Blackwell and Raga won the Republican nomination, but lost the November general election to Ted Strickland and Lee Fisher 60-36%.
On March 7, 2000, he won a three-way primary against attorney and former Mason mayor Betty Davis and Clearcreek Township trustee Ed Wade to replace Republican state representative George E. Terwilleger, who was forced to retire because of Ohio's term limits.
Raga wrote in the Dayton Daily News he was running because We all know the issues affecting our daily lives, including: education dilemmas with inequitable and insufficient funding, meaningful achievement standards and learning in an environment free from fear; health-care issues affecting the affordability, accessibility and quality of care; and controlled and balanced growth issues involving expansion of infrastructure while maintaining green space and our own unique community standards and way of life.The Dayton Daily News wrote "Mr. Raga, a Deerfield Township trustee, calls for lower taxes and putting families first on Ohio's agenda.
Davis had the backing of former Warren County representative Corwin M. Nixon, Terwilleger's predecessor and Republican leader in the Ohio House for years.
Inskeep had previously lost races for the Mason city council and the Seventh Senate District, losing to Richard H. Finan.
The Dayton Daily News endorsed Raga, saying "He is a more proven quantity", unlike Inskeep, who "has no experience in government and little in community leadership."
In 2008 Raga was promoted to Vice President of Advancement, where he led the college staff focused on relationships and resources.
[2] As president, Raga oversaw Dayton Power and Light's transition to a regulated electric transmission and distribution company.