WARREN — While both challenger Christopher DePizzo and incumbent U.S. Rep. Timothy J. Ryan say improving the economy and job market are important pieces of their agenda for the U.S. 13th Congressional District in Ohio, DePizzo said Ryan hasn’t done enough during his time in office. Ryan said the work takes time, and he is getting results from investments made.

DePizzo said Ryan’s strategies aren’t working for the district.

“Manufacturing is at the heart of our economy, and I believe that a strong manufacturing sector is key to the region’s strength and growth. During Tim Ryan’s 16 years in Washington, our population has declined and our workers’ wages and benefits have stagnated — all while the rest of the state and the country have seen economic improvement and an uptick in jobs,” DePizzo said.

But Ryan said he has a big-picture strategy for the region, which has been hit hard because it didn’t have a diverse enough strategy in the past.

“Going back 30 years, we basically got caught in one industry, and when that industry went under, we went under. So the whole idea is, how do we diversify? And so what I have been trying to do, both in Trumbull and Mahoning counties, and out in Akron, is diversify the economy and figure out how we get in front of areas of the economy that are growing, and that are projected to grow significantly in the next couple of decades,” Ryan said.

Ryan, 45, a Democrat, was 29 when he first was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002. Before that, he served as a state senator from 2001 to 2002. He studied political science at Bowling Green State University and law at University of New Hampshire School of Law. He has never lost an election and is married with a son and two stepchildren.

DePizzo, 31, a Republican, is a corporate attorney who graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, St. Peter’s University and University of Pennsylvania Law School. He has practiced law mostly in New York, and moved back to the area last year, settling in Cuyahoga Falls with his wife, where the two plan to start a family. He has never before run for or held a public office.

It takes time to invest and develop new industry when so much of the manufacturing jobs have left the district, Ryan said. But additive manufacturing, which is projected to grow by 25 percent a year for the next 10 years, is taking off in the America Makes initiative in Youngstown, he said. And in Warren, the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center is the only energy incubator in the state. And while it has been slow going at first, grant money he helped secure to conduct battery tests has the incubator on its way, Ryan said. The incubator now has 13 companies in it, Ryan said, and the companies have the potential to grow.

“One of the new and emerging industries in the renewable sector is how are we going to store the energy? That is the big thing. You either pump it into the grid, or you got to be able to store it. Whether talking about cars or homes, you need the batteries,” Ryan said.

DePizzo said by supporting the Democratic agenda, Ryan has voted against the interests of manufacturing and small business.

“Companies go to the places where they can find support from their congressmen. I will be more proactive, and less reactionary. I’ll vote to support policies that are in line with manufacturers’ needs,” DePizzo said.

While investing in additive manufacturing makes sense, DePizzo said, Ryan is planning for the jobs of the future, but ignoring the jobs of today. DePizzo said he doesn’t see additive manufacturing bringing a large number of jobs to the district.

DePizzo said the local economy needs a diverse “basket” of well-paying manufacturing jobs to help stop population decline.

Ryan said the military is interested in additive manufacturing because it is efficient and saves money. He said he has been working with other members of Congress in districts that have lost large amounts of manufacturing jobs to attract venture capitalists from California and is expecting an announcement of a large investment.

His strategy focuses on jobs that pay enough to increase the quality of life in the region — jobs that pay $30 or $40 an hour — which would help raise all wages, Ryan said.

DePizzo said the region needs a Republican who will vote to do things like simplify the tax code and reduce regulations.

“I believe the government’s role is to create the environment that allows small and medium businesses to grow and succeed. Far too often, we have seen government do just the opposite by creating a complicated tax code, high taxes, unclear and burdensome regulations and uncertainty of government-mandated programs — like Obamacare. These actions limit our local businesses and cost us jobs,” DePizzo said.

DePizzo criticized Ryan for traveling outside of the district to support other Democrats.

Ryan said he is more likely to accomplish things for his constituents if he helps other like-minded politicians get elected.

Ryan has out-raised and out-spent DePizzo. Ryan raised $1.3 million this cycle and had more than $400,000 at the end of July. In the same period, DePizzo raised about $36,000 and had $23,000 left. A campaign finance quarterly report is expected to be released today.

rfox@tribtoday.com