Candice Keller

Candice Keller (born c. 1959) is the state representative for the 53rd District of the Ohio House of Representatives, which includes part of Butler County. She is a Republican. In 2019, she proposed legislation to ban and criminalize abortion in Ohio.[2][3][4]

Candice Keller
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 53rd district
Assumed office
November 16, 2016
Preceded byTim Derickson
Personal details
Bornc. 1959 (age 60–61)[1]
Butler County, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Kent Keller
Children2
ResidenceMiddletown, Ohio
Alma materMiami University (A.A.)
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and career

Keller was born and raised in Butler County, Ohio.[5] She has been a director of an anti-abortion organization in southwestern Ohio, the Community Pregnancy Center, since 2008. She is also a member of the Central Committee of the local Republican Party.[6]

Ohio House of Representatives

In 2016, Ohio Representative Tim Derickson was unable to run for a fifth term in the Ohio House of Representatives due to term limits. Keller was one of two Republicans to run to replace Derickson; she won the primary 59% to 41%.[7] She won the general election with 65% of the vote over Democrat Susan Rubin.[8] With Derickson leaving his term early to join the administration of Ohio Governor John Kasich, Keller was appointed to fill the rest of his term by starting on November 16, 2016, as opposed to the usual start date of January 1, 2017.[9]

2019 Dayton shooting controversy

Following the 2019 Dayton shooting, Keller posted an essay on her personal Facebook page on August 4, 2019. This essay blamed the Dayton shooting on the breakdown of the traditional family (including due to transgender rights, gay marriage and "drag queen advocates"), video game violence, recreational marijuana, open borders, disrespect of military veterans and law enforcement, failed school policies, former President Barack Obama, and "snowflakes, who can’t accept a duly-elected President".[10][11] She later deleted the post.[12] As a result, many local officials (including Jane Timken, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Ohio) have called for Keller to resign. Keller, who is a candidate to replace fellow Republican Bill Coley in the state senate, countered, "Establishment moderates have never been fans of mine because I ran against their endorsement and won. As the only conservative in this race, I will be taking my Senate campaign to the voters to decide."[13] In 2020, she lost the Republican primary.[14]

Abortion bill

In 2019 Candice Keller and Ron Hood sponsored legislation that would ban abortion in Ohio and criminalise "abortion murder". Doctors who performed abortions in cases of ectopic pregnancy and other life-threatening conditions would be exempt from prosecution only if they "[took] all possible steps to preserve the life of the unborn child, while preserving the life of the woman. Such steps include, if applicable, attempting to reimplant an ectopic pregnancy into the woman's uterus".[2][3][4][15] Reimplantation of an ectopic pregnancy is not a recognised or feasible medical procedure.[2][16]

Personal life

According to Keller's website, she has been married for more than 40 years to Kent Keller, a retired software company project manager, with two sons. Her website also states that she resides in Middletown, Ohio.[17]

References
  1. Assunção, Muri (August 5, 2019). "Ohio lawmaker blames trans people, open borders, gay marriage, 'drag queen advocates' for deadly mass shootings". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  2. Glenza, Jessica (November 29, 2019). "Ohio bill orders doctors to 'reimplant ectopic pregnancy' or face 'abortion murder' charges". The Guardian. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  3. Ohio anti-abortion bill would force procedure not medically possible, Lauren Steussy, New York Post, November 2, 2019
  4. Ohio bill would make doctors 'reimplant' ectopic pregnancies (which is impossible) or face 'abortion murder' charges, National Post, November 29, 2019
  5. "Representative Candice Keller (R) - Biography The Ohio House of Representatives". ohiohouse.gov. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  6. "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  7. Pitman, Michael D. (March 15, 2016). "Candice Keller wins 53rd Ohio House GOP primary". Journal-News. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  8. Richter, Ed (November 8, 2016). "Candice Keller wins Ohio House seat over Suzi Rubin". Journal-News. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  9. "Candice Keller sworn-in as state rep". Journal-News. November 16, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  10. Laura Bischoff, Columbus Bureau (August 4, 2019). "Dayton shooting due to family breakdown, gay marriage, video games, state lawmaker says". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  11. Horton, Alex (August 5, 2019). "Ohio Republican blames mass shootings on 'drag queen advocates,' Colin Kaepernick and Obama". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  12. Daugherty, Owen (August 5, 2019). "Ohio state representative blames shootings on gay marriage, video games, open borders". The Hill. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  13. "Republican lawmaker asked to resign after 'shocking' Facebook post blamed Dayton shooting on 'drag queen advocates'"
  14. Ohio primary election: George Lang defeats Candice Keller in GOP race for senate seat, by Jessie Balmert, in the Cincinnati Enquirer; published April 29, 2020; retrieved May 1, 2020
  15. "House Bill 413 | The Ohio Legislature". www.legislature.ohio.gov.
  16. Rezac, Mary. "Pro-life doctors: Despite Ohio bill, there is no procedure to save ectopic pregnancies". Catholic News Agency.
  17. "About Candice". Retrieved December 19, 2016.
Political offices
Preceded by
Tim Derickson		 Ohio House of Representatives, 53rd District
2016–present		 Incumbent
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