A two-term state representative and former superintendent of Akron schools is being challenged by a former business executive in the race for the 41st Ohio House District.

Democratic incumbent Brian Williams, 66, spent 37 years working for Akron schools as a teacher, principal and administrator and as superintendent from 1995 to 2001.

Republican Randy Cole, 41, stepped down last month as president of GovTech, a small business that consults with local governments about online services, to be a full-time candidate.

The 41st District covers parts of Northwest Akron, Norton and much of northern Summit County.

Williams' main campaign focus has been on education concerns. He serves on the legislature's education committee.

''In the past, we have taken the $52 billion state budget and funded everything but education,'' Williams said, ''and whatever was left over is what went into education as residual funds.

''I have been in the minority for my first two terms and now am very hopeful that I will be in the majority next term . . . and we will be able to provide adequate funding for education this time around.

''We also have a governor who has promised to address the school-funding issue plaguing schools and has already started holding a series of meetings on the crisis.''

Williams said he has been able to reach across political lines and is co-sponsor of two bills, which are ready for a floor vote.

House Bill 406 would ban spanking in all public schools. House Bill 418 would make counseling mandatory for children who go to juvenile court in animal-cruelty cases. The bill also allows for a protective order for animals in an abusive home, so that their safety would be covered along with that of human residents.

Cole has launched an aggressive door-to-door campaign.

''I have ideas and a vision,'' he said, ''but it's the specifics I get from meeting with residents, local business and local government officials who are compiling projects and need help . . . for my understanding of how to govern well.''

If elected, Cole said, he wants to bring attention to and solutions for Northeast Ohio's economy.

Cole has long-range goals for regional cooperation and using the water resources of Northeast Ohio to boost the local economy. He said the abundant supply of fresh water in this region can attract water-related industries such as food services and hybrid fuel system manufacturers.

''It seems like a simple concept, but unlike other areas of the country, like the Southeast and Southwest, that can't sustain their current development because of a lack of water . . . we have a unique opportunity to use capital investments made by previous generations as a tool for economic development to attract water-intensive industries today and in the future.''

From 1998 to 2005, Cole was a sales and marketing executive with FirstEnergy Solutions. From 1993 to 1998, he worked in the Summit County engineer's office, where he was director of intergovernmental affairs and, eventually, chief of staff. He was also a legislative aide in the Ohio Senate from 1989 to 1993 and was involved in budget negotiations.