKEmX3lueaKDAap_G6kvZDy2MZLc1a5m0dxhtjj7QrHahryLfoDD6olxNc_exVO9SZjyVcxwuHI9cRMuzA9bRQVezuZ5Rk2tAjb6Sk5iWM_BH512j7IVpry5bbL9Zsk91g0uaWjl8S3XzrvaFAqUee_4P6ZnLxD0Fv8hDA_pTgz3tFgU1w0x9fRdKYlGKxTfF34&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
[xv] “On the Issues,” Dave Taylor for Congress, accessed November 19, 2024, available at https://davetaylorforcongress.com/on-the-issues/#life.
[xvi] Dave Taylor for Congress Facebook post, January 23, 2024, available at https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0268WjYDBeoNwuD2wwVeHUL3K6CwW6i7ub18ad19VSe351B2FFxN6AbcUmDSRKHDPWl&id=61554310032360&__cft__[0]=AZVLB-JTJzKMPIguG1JhuFgiCUjunwWpZvFCLirn4OIxhAgy2oXjK6tUPZJ8Y1TrVTJrng6QUdkNzCtMSTeikZuD01mTsrUu8psdHVg0dL111HVgLMmpjkZ97ngShCKGREcFHfsdA1Ya8STDPwmX1C3ZXqQvnHqn8T4a5aTwdvmqR0RJev_YYklSCpRtYNmN2vo-QNz5JQBf7oC7VF32HIqC&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.