September 29, 2026
Panel: How to Influence Your Federal Legislators
Class Description
Our federal legislators exist to represent our interests in Washington. But how can we ensure that they fulfill this duty? How can we, as individual voters, make sure our senators and congressman know our concerns, preferences and priorities?
Our guests will provide us with an insider’s view of how the offices of senators and congressmen operate so we can develop strategies and tactics to optimize our impact. They will discuss the structure of the legislator’s organization, internal communication flows, how priorities are set and decisions are made, what determines who gets in-person meetings, and how legislation is authored.
We’ll be joined by 3 guests who work at different levels within a federal legislator’s organization: Ohio Representative Warren Davidson; Tom Evans, Deputy State Director for Senator John Husted; and Grant Bagshaw, Regional Representative for Southwest Ohio in the Office of U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno.
Additional topics we’ll discuss include the following:
Can we have greater impact as an individual or as part of a group?
When should we deal with a legislator’s district office vis-a-vis their DC office?
When should we simply leave a comment through the website contact form, and when should we try to land a face-to-face meeting with staff or the legislator him or herself?
How do legislative aids and directors go about writing legislation and incorporating constituent feedback?
Speaker Bio
Congressman Warren Davidson represents Ohio’s 8th Congressional District. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee he focuses on policies that help grow our economy, instill fiscal discipline, advance innovation, and limit costly government expansion.
In the Army Congressman Davidson witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall, after which he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He earned an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and spent fifteen years owning and operating manufacturing companies in Ohio. In 2016 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Tom Evans serves as Deputy State Director for U.S. Senator Jon Husted, helping lead the Senator’s outreach and engagement efforts across Ohio. In his role, Tom works closely with local elected officials, business and community leaders, and organizations throughout the state to connect Ohioans with Senator Husted’s office and advance the Senator’s priorities.
Prior to joining Senator Husted’s team, Tom worked in the Ohio General Assembly and represented Ohio’s manufacturing community through the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army. His career has focused on public service, public policy, and building relationships between government, businesses, and the communities they serve.
Grant Bagshaw is the Regional Representative for Southwest Ohio in the Office of U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, where he represents the Senator across 16 counties in Greater Cincinnati and Greater Dayton. A University of Cincinnati graduate, Grant has spent his career in government and campaigning in Southwest Ohio, having previously served as Campaign Manager for Orlando Sonza for Congress and Betsy Sundermann for Cincinnati City Council. Moreover, he previously served as Program Coordinator for the Portman Center for Policy Solutions at the University of Cincinnati, Staff Assistant and Grants Coordinator for U.S. Senator Rob Portman, and Director of Community Relations for Cincinnati City Councilmember Betsy Sundermann. He previously served as President of Cincinnati’s Young Republican chapter, and he is currently a board member of the Talbert House Ambassador Board. Born in Lawrenceburg, IN, Grant lives in Greater Cincinnati with his wife, Maddie.