Ryan and Hackett find common ground

The candidate says the congressman is providing him with political insight.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Eleven years and almost 300 miles separate them, but U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and Paul Hackett, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, say they are political kindred spirits.
"We have similar thoughts; we make off-the-cuff comments and speak from our heart and let the chips fall where they may," said Ryan, of Niles, D-17th.
Ryan helped persuade Hackett, a suburban Cincinnati attorney, to run for the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Mike DeWine.
This came after Ryan along with U.S. Reps. Sherrod Brown of Avon, D-13th, and Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, said they wouldn't run for the seat.
Hackett decided in September to run. A short time later, Brown opted to get into the race.
Ryan said he would have supported Brown if he had committed to the race earlier. But after Brown took an initial pass, Ryan threw his support behind Hackett. Ryan said he is man of his word and isn't withdrawing his support, a decision that didn't please Brown.
Hackett said he has a lot of respect for Ryan.
"On a very personal level, he gives me a lot of insight and information on politics that I'd have to learn by experience," Hackett said.
Ryan, 32, helped Hackett, 43, during an August special election for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
"We'd run around southern Ohio campaigning together," Hackett said. "He's the type of guy I'd hang out with or go to a football game with."
Hackett lost the election but received more than 48 percent of the vote in the state's most Republican district. The closeness of the race made Hackett a national political figure.
If he had not run for the Senate, Hackett said the only other political seat he would have considered seeking is the 2nd District.
Before running for Congress, Hackett served three years on a small village council. Before Ryan ran for Congress in 2002, his elected political experience was less than two years in the state Senate.
"We take political risks and make decisions that some people may question," Ryan said.
Hackett served in Iraq
Electing Hackett to the Senate will provide Democrats with someone who can talk about the problems with President Bush's Iraq policy who witnessed the ramifications firsthand, Ryan said.
Hackett voluntarily rejoined the Marine Corps in 2004 to serve seven months in Iraq even though he opposed the war.
"Here's a guy who can step up and provide leadership and insight on this issue," Ryan said. "The value Democrats would gain by having a senator who's served in Iraq would be tremendous."
Ryan said he will campaign for Hackett in the Mahoning Valley and introduce him to political and business figures in the area. Hackett spent Thursday and Friday in the Valley making campaign stops. He met privately with Ryan during his visit here.
Though Ryan said he doesn't plan to travel across the state with Hackett to campaign for the Senate candidate, he would participate in events outside the area if Hackett needed him to do so.
skolnick@vindy.com