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Jobs, health care and the war in Iraq top the lists of candidates' concerns in the 2nd Congressional District primary. Judging by their wallets, front runners include incumbent U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Milford) and fellow Republican Bob McEwen and Democrats Dr. Victoria Wulsin and Thor Jacobs.
Here's a short primer on who's for whom in the race.
Democrats
Gaby Downey
Bills herself as: The Middle Class Candidate
Financial Contributions to Date: $7,650
Issues: Downey says she plans to work for economic development by keeping jobs from going overseas and advocating tourism growth in her district. She says opening up the pharmaceutical trade to other countries is key to bringing health care costs down to something everyone can afford.
Quotable: "As a teacher, it is disturbing that the federal government passed the No Child Left Behind Act to make schools more accountable. It is very hard to stomach the guidelines the federal government has created when the government has not held anyone accountable for the numerous errors it has made in public policy. With one-party rule, there is no one to check the behavior of the party in power, and thus we have scandal after scandal erupting."
Bottom line: Needs more attention to detailed policies.
Thor Jacobs
Bills himself as: The only Democrat who can win
Financial Contributions to Date: $27,863.99
Issues: The war in Iraq is bankrupting us, Jacobs says, and establishing a one-year timetable for withdrawal from Iraq is critical.
Like Brazil, we need to draft a plan to be free of foreign oil. He says American business needs to bridge the gap between workers and bosses. The cheapest widget, made overseas, means the lowest common denominator for our workforce.
Quotable: "Maybe at the heart of this situation is the fact that America is addicted to petroleum. The corporations are very happy with this. There can be little doubt that this was one of the primary impetuses for this war."
Bottom line: Slick and well packaged, a consummate politician.
Jim Parker
Bills himself as: Fighting corporate greed
Financial Contributions to Date: Less than $5,000
Issues: Parker says he wants to expand Medicare to include those 55 and older and let companies buy insurance from Medicare. Partisan gridlock is keeping us from moving forward.
Quotable: "(The Republicans) can't manage the economy, they can't mange the war and they couldn't manage Hurricane Katrina."
Bottom line: Smart and passionate, but overstressed and under-funded.
Jeff Sinnard
Bills himself as: The voice of dissent
Financial Contributions to Date: Less than $5,000
Issues: A stay-at-home dad, Sinnard says District 2 needs a moderate candidate who stands for the sanctity of life, in the womb and on the battlefield.
Quotable: "You've got Jean (Schmidt) and Bob (McEwen) competing on who's more conservative. The Republicans run so far right and the Democrats have to run left, and we're all left in the middle."
Bottom line: Spunky, but inexperienced and under-funded.
Victoria Wulsin
Bills herself as: An intellectual who deals in reason
Financial Contributions to Date: $38,174.23
Issues: Wulsin is well informed and well traveled and speaks the language of governmental policy. She says that moving toward a single-payer health care system and allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with drug companies top her to-do list. She worked in post-genocidal Rwanda to help rebuild state health care.
Quotable: "I believe in community, compassion for the needy ... and that our country was founded on equality."
Bottom line: Poised for political greatness, smart and bold.
Republicans
James E. Constable
No Web site
Bills himself as: A regular guy trying to do what's right
Financial Contributions to Date: Not available
Issues: A part-time car salesman, Constable says he wants to reform Medicaid, taxes and Social Security.
Quotable: "I, my son and many other state and federal constitutions (sic) rights have been violated and I will (work) hard to correct this serious problem."
Bottom line: Off most voters' radar.
Deborah Kraus
www.deborahkrausforcongress.org
Bills herself as: Rallying against the corporate bribery of Congress
Financial Contributions to Date: Not available
Issues: Kraus wants job growth through advocating for controlled growth in Clermont County, developing the Eastern Corridor project and developing light rail.
Quotable: "I am an average citizen ... with a deep dissatisfaction with politicians." On Jean Schmidt: "Instead of being in Washington, she's been here. If we're paying her to do a job, I want her doing her job."
Bottom line: Well-intentioned, but inexperienced and under-funded.
Bob McEwen
Bills himself as: A palatable alternative to Schmidt
Financial Contributions to Date: $164,860
Issues: Besides Schmidt, McEwen is the only candidate with congressional experience. He says he'll pick up where Rob Portman left off, securing funding for Ohio 32, the Appalachian Highway, to connect Cincinnati and southern Ohio.
Quotable: "Jobs are leaving Ohio and we are stagnating economically. I want to turn that around. I know how to bring jobs here to build better neighborhoods and schools. More jobs are the answer, not more taxes."
Bottom line: He's a polished politician with a game-show host smile.
Jean Schmidt
Bills herself as: Representing her conservative base
Financial Contributions to Date: $325,966
Issues: The embattled incumbent, Schmidt is well known for her ability to raise her opponents' ire and her allegiance to the Bush administration. She says she wants to curb the use of eminent domain and to define life as beginning at conception, citing abortion as a violation of civil rights.
Quotable: "No one had thought we'd be the focus of the national media or be the so-called first test of the Republican Party and the Bush mandate. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we passed that test."
Bottom line: Yes, Virginia, there is a devil. ©
