Jim Obergefell, whose lawsuit led to the legalization of gay marriage, announces bid for the Ohio House

The man who brought a lawsuit against Ohio that ended with the U.S. Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage is running for an Ohio House seat.

Jim Obergefell wants to run for the House seat that represents Sandusky, his hometown. He says he has two main goals.

“Opportunities and jobs. That’s one of the most important things because that will have a ripple effect in many other ways for the quality of life for everyone in this district,” Obergefell said.

He vowed to be a champion for marginalized people and promised to make Ohio more welcoming to everyone.

“To help make sure Ohio can be a state where people feel safe, where they feel protected, where they feel they have equal opportunity,” he said.

Obergefell is nationally known and could raise a lot of money to run against Republican incumbent D.J. Swearingen. Though the district is still being redrawn, the last time a Democrat held a House seat in that area was in 2014.

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