Jennifer Gross seeks reelection to Ohio House District 45

Republican state Rep. Jennifer Gross is running for reelection to Ohio House District 45, which includes West Chester Township, Ross Township, Morgan Township and Fairfield City.

Gross, a West Chester resident serving her third term in the Ohio House, faces Democrat Jayson A. Rasheed in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

Party: Republican
Office sought: Ohio House of Representatives, District 45
Residence: West Chester Township, where she lives with her husband, Chris, and their two sons
Education: Bachelor's degree in nursing, University of Missouri (1986); master's degree in nursing, University of Cincinnati (2004)
Military service: Lieutenant colonel, U.S. Air Force (1987–2008). Served in Saudi Arabia during Operation Provide Comfort and in Sarajevo during Operation Provide Promise during a 21-year career, according to her Ohio House biography.
Professional: Nurse practitioner and healthcare consultant. Gross has worked at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, TriHealth Occupational Medicine, Matrix Medical Network and other healthcare employers, according to BallotReady profile data. She also participated as a sub-investigator for Operation WARP Speed developing COVID-19 treatments.
Community: Member of American Legion Post 681 and VFW Post 7696, where she became the first active female inductee in February 2019, according to her Ohio House biography.

Experience and public service

Gross represented District 52 in the Ohio House from 2021 to 2023 before moving to District 45, where she has served since 2023, according to BallotReady profile data. She serves as chairwoman of the House Medicaid Committee and sits on the House Community Revitalization, Government Oversight and Health committees, as well as the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee, according to her Ohio House biography.

Outside the legislature, Gross has worked as a healthcare consultant and nurse practitioner at Jennifer Gross Consulting LLC since 2022 and as a health and wellness coach at Optavia since 2018, according to BallotReady. She also works as an obesity management nurse practitioner at Tri State Medica, per the same source.

On the issues

Gross outlines several policy priorities on her campaign website. All positions below are the candidate's own stated views.

Economy and taxes: Gross says she advocates for small businesses and sponsors deregulatory legislation. She says lowering tax rates and simplifying the tax code for business owners are top priorities, calling for making Ohio "not only attractive, but irresistible" to small and large business owners.

Firearms: Gross says she supports constitutional carry and describes gun ownership as enabling Ohioans to exercise "their God given right to self defense." She identifies herself as a concealed-carry weapon holder.

Abortion: Gross says she opposes the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion. She says the unborn child has "a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed."

Immigration: Gross says she opposes sanctuary cities.

Civil rights: Gross says she believes "traditional marriage and family, based on marriage between one man and one woman, is the foundation for a free society and is best for rearing children and instilling cultural values."