Democrat state Sen. Capri Cafaro and the woman challenging her in Ohio's 32nd Senate District, Republican Nancy McArthur, don't differ wildly on issues they say need addressed despite their different political allegiances.
Both women list economic development, education and the nurturing of the gas and oil well drilling industry among their top priorities.
Incumbent Cafaro, 34, of Hubbard, is challenged by McArthur, 54, of Chardon, a councilwoman there.
The district is Trumbull and Ashtabula counties and a portion of Geauga county.
Cafaro, who said she stepped down as minority leader in January to focus her energy on the district, said extending job creation and expansion tax credits to small business and continuing regulatory reform are ways to enhance economic development, according to information she provided the Tribune Chronicle.
In addition, she supports said she work force development programs in relation to the gas and oil well drilling industry.
Among her other top priorities are ''streamlining'' health care access to improve prompt payment to providers and reforming the skilled nursing facility reimbursement structure, and putting into place ''common sense'' constraints on Ohio Ed Choice vouchers and creating a pilot program for gifted education.
Cafaro lists as some of her accomplishments as senator helping rewrite ''costly'' laws governing septic tanks and fighting for property owners' rights by updating eminent domain legislation. Also, she advocated ''for fairness to all Delphi retirees, both salaried and hourly'' and ''spoke loud and clear to protect collective bargaining rights'' for public employees, she said.
McArthur, who won election in Chardon in 2009 to City Council, said she would work to reduce burdensome government regulations and taxes to make Ohio competitive, so that business would stay in and expand in Ohio.
Another of her priorities is to promote the energy industry, which she says, ''has the potential to create thousands of jobs'' in the Buckeye State and help make the U.S. more energy independent.
She said she would also promote JobsOhio, the state's private economic development body, and work to see investments in job training programs. She also said she supports tax credits for companies that hire local workers.
''I feel I can be a great advocate for this district,'' said McArthur, who most recently worked at the Firefighters Community Credit Union in Cleveland.
McArthur said she would like to see increased educational opportunities for people just entering and people re-entering the work force to keep them in northeast Ohio. She said she plans to work with schools and businesses to make sure those people are providing with the right tools to work.