The Athens city law director announced yesterday that he will run for Congress in the 2012 election.
Pat Lang, a Democrat, filed his petition with the Franklin County Board of Elections to run for representative of Ohio’s 15th Congressional District.
Lang said "mounting frustration" about the state of the economy and unemployment is what drove him to run for Congress.
"To change Washington, we need to change the people we are sending to Washington," he said.
Incumbent Steve Stivers, a Republican, filed a petition announcing that he will seek re-election.
Stivers is serving his first term in the House of Representatives. He has also been a state senator and served 26 years in the Ohio National Guard. He lives in Columbus, according to his website.
Lang said Stivers is one of the congressman who are causing his frustration.
"Stivers voted to protect big banks and oil companies and cut financial aid for students," he said.
After the redrawing of Ohio's congressional districts, Athens became part of the 15th District. That hotly contested map, however, might not go into effect as Democrats are circulating petitions to place a referendum on the spring ballot.
"(Athens) is a new area for Stivers. People don't know about his bank-lobbyist past," Lang said.
He added that, when the residents of Athens find out, they will want a change and an alternative candidate to vote for.
Lang has been the city law director since 2007. Before his current position, he was an assistant Athens County prosecutor, according to the city’s website.
The primary election will be held March 6.
ml147009@ohiou.edu
