6th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Strickland, Halleck focus on 4 counties

A four-term incumbent is being challenged by a former Columbiana County commissioner for his congressional seat.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
BOARDMAN -- The new 6th Congressional District stretches for more than 300 miles through 12 counties, but both candidates seeking to capture that seat say the race hinges on their success in the four northernmost counties.
A majority of the voters in the new district live in those four counties: Mahoning, Columbiana, Jefferson and Belmont. The candidate who wins those four counties -- or three of them and keeps it close in the fourth -- wins the race, political experts say.
U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, a Lucasville Democrat, and Mike Halleck of Salem, his Republican challenger and a former Columbiana County commissioner, are concentrating their efforts on those four counties.
A majority of their campaigning is done there.
Their television ads are being aired in greater frequency there.
Ad focus
Strickland plans to spend at least $250,000 on TV ads, focusing on the Youngstown and Steubenville TV markets. Halleck won't even raise that amount of money for this race, but he is using his financial resources for TV buys in those markets.
Halleck says that because he lives in Columbiana County, he has a better understanding of the Mahoning Valley than Strickland, who lives at the southern tip of the district. Strickland has admitted his name recognition in the Mahoning Valley is not strong.
But Strickland, a four-term congressman, says his years of experience and his ability in the past to effectively represent a large congressional district makes him the best candidate for the job. Also, Strickland said he has spent much time in the upper portion of the district during the past several months and has a solid understanding of the area's needs and wants.
Main issues
Strickland's main issues are working to provide a national prescription drug plan for seniors and to develop an affordable and accessible health-care system for those who need it. Strickland voted against a Republican plan to provide a limited prescription drug package for seniors.
"Strickland's used national health care and prescription drugs as an issue for the past 10 years," Halleck said. "He's voted against the Republican plan, but he failed to realize that half a loaf is better than none."
Strickland says that Republican-sponsored prescription drug plan would have done nothing to lower prescription drug costs for seniors.
"It was worse than nothing," he said.
Halleck said Strickland is long on rhetoric, but short on effectiveness. Strickland has repeatedly voted against small business and in favor of taxes, Halleck said.
Economic development
Both candidates say that economic development is a top priority.
Strickland says he has effectively attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds for his district for infrastructure and road improvements and his close working relationship with top Democratic leaders in the House will enable him to obtain money for projects in the Mahoning Valley.
Halleck said he would focus on job retention and work to sell his congressional district to small businesses and start-up companies as a great place to relocate.
Both candidates support the increased use of coal in the nation's energy policy. The central portion of the congressional district is the home to several coal mines and plants.
skolnick@vindy.com