Shale update with Senator Troy Balderson

Blog Post

McDonald Hopkins recently sponsored our annual Shale Update that reflected on 2016, while looking ahead to 2017. Among the incredible group of panelists who joined us for the forum was Ohio State Senator Troy Balderson. Sen. Balderson represents Ohio Senate District 20, situated in the heart of Appalachian shale country, and currently serves as the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair. 

During the forum, Sen. Balderson was asked about the effect of Appalachian Shale on voting patterns in his district. You can watch his response below:

Sen. Balderson discussed the dramatic impact of Appalachian Shale on the economy of a region that has suffered through difficult times for many years. He also talked about the sudden electoral shift in the region from a historical democrat base to an energized republican stronghold, based upon the desire to support candidates who support the development of Appalachian Shale.

Following the election, we provided an analysis of the role Appalachian Shale played in delivering the presidency for Donald Trump.

Sen. Balderson’s insightful comments further illuminated the necessity of local and national politicians to support development of Appalachian Shale – if they intend to succeed, anyway.