For years, Angela Zimmann has juggled many titles, including mother, University instructor and Lutheran pastor.

All, she said, helped her with one of her greatest passions — serving the community.

Now, Zimmann is looking to add the title of congress member to her list and is hoping the position will better help the community she cares about.

“I’ve always been interested in serving the community and education has always been a priority for me,” she said.

That education priority stems from her role as a University general studies writing instructor. Her classroom experience was motivation to run for Ohio’s 5th District against Republican incumbent Bob Latta.

“I have the unique perspective in seeing where students’ challenges lie,” she said. “Hearing concerns of college students has always been a priority for me.”

Watching her students struggle to balance jobs and schoolwork reminded Zimmann, 39, of her own upbringing.

“My parents didn’t pay for my college education,” she said. “They couldn’t. It was my responsibility to pay for college.”

Her position in the middle class and her background in the northwest Ohio area will help her achieve her three-point plan if elected, she said.

Zimmann’s first point would be to improve and budget money for Ohio’s infrastructure — a goal she said she believes the government could use help with.

“Ohio is a donor state. We do not get as much money back as we pay in,” she said. “Congress needs to make a compelling argument for why money needs to come in.”

Zimmann said she intends to make that compelling argument.

Currently, some Ohio tax payers are funding infrastructure in other states and Zimmann said she wants to bring that money back to Ohio.

The second point in her plan is to make sure Ohioans’ skill sets match workers by letting the public know about jobs that may not require a college education.

“I met a student who was a welder making $17 to $20 an hour, yet he was coming to BG and taking out loans,” she said. “Why not let a welder weld?”

The people, such as the welder Zimmann met, are who, she said, she wants to fight for.

Her opponent, Latta, may not be doing the best job at that, she said.

“I looked at Representative Latta’s voting record and just decided that’s not acceptable,” Zimmann said. “He voted against the interests of the people who lived here.”

His voting record included a budget that would increase national debt, lower Pell Grants and was against anti-domestic violence spending, she said.

“I think he’s a good man,” she said. “The only criticism I have is that voting record.”

When it comes to her own character and campaign, some Zimmann supporters have no criticisms.

“She is 100 percent the perfect candidate,” said Michael Hart, vice president of the College Democrats. “She reminded me there are people out there who want to make a difference.”

Among her talents relating to students like him, Hart said he also looked up to Zimmann because of the way she can command a room.

“The first time I met her was when she gave this rousing speech,” Hart said. “Anytime she speaks, it’s going to move a crowd.”

Sophomore Georgia Hudson choose to volunteer for the Zimmann campaign after meeting her at a University function and Zimmann remembering her name a few weeks later.

“I really think she’s a great candidate,” Hudson said. “I genuinely think she cares about the people in the 5th District.”