A lifelong Ohioan, Dave has dedicated his life to family and public service. After graduating with his Juris Doctorate from the University of Dayton, Dave worked as a public defender before being elected as Geauga County Prosecutor in 1988 – a position in which he served his community for nearly 25 years.
In November of 2012, Dave was elected to represent the 14th Congressional District of Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently in his fifth term. He considers it a great honor to represent the people of Northeast Ohio and serve the communities where he was born and raised.
Tragically, the opioid epidemic has impacted nearly community across Northeast Ohio and the country as a whole. Roughly 400,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose between 1999 and 2017. That’s three times the number of American servicemembers who died fighting in World War I and seven times the number who died during the Vietnam War.
As a former prosecutor and as the Vice Chair of the House Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus, I know that in order to successfully battle the opioid crisis, we need an all-of-the-above approach that includes that includes prevention and education efforts, promotes treatment, cracks down on illegal distribution, and enhances resources for first responders and law enforcement.
With Ohio being among the top five states with the highest rates of opioid-related overdose deaths, I remain committed to providing our local communities with the tools and resources they to save lives on the front lines of this crisis.