The Akron Press Club held two forums this week, giving the major party candidates in the 13th Congressional District a chance to share their views and take questions from the audience.
Topics ranged from AI and data centers to the war in Iran, and even an opportunity for each candidate to offer their opponent a compliment. The forums kicked off Tuesday, beginning with Republican candidate Carey Coleman and concluded Thursday with incumbent Democrat Emilia Sykes.
Coleman, a meteorologist and radio personality, implored voters to give him a chance to bring some change to the district.
"It will be 50 years at the end of this term that Democrats have controlled the 13th District, and I think it's time to give somebody like myself a shot, and it's time to see what this guy can do."
Sykes on the other hand, used the time to tout the things she's already accomplished during her time in Congress, such as her position as a co-leader of the Housing Affordability Work Group and introduction of the HOMES Act, short for Houses Over Middle-Class Exploitation Schemes, meant to end tax breaks for private equity developers.
"I am leading legislation that lowers housing costs for renters and homeowners alike," Sykes said.
Rising prices and affordability
Both candidates took time at the beginning of their appearances to acknowledge rising gas costs as a result of the war in Iran.
"I voted five times to end this reckless war of choice and to bring our servicewomen and servicemen home," Sykes said. "But unfortunately we continue to be in the war in Iran with no end in sight and the administration has refused to talk to Congress and explain why we are there and what his strategy is to get us out."
And, while Coleman said he wishes he could wave a magic wand and end the conflict, he said the election is skewing people's perspective.
"Never once have we seen oil prices go up, they didn't go down," he said. "It's just uncomfortable right now."
Coleman did commend the state legislature for suspending the gas tax, though he said it should have been done several months ago.
With the national conversation around data centers and AI, questions about the need for regulations also came up for both candidates. Sykes said she wants to ensure local waterways aren't being polluted.
"We could require, and we're working right now through our water resources and development act, data centers to have closed loop plumbing systems and ensure the use of the water is not being dumped into waterways," Sykes said.
Coleman said he would support legislation to keep utility rates from increasing due to data centers.
He also said Ohio hasn't always been a net importer of electricity.
"I think we still can be a net exporter of electricity," Coleman said. "We have wonderful, clean natural gas and we could build some plants very quickly."
Coleman also said he's concerned about the AI industry trying to be self-regulating.
"AI does scare me," he said. "Within reason, without losing our competitive edge we have to talk about it. But I am afraid there have to be some safeguards when it comes to AI. I don't want AI telling us what AI should be."
Coleman expressed concern over the surveillance state AI could lead to and protecting constitutional rights.
Sykes recounted speaking with leaders in the field of AI and said other industries have shown that self-regulation doesn't work. She also said Congress needs to reconvene to work on ways to regulate AI.
"There's a full dereliction of duty by our speaker and from the administration for refusing not to come back in and to deal with this issue, one in which the AI companies in the industry admit they cannot and do not trust each other to self-regulate," Sykes said.
Coleman also said he would prioritize working with the Downtown Akron Development Corporation, and anyone else who is interested in building up communities in the district.
"I need ideas, I need input, I need people that are in love with their community that want to do better," he said.
Sykes criticized the One Big Beautiful Bill, calling it "devastating" for the country and, in particular, highlighted how the funding cuts to Medicare and Medicaid affect Ohioans.
"Our local economy is heavily dependent on Medicaid and a trillion dollars being pulled out of the Medicaid program across this country, not only impacts us, but it impacts our standing all around the world," Sykes said. "Health is wealth and removing money from our healthcare system makes us all less healthy and all less wealthy."
Coleman also criticized Sykes for confusion over her address, claiming she doesn't live in the district she serves.
"Emilia Sykes has a legal residence here in Akron," he said. "Most of the time we never see her, unless she's asking for a vote."
Sykes admitted to feeling a bit of annoyance at the accusation, which she said had already been cleared up by the Secretary of State.
"It is very clear where I live and I think the fact that we continue to have to answer this question I think shows a lack of serious debate," Sykes said. "Secretary LaRose has deemed my hometown Akron."
National conversations, local impacts
Other national conversations the candidates addressed included the war in Iran and ICE. Coleman said he wishes President Trump would wrap up the war in Iran as quickly as possible, but was hesitant to criticize ICE officers, saying they have a "very difficult job."
"I want ICE to conduct themselves in, let's put it this way, the nicest way possible to do their jobs," Coleman said. "You're asking them to do almost the impossible job."
But Coleman pointed out that he's running without a major endorsement from the Republican party, because he didn't ask for one, and suggested he may actually "ruffle some feathers" within the party if elected.
"They better cough up some things that are really important to us right here," Coleman said. "But as far as me just rolling over, I'm gonna be fighting for this district and if that means Speaker Johnson can help with that, that's fine."
Civility
At the end of the forum, each candidate was given the opportunity to offer a compliment to their opponent. Sykes commended Coleman for wanting to represent the district.
"It can be brutal, it is brutal every day," she said. "I commend my opponent and any opponent I have for running for office and being a part of the discourse and ensuring that our democracy can move forward. That they hear from democrats, they hear from republicans, they hear from independents because our democracy works best when we have people fully engaged and participating."
Coleman complimented Sykes for being a pleasant opponent.
"She does generally try to run a pretty nice campaign," he said.
This reporting is part of Ideastream's Listen, Engage, Vote initiative. This summer, our staff went to libraries across Northeast Ohio to hear what people cared about ahead of the midterms. We're using those conversations with voters to help inform our election coverage.
