Congressman Michael Rulli, first elected in June 2024 to the U.S. House, faces one Republican opponent in the primary, with six Democrats seeking that party’s nomination in the 6th District.

Rulli, of Salem, won a special election in June 2024 for an unexpired term representing the district and then was elected to a full two-year term in November 2024.

In the May 5 Republican primary, Rulli faces Jullie Kelley of Monroe. Kelley ran in 2023 for a trustee position in her Carroll County township, finishing last with 9% of the vote.

The names of six Democrats will appear on the party’s May 5 primary ballot.

They are Adrian Vitus of Poland, Brent Hanni of Youngstown, Sean Connolly of Canfield, Malcolm Ritchie of Dover, Elizabeth Kirtley of New Philadelphia and Charles DiPalma of Steubenville.

All but DiPalma responded to requests from The Vindicator to provide details of their campaigns and their priorities.

Also, Christopher Lafont of Bethesda is running as a write-in candidate.

The 6th District includes most of Mahoning and Stark counties, as well as all of Columbiana, Jefferson, Belmont, Harrison and Tuscarawas counties and portions of Wayne and Holmes counties.

The district favors Republicans 63.9% to 36.1% for Democrats based on partisan statewide voting results during the past decade.

RULLI

Rulli, a former state senator, said his priorities include safety at the Southern border, American energy independence and rail safety.

Rulli, of Salem, said: “While we have made meaningful progress during my first full term in Congress, there is still important work ahead to strengthen our communities and protect the people we represent.”

As part of keeping the border safe, Rulli said he introduced the Giving Alien Migrants Back through Lawful Excise Redistribution (GAMBLER) Act on June 11. The bill redirects nearly $300 million in federal gambling taxes to Immigration and Custom Enforcement for enforcement, detention and deportation operations.

The bill was referred more than 10 months ago to two House committees and hasn’t received a hearing.

Rulli said: “I remain committed to American energy independence and dominance. Growing our domestic energy production for clean coal, oil and natural gas strengthens our national security and creates jobs through the region.”

Rulli introduced the National Coal Council Reestablishment Act on April 24, 2024, that would codify into law President Donald Trump’s executive order reestablishing the council that provides advice on the industry to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. The House passed the bill 217-209 on Sept. 18. It was referred Sept. 19 to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which hasn’t yet had a hearing on it.

Rulli said: “I will continue to introduce legislation similar to this, dedicated to expanding energy production throughout my district, which includes Belmont and Jefferson counties, which accounted for over 50% of Ohio’s natural gas production in 2023.”

Rulli said his most important priority is continuing to advocate for rail safety following the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment disaster in East Palestine.

Rulli has sponsored bills to strengthen rail inspection and oversight.

He said: “The people of East Palestine deserve accountability and reforms that ensure a disaster like this never happens again.”

KELLEY

Kelley, a self-employed ordained elder, said she wants to “fight for freedom through transparency and the pursuit of less government in our lives, in our choices and in our wallets.”

Kelley said the middle class “and those on the fringes of society are struggling with affordability.”

Kelley said government leaders argue over issues “they never fully pursue. The misspending of public dollars is huge. The money must be returned back to the people it belongs to in the first place. We must restore public trust and government accountability.”

That includes, Kelley said, having bills with one title and one subject with timelines set for getting them out of committee.

Kelley said, “There are many wrongs that need to be righted.” That includes the disclosure of government officials who are caught in misconduct, stopping government contracts from going to family members of government officials, she said.

“Start telling the truth to the American people,” Kelley said. “We are tired of the lies.”

Kelley also wants a special home-buying program for those in East Palestine impacted by the train derailment.

VITUS

Vitus, who lost a job in March 2025 through cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency, said he is “fed up with the politicians that we have. I am young, smart and have been pushed down by those at the top my entire life. Against the odds, I built a career fighting for equal justice, a free press, environmental protection and economic fairness for working people across the world, only to have that position and impact undone by Elon Musk and the current administration.”

Now a part-time teacher, Vitus said his campaign’s focus is on lower prices and higher wages, better care for our community, and taking on the “political corruption in Washington and (building) a new democracy based on decency, dignity and respect.”

Vitus said he supports the transition to Medicare for all as a public insurance program to replace the current “private insurance scheme. In addition, we should promote universal child care through Early Head Start programs and fund quality public education through increasing state and federal funding as well as a limitation of voucher program access to public funds in the state.”

HANNI

Hanni, the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts’ fiscal officer, said he’s “witnessed the decimation of the working-class voters in Ohio,” and “no one in Washington, D.C., can relate to the problems people face every day in the 6th District. Congress has completely dropped the ball with the American dream and, as a result, working families are suffering.”

Hanni wants to implement a “national luxury tax,” by putting a 30% tax on items that cost more than $150,000, such as boats, condos and stocks.

Hanni also wants to sponsor a bill focusing on a farm-to-table concept to help local farmers “being wiped out by the tariff disaster. Farmers can contract with state governments to supply fresh food to the schools” with the federal government reimbursing states through the existing WIC program. The increase in funding would come from cutting the war budget, he said.

“People are starting to realize there is absolutely no benefit to fighting these wars, except paying higher prices,” Hanni said.

Hanni said his most important priority is passing the Equal Rights Act “and protecting every woman’s right to vote, to equal pay and a right to their own bodies.”

CONNOLLY

Connolly, a tattoo artist, said he wants to address the affordability crisis. Connolly said he would back existing legislation for Medicare for all, universal child care and the Protecting the Right to Organize Act.

“My first responsibility is to fight for policies that address the here and now because people need relief now, not just promises about the future,” he said.

Connolly wants to propose legislation for a high-speed rail corridor connecting Cleveland, Youngstown and Pittsburgh with “Youngstown positioned as a strategic hub in a broader regional network. I do not view this as a vanity transportation project. I view it as a national economic development project.”

Connolly said it is a long-term plan with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers serving as the lead federal engineering and delivery partner for the buildout phase.

As for funding, Connolly said: “I would make the larger political argument plainly: the money is there if we choose to prioritize it. Congress makes choices every year about what matters. I do not accept the argument that the richest country in the world can always find money for endless wars, corporate giveaways and tax favors for the powerful, but suddenly becomes helpless when asked to rebuild the country itself.”

RITCHIE

Ritchie, a retired railroad locomotive engineer and retired U.S. Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, said he wants universal health care for all American citizens.

Ritchie also wants to repeal the Homeland Security Act, the Patriot Act and pass a new defense reorganization act.

Ritchie wants to introduce a “New New Deal” act to “rebuild the national electric power grid with buried underground cables, nuclear fusion reactor power plants and a nationwide high-speed electric train system.”

KIRTLEY

If elected, Kirtley, a freelance writer, said her priorities are to abolish the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency, have fair and safe voting and federally codify women’s reproductive rights.

Regarding ICE, Kirtley said there is no fixing the agency, and it needs to be abolished.

Kirtley said she would seek legislation that would also prohibit states from imposing “false authority” to ICE agents.

Kirtley said voting should be “an easy and convenient process. Women and others who have changed their names should not be burdened with additional requirements to prove their right to be at and included in the polls.”

Kirtley said: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness includes a woman’s right to choose. The female body does not change when lines are crossed and therefore neither should basic rights to healthcare or the right to choose it. Every person has the right to safe and medically factual information regarding all aspects of health care and should absolutely have the right to all health care options. Our bodies don’t change as we cross state lines and neither should the laws governing them.”