20260113 - Marcell Strbich

Military Leadership for Election Integrity: Marcel Strbich's Challenge to Ohio's Political Establishment

Marcel Strbich, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and candidate for Ohio Secretary of State, discusses his journey from military service to running for office. With twenty years in the Air Force including combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa, Strbich brings extensive leadership experience to his campaign. He explains that COVID-19, concerns about the 2020 election integrity, and the treatment of military personnel who questioned mandates motivated his decision to enter politics.

 Or listen here on Spotify

Key Takeaways:

• Election infrastructure vulnerabilities are non-partisan

  • A military professional identified specific technical gaps (uncoordinated databases, lack of mail-in verification) rather than partisan talking points, suggesting election security concerns transcend political ideology.

• Military experience is being repositioned as election expertise
  
  • Strbich is leveraging two decades of operational and command experience to claim authority on election administration—a field typically managed by career election officials.
• Anti-establishment candidates are bypassing traditional GOP networks
  
  • By mobilizing grassroots support instead of relying on donor relationships, Strbich represents a shift in how challengers compete against party establishment incumbents in statewide races.

Details at https://strbichforohio.com/