Tom Pruss
LibertarianQ1 Q1 (Scientific Expertise and Governance): Scientific and technical expertise can inform decisions related to healthcare, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and emerging technologies. What role, if any, should scientific evidence and expert input play in your policymaking process, and how would you communicate scientific uncertainty or evolving evidence to the public?
As Secretary of State, I would listen to experts and use facts to help keep Ohio’s elections safe, fair, and easy to take part in. Experts can help us check voting machines and protect voters’ information.
If the facts change or experts aren’t sure, I would explain what we know, what we don’t know, and why we made a decision. I would use plain language so everyone can understand.
Healthcare, energy, roads, and manufacturing policy are generally outside the Secretary of State’s job.
Q2 Q2 (Artificial Intelligence): Rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and large-scale data centers are increasing demand for energy and water infrastructure. Over 100 local Ohio communities have active moratoriums on data centers. What policies, if any, would you support to balance technological growth and economic opportunities with infrastructure reliability and environmental sustainability?
Data center rules are outside the Secretary of State’s job, but I support Don Kissick’s call for no special tax breaks, no secret agreements, and requiring data centers to make their own electricity and reuse cooling water. New technology should help Ohio without putting extra costs on families or wasting our water. As Secretary of State, I would stay within my authority while speaking up for those priorities.
Q3 Q3 (Science Funding): Government research funding supports universities, medical centers, and technology development across Ohio and the nation. What role, if any, should the government play in supporting scientific research and innovation, and what outcomes would you prioritize when evaluating those investments?
Deciding how government money supports scientific research is outside the Ohio Secretary of State’s job. The office oversees elections, business filings, and official records. As Secretary of State, I would focus on those duties and leave research funding decisions to the officials responsible for them.
Q4 Q4 (Jobs & Workforce): Ohio has the ninth largest international student population in the U.S., the majority of which study in STEM fields.The federal government is pursuing large-scale changes to student visa approval, including increased visa denials, revoking existing visas, restricting travel from certain countries, and decreasing student visa durations. How, if at all, should Ohio respond to federal visa changes affecting international STEM students and researchers, and the resulting projected changes in the scientific workforce supply?
Student visas are handled by the federal government, and deciding Ohio’s response to these changes is outside the Secretary of State’s job. The office oversees elections, business filings, and official records. As Secretary of State, I would focus on those duties and avoid making promises about visa rules or research workforce policies that I would not have the power to carry out.