Ross McGregor
{{short description|American politician (born 1965)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ross McGregor
| image name =
| state_house = Ohio
| state = Ohio
| district = 79th
| term = October 5, 2005-December 31, 2014
| preceded = Merle G. Kearns
| succeeded = Kyle Koehler
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|05|18}}
| birth_place = Springfield, Ohio
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| residence = Springfield, Ohio
| alma_mater = Urbana University
| profession = President
}}
Ross McGregor (born May 18, 1965) is a former Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 79th District from 2005 to 2014.
Career
McGregor received his bachelor's degree from Urbana University in business administration. Along with his duties in the House, McGregor is President of Pentaflex, Inc.
Ohio House of Representatives
When Merle Kearns resigned from the House to take a position under Governor Bob Taft, McGregor was one of over a dozen candidates who sought to replace her. Despite not being recommended by Clark County Republicans, McGregor nonetheless received the appointment, and was seated in October 2005.
In his 2006 reelection bid, McGregor was seen by Democrats as a top target. They fielded former mayor and city commissioner Dale Henry to try and knock him off. While the race was contentious, McGregor maintained his seat with 53.40% of the electorate.Blackwell, Kenneth [http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2006ElectionsResults/06-1107OHReps.aspx 2006 general election results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627172608/http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2006ElectionsResults/06-1107OHReps.aspx |date=2011-06-27 }} 2006-11-07
Even with his 2006 victory, McGregor was again a top target in 2008, where Richard Spangler was fielded to run against him. However, once again, McGregor was victorious with a narrow victory of 500 votes, or 50.59%.Brunner, Jennifer [http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2008ElectionResults/ohRep_110408.aspx 2008 general election results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916124611/http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2008ElectionResults/ohRep_110408.aspx |date=2011-09-16 }} 2008-11-04
For a third term, McGregor faced initial primary opposition from the right, due greatly to numerous votes McGregor had made on social issues. The opponent was eighteen-year-old Ethan Reynolds, who attended the local high school.{{cite news | first = Tom | last = Hawkins | title = Springfield's McGregor may see challenger from high school student | date = 2010-02-07 | url = http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-news/springfields-mcgregor-may-see-challenger-from-high-school-student-534315.html | publisher = Springfield News Sun | accessdate = 2011-03-11}} However, he easily secured the nomination with 71.18% of the votes.Brunner, Jennifer [http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2010results/20100504OHrep-R.aspx 2010 primary election results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227142028/http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2010results/20100504OHrep-R.aspx |date=2010-12-27 }} 2010-05-04 McGregor easily defeated Democratic challenger Greg Krouse in the general election with 59.7% of the vote.Brunner, Jennifer [http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2010results/20101102ohouse.aspx 2010 general election results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627172201/http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/electResultsMain/2010results/20101102ohouse.aspx |date=2011-06-27 }} 2010-11-02
Speaker of the House William G. Batchelder has named McGregor as a member of the Republican majority caucus' Policy Committee for the 129th General Assembly.{{cite web | url = http://massdiscussion.blogspot.com/2010/12/ohio-house-batchelder-announces-house.html | title = Weapons of Mass Discussion | date = 29 December 2010 | accessdate = 2011-03-11}} He also is serving on the committees of Insurance; Commerce and Labor; Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security; and Finance and Appropriations and its Transportation Subcommittee (as Chairman).{{cite news | first = William | last = Hershey | title = Area lawmakers win leadership spots | date = 2011-01-12 | url = http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/ohiopolitics/entries/2011/01/12/area_lawmakers_win_house_commi.html?cxtype=feedbot | publisher = Dayton Daily News | accessdate = 2011-03-11}} He is also the chairman of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review; and the Commission on Minority Health.
McGregor won a final term in 2012 with 55.65% of the vote over Democrat David Herier.
Initiatives and positions
In February 2011, McGregor announced his intention to renew a bipartisan effort to ban discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation or gender identity, an effort which passed the Ohio House in 2009 but failed in the state Senate.{{cite news | first = William | last = Hershey | title = Springfield Republican leads effort to halt gay bias | date = 2011-02-06 | url = http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/ohio-news/springfield-republican-leads-effort-to-halt-gay-bias-1073997.html | publisher = Springfield News Sun | accessdate = 2011-03-11}} He introduced House Bill 335, legislation intended to do just that, on September 27, 2011; the bill was assigned to the House committee on Commerce & Labor.{{cite web|url=http://lsc.state.oh.us/coderev/hou129.nsf/House+Bill+Number/0335?OpenDocument|title=Status Report of Legislation|publisher=Ohio Legislative Service Commission|accessdate=2012-01-25}}
McGregor is also sponsoring a bill that would create the Ohio Fraud Reporting System to allow Ohioans and public employees to report fraud, waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars.[http://wn.com/Legislative_Update_from_State_Representative_Ross_McGregor Legislative update from Rep. Ross McGregor]
As Chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee of the Finance and Appropriations Committee, McGregor is presiding over the biannual transportation budget.{{cite news | first = Jim | last = Siegel | title = Ohio House puts $7 billion in transit budget | date = 2011-03-10 | url = http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/03/10/ohio-house-puts-7-billion-in-transit-budget.html?sid=101 | work = Columbus Dispatch | accessdate = 2011-03-11 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20120724085856/http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/03/10/ohio-house-puts-7-billion-in-transit-budget.html?sid=101 | archivedate = 2012-07-24 }} The bill passed the House in early March 2011.