Kristina Knickerbocker on Tuesday announced her campaign, setting the stage for what may be a political fight between an Air Force veteran and nurse practitioner and Turner, an 11-term legislator and advocate for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Knickerbocker, 34, of Yellow Springs will seek the Democratic nomination for the seat in the May 5 primary. So far, the only other declared candidate is Democrat Manuel Foggie, who lives in Cincinnati (outside the district) and filed petitions to run in December.
The primary winner will face off against Turner Nov. 3.
In April the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee identified Turner’s district as a “district in play” — a Republican-held district viewed as competitive.
The landscape for incumbent Republicans is widely expected to be a challenging one, although the Cook Political Report has rated Ohio’s 10th district as a “solid R,” meaning a Republican candidate has a strong advantage here.
The report also says that “on paper,” that district should be the Democrats’ “best pick-up opportunity” in Ohio. But the rating added: “GOP Rep. Mike Turner has consistently won reelection by comfortable margins.”
In response to questions from the Dayton Daily News, Turner agreed Monday that the district is competitive.
“I think that’s what makes it an exciting and viable community, it’s what makes my voice so important,” he said. “I’m endorsed by Donald Trump but at the same time I think I’m able to balance my voice being important for the community and for representing all of the 10th district.”
Turner won the district by 18 points in 2024, beating Democratic challenger Amy Cox, an out-of-district scientist and former school teacher from Eaton. Trump won the district by six points.
“He is a really tough target,” Erin Covey, who analyzes House races for the Cook Political Report, told the Dayton Daily News last month.
More candidates may file by the Feb. 4 deadline for the May 5 primary.
The district includes all of Montgomery and Greene counties, and after redistricting last year covers northeast Butler County including Middletown.
Knickerbocker
Knickerbocker has served in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve and works as a neuro-oncology nurse practitioner at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, according to a press release her campaign released. She has also worked for the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson, according to the announcement.
Her LinkedIn page shows that she worked as a family nurse practitioner at Five Rivers Family Health Center in Dayton in 2022. A page at the Wexner website says she was a major, or O-4, in the Air Force before joining Wexner.
In a video announcing her candidacy, Knickerbocker did not mention Turner. Instead, she took aim at high costs, particularly high health care costs.
“I see the real cost when the health care system fails my patients, and when I almost died from childbirth, the system even failed me,” she said in a video announcing her run. “I see people lose their life savings because health care costs are too high. The system cares more about making money than keeping people healthy.”
Democrats nationally have latched on to affordability as a fighting issue in this year’s mid-term congressional elections, reports have indicated. CNN and others report “anxiety” among congressional Republicans on the issue of health care costs, the central issue over which last year’s record-setting lapse in federal government funding was fought.
The DCCC last week issued a statement noting that Turner and Rep. Mike Carey, R-Columbus (whose district includes parts of southern Clark and northern Miami counties), voted against a legislative measure that would have extended tax credits for the Affordable Care Act.
In a 230-to-196 vote, 17 Republicans joined Democrats in favor of the measure.
“The economy is broken. People here are working twice as hard and getting half as much. Prices keep going up, insurance premiums are skyrocketing, and utility bills are through the roof,” Knickerbocker said. “These things didn’t happen by accident. They’re the result of choices made by corrupt politicians in Washington who pass bills that make us poorer and sicker and then try to tell us they’re big and beautiful.”
Turner
Turner announced his reelection bid at a press conference at the Montgomery County Board of Elections Monday, where he submitted a candidacy petition form.
“I do think this is a time for making certain we have a voice of strong and experienced leadership, with everything that’s happening in Washington, especially the vulnerabilities and threats that we have to our federal workforce and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,” Turner said.
Turner, 66, first won a congressional seat in November 2002 after his Dayton-area predecessor in Congress, Tony Hall, ended his own 23-year congressional career to serve as the U.N. special envoy for hunger issues.
A lifelong Dayton resident, Turner, an attorney, launched his political career by defeating Democratic Mayor Clay Dixon in November 1993, winning his first term as Dayton mayor.
About the Author
