Dr. Amy Acton is the only choice for governor in Ohio this election season. She would make history as Ohio’s first female governor and honor the legacy of forward-thinking Civil Rights advocates like Ohioan Gloria Steinem who recently passed.

As a medical professional, I trust her judgement and like that her platform page, https://actonforgovernor.com/issues/ supports ensuring reproductive freedom which is in line with the majority of pro-choice Ohioans like me, who voted in 2023 to pass “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety.”

Protecting reproductive freedom and choice is what a medical doctor and Democratic candidate for Ohio Governor, Amy Acton will do, as she knows this choice must be left up to the individual while her opponent appears to have a long anti-choice public record.

This November election is crucial to overturning the decade long chokehold of republican power by voting out republicans whose policies hurt Ohioans: from Affordable Care Act subsidy cuts, Medicaid and SNAP benefit loss, and defunding of public schools to support vouchers for mostly private religious schools, while looking to ban books for LGBTQ+ and minority students, and not addressing gun violence which is the leading cause of death for Ohio’s kids.

The recent threat of gun violence against Dr. Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair is deplorable and Dr. Amy Acton has a voice that will not be silenced.

As for the covid pandemic, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine made the correct decision to shut Ohio down, and as Health Director, Dr. Amy Acton was right to endorse vaccines, masks, and social distancing, and as proof, people are here to complain about it.

As for her choosing not to debate her opponent, the precedent was set years ago when Republican Gov. Mike DeWine declined to debate Democratic Governor candidate Nan Whaley for governor in 2022. 

I thoroughly trust Dr. Amy Acton’s judgement as a medical professional and candidate for governor because she will act in the best interest of every Ohioan and respect individual choice.

Nancy Dollard

Uniontown, Ohio