Troy Balderson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Troy Balderson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 12th district
Incumbent
Assumed office September 5, 2018
Preceded by	Pat Tiberi
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 20th district
In office July 13, 2011 – September 5, 2018
Preceded by	Jimmy Stewart
Succeeded by	Brian Hill
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 94th district
In office January 5, 2009 – July 13, 2011
Preceded by	Jim Aslanides
Succeeded by	Brian Hill
Personal details
Born	William Troy Balderson (1962-01-16) January 16, 1962 (age 63) Zanesville, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Angela Mattingly ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 2014)​
Children	1

William Troy Balderson (born January 16, 1962) is an American politician and businessman. He currently serves as a U.S. representative for Ohio's 12th congressional district since 2018. Before this, he was an Ohio state senator for the 20th district from 2011 to 2018. He is a member of the Republican Party. He also served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2009 to 2011.

About Troy Balderson's Early Life and Education

Troy Balderson grew up in southeastern Ohio. He finished high school at Zanesville High School in 1980. After high school, he went to Muskingum College and the Ohio State University. He lives in Zanesville, Ohio.

Troy Balderson's First Jobs

Balderson began working at his family's car business, Balderson Motor Sales. He started as a mechanic while still in college. From 1987 to 2008, he was the vice president and general manager. He was the third generation in his family to run the business. His father had managed it for 50 years. The car company closed in February 2018.

Serving in the Ohio Government

Ohio House of Representatives

In 2008, Troy Balderson decided to run for a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives. The person who held the seat before him, Jim Aslanides, could not run again due to term limits. Term limits mean a politician can only serve a certain number of times.

Balderson won the Republican primary election in March 2008. He then won the general election in November. In 2010, he ran for reelection and was the only candidate.

While in the Ohio House, he was part of the House Finance Committee. He also led the Subcommittee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. In 2010, he suggested a law that would require some people receiving state benefits to take drug tests.

Ohio State Senate

In 2011, State Senator Jimmy Stewart decided to leave his position. Troy Balderson was chosen to fill the empty Senate seat. He officially started his new role on July 13, 2011.

In 2012, Balderson won a full four-year term in the Senate. He won against Teresa Scarmack. In 2014, he helped lead a special committee. This committee looked at Ohio's rules for renewable energy. He also led the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Balderson ran for reelection again in 2016 and had no opponents. He could not run for the Senate again in 2020 because of term limits. So, he decided to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress.

Troy Balderson's Committee Roles

While serving in the Ohio government, Balderson was part of several important committees:

• Energy and Natural Resources (he was the leader)
• Finance
• Government Oversight & Reform
• Public Utilities
• Finance Subcommittee on Primary & Secondary Education
• Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review

Troy Balderson in the U.S. House of Representatives

Troy Balderson being sworn into office by Speaker Paul Ryan on September 5, 2018.

Elections for Congress

2018 Special Election

In 2018, a special election was held for Ohio's 12th congressional district. This election happened because the previous representative, Pat Tiberi, resigned. Balderson was the Republican candidate.

He won the Republican primary election by a very small number of votes. In the special election in August, he ran against Democratic candidate Danny O'Connor. The election was very close. Balderson was officially declared the winner on August 24, winning by about 1,680 votes. He was sworn into office on September 5.

2018 General Election

Later in November 2018, Balderson faced Danny O'Connor again in the regular general election. Balderson won this election too, securing his seat in Congress.

2020 Election

In 2020, Balderson ran for reelection. He won against the Democratic candidate, Alaina Shearer, and continued to serve in the House of Representatives.

2022 Election

Balderson was reelected in 2022. He won against Amy Rippel-Elton, the Democratic candidate.

What Troy Balderson Does in Congress

As a U.S. Representative, Troy Balderson votes on many important laws. For example, in 2022, he voted on a law about marriage rights. In 2023, he voted to provide support to Israel after an attack.

Troy Balderson's Committee Assignments in Congress

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Balderson is part of these committees:

• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: This committee deals with topics like space exploration and new technologies.
  • Subcommittee on Oversight
  • Subcommittee on Research and Technology
• Committee on Small Business: This committee helps small businesses grow and succeed.
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade
  • Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access

Groups Troy Balderson is Part of in Congress

Balderson is also a member of several groups within Congress. These groups focus on specific topics or interests. Some of them include:

• Republican Governance Group
• Republican Study Committee
• Republican Main Street Partnership
• House Automotive Caucus
• Congressional Motorcycle Caucus
• General Aviation Caucus
• Congressional Rural Caucus
• Congressional Small Business Caucus
• Beef Caucus
• Taiwan Caucus

Troy Balderson's Personal Life

Troy Balderson has a son with his ex-wife, Angela. They divorced in 2014.

Troy Balderson's Election History