Rep. Tristan Rader

Rep. Tristan Rader Husband │ Clevelander │ State Rep │ Renewable Energy Advocate

Tristan Rader (born May 8, 1986) is Councilman At-Large in Lakewood, Ohio and a solar energy advocate About – State Representative Tristan Rader (District 13)

Fighting for Ohio’s working families, our environment, and a just, resilient future. I’m Tristan Rader — Democrat, public servant, organizer, and proud representative for Ohio House District 13. A little background:

Born in Cleveland, rais

ed on the West Side

Earned degrees from Lorain County Community College, Kent State University, and Cleveland State University

Served on Lakewood City Council from 2018 to 2024

Career in community organizing, clean energy advocacy, public benefits outreach, and progressive campaigns

What I stand for:

✅ Economic justice: fair wages, worker protections, tax policy that works for the many

🌱 Environmental justice & sustainability: clean energy, climate resilience, preservation of our natural resources

💪 Social justice: equitable access to healthcare, education, housing, and dignity for all

📢 Transparent, responsive government: making sure your voice is heard in Columbus

In the Legislature:
Since taking office in January 2025, I’ve prioritized legislation that protects communities from overreach, supports sustainable development, and imposes accountability on powerful interests.

05/28/2026

Marching with the Greater Ohio Climate March! Giving voice to our planet, our communities, our futures!

Today, Governor DeWine announced a temporary suspension of the sales tax exemption for data centers. This seems like a p...
05/27/2026

Today, Governor DeWine announced a temporary suspension of the sales tax exemption for data centers. This seems like a positive step in the right direction, but it is not nearly enough. Governor DeWine never should have reinstated this exemption in the first place after it was eliminated in last year’s budget.

Ohioans are tired of a tax system that shifts the burden onto working families while the wealthiest continue to receive special treatment. Our schools, roads, libraries, and public services depend on everyone paying their fair share, and this exemption should be permanently repealed.

05/21/2026

Data centers are costing Ohio ones more than $1 billion per year more than expected. We need to eliminate the tax exemptions that allow this to happen!

“Nothing about us without us.”I’m proud to partner with Rep. Mike odioso on a bipartisan resolution encouraging every Co...
05/21/2026

“Nothing about us without us.”

I’m proud to partner with Rep. Mike odioso on a bipartisan resolution encouraging every County Board of Developmental Disabilities in Ohio to look at the Leadership Council model pioneered by the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

The idea is simple: people who receive services should have a real voice in shaping those services.

Cuyahoga DD’s Leadership Council is made up of self-advocates with developmental disabilities who provide feedback on programs, accessibility, services, technology, advocacy, and community partnerships. Their motto says it best: “If it’s for us, bring it before us.”

This resolution was shaped in that same spirit, with input from the Leadership Council, self-advocates, people served by county boards of developmental disabilities, and the folks who support this work every day.

This is about dignity, self-advocacy, and better government. When people closest to the issue help lead the conversation, we make better decisions.

Ohio should lift up this model and help it grow across the state.

05/19/2026

Bryan Stevenson has spent his life fighting wrongful convictions, mass incarceration, racial injustice, and a system that too often treats poor people as disposable. Tonight, Cleveland got to hear that moral clarity firsthand at Severance Hall during the Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival.

He ended with a line that says everything:

“Poverty is not the opposite of wealth. Poverty is the opposite of justice.”

A powerful reminder that courage means telling the truth about inequality and fighting for a more just America.

House Bill 854 would make public college and trade school tuition-free in Ohio.We already believe every child deserves t...
05/18/2026

House Bill 854 would make public college and trade school tuition-free in Ohio.

We already believe every child deserves tuition-free public education through K-12. So why do we suddenly stop believing in public education the moment a student graduates high school?

That makes no sense.

In the richest country in the history of the world, students should not have to go into massive debt just to become nurses, teachers, engineers, electricians, or skilled tradespeople.

There always seems to be money for corporate handouts and tax breaks for the wealthy. But when it comes to helping students afford an education, suddenly politicians say we “can’t afford it.”

Enough.

If we believe in public education, then we should believe in it beyond K-12 too.

Proud to introduce this legislation alongside Rep. Munira Abdullahi

05/14/2026

Today, the City has rejected the permit for the data center proposed at 3560 E. 55th St. in the Slavic Village neighborhood.

Right in my office at the Ohio Statehouse, we got a firsthand demonstration of plug-in balcony solar and watched the pan...
05/14/2026

Right in my office at the Ohio Statehouse, we got a firsthand demonstration of plug-in balcony solar and watched the panel generate electricity right there in the window. It was a great reminder of just how lightweight, affordable, and accessible this technology can be for everyday Ohioans.

We didn’t plug it in because current Ohio law still prevents people from using these systems here, even with proper safety safeguards in place. That’s exactly why House Bill 755 is so important. This legislation would help open the door for renters, condo owners, and homeowners alike to safely generate some of their own power and lower their energy bills.

Pictured with me are Rep. Chris Glassburner and Mryia Williams from Solar United Neighbors, helping demonstrate how simple and practical balcony solar can be.



I had the honor of joining the the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. Greater Cleveland Chapter for an important...
05/12/2026

I had the honor of joining the the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. Greater Cleveland Chapter for an important discussion about power building in the era of Project 2025 and the ongoing attacks on our democracy.

We talked about the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, rising authoritarianism, and the coordinated effort to divide working people while consolidating power for the wealthy and well connected.

The answer is not fear. It’s solidarity.

We need a true rainbow coalition: labor, Black and brown communities, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, young people, faith communities, and working people from every background standing together to defend democracy and build a future rooted in justice and dignity.

The far right wants us isolated and exhausted. Our job is to organize anyway.

Thank you to the women leading this work and continuing to build power in our communities.

Thank you to everyone who voted for me for Democratic State Central Committee.We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I t...
05/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who voted for me for Democratic State Central Committee.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I truly believe we can rebuild a Democratic Party that fights unapologetically for working people again.

Not Monsanto. The farmer.
Not the billionaire oligarchs. The worker who made them rich.
Not the AI data center. The community.
Not the health insurance company. The sick mother.
Not monopoly utilities. The family paying the bill.
Not private school vouchers. Public schools for all.
Not a needless war overseas. People who need help at home.
Not corporate lobbyists. The people.

Working people built this party.

Together, let’s make sure working people have a real seat at the table again.

Thank you for believing in this movement.

Tristan Rader
State Representative &
Democratic State Central Committee

Address

Cleveland, OH
44111

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rep. Tristan Rader posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category