Craig S. Riedel

Craig S. Riedel is a Republican politician from Ohio born on May 23, 1966, in Attica. He was raised on a farm near Attica and has deep roots in Northwest Ohio. Riedel is married to Danette and has two children, Steve and Renee. The couple has been married for 36 years and resides in Defiance, Ohio, where they remain active community volunteers and grandparents.

Throughout his life, Riedel has been extensively involved in his community through coaching youth sports, serving on church councils, supporting local booster organizations, and participating in Rotary Club activities. He is a member of the Defiance St. Mary Pastoral Council and serves as a Eucharistic Minister.

Education

Riedel graduated from Seneca East High School and earned a civil engineering degree from The Ohio State University in 1988.

Political Experience

Riedel served as State Representative for Ohio House District 82 from 2017 to 2023, representing Defiance, Paulding, and Van Wert counties, as well as a portion of Auglaize County. During his three terms, he held leadership roles on committees including Armed Services, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security; Commerce and Labor; and Higher Education and Workforce Development. He also served as Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee.

His legislative record reflects support for fiscal responsibility, including efforts to reduce income taxes, oppose gas tax increases, strengthen property tax oversight, and expand educational freedom. He also championed labor reforms, occupational licensing reciprocity, and policies supporting energy production and reduced regulatory burdens.

In 2022 and 2024, Riedel ran for Ohio's 9th Congressional District, though he lost both Republican primary elections.

Before entering politics, Riedel worked for 27 years as a Design Engineer and Division Sales Manager at Nucor Vulcraft Group, retiring in 2015.