Voters have to decide between pros and cons

The Republican touts her experience. The Democrat promises youthful enthusiasm. The independent candidate is in a federal prison.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Voters in the 17th Congressional District have an interesting choice to make this year.
Do they vote for Democrat Timothy J. Ryan of Niles, a relatively inexperienced state senator who promises to use his enthusiasm and energy for the betterment of the district?
Do they vote for Republican Ann Womer Benjamin of Aurora, an experienced and well-connected state representative who doesn't live in the district?
Or do they vote for former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant of Poland, an independent candidate who was expelled from Congress and sentenced to eight years in federal prison in July for bribery and racketeering?
If Ryan or Womer Benjamin wins, it will be the first time since 1984 that someone other than Traficant has represented the district in Congress. Ryan leads Womer Benjamin and Traficant in raising campaign funds and a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee-sponsored poll has him with a comfortable lead.
The district includes portions of Mahoning, Trumbull, Portage and Summit counties.
Experience touted
Womer Benjamin touts her experience during her nearly eight years in the state House and her ability to bring people together to tackle complex issues as reasons to vote for her. Eighteen of her bills have been signed into law, the most of any Ohio legislator in the past eight years.
"We need a fighter and we need to elect an experienced person to a district that sorely needs leadership," she said. "Why do we need an experienced person? Because we can't afford to wait around for someone to learn how to bring things back to the district. We need someone who knows how to deliver."
Womer Benjamin has proved she has connections to state and national leaders by bringing Gov. Bob Taft, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and a number of ranking members of Congress to the district to endorse her candidacy.
Womer Benjamin says that if she's elected, economic development will be a top priority.
"I will start with the business community, the university community and the work force to develop an economic plan," she said. "Economic development isn't something that just happens overnight. You have to build partnerships at the local level and have access at the state and national levels."
Ryan's a native
Ryan says because he was born and raised in the Mahoning Valley, he can better understand its needs and wants than Womer Benjamin.
Ryan says he would concentrate on education, including developing partnerships between businesses and the four major universities in the congressional district.
"We have to work together to make education more affordable," he said. "The focus needs to be on higher education. The Republican Party is cutting essential programs to fund education. We need to get more people educated. Better educated people will attract and received better paying jobs."
To free up money for higher education, Ryan proposes cutting tax breaks for the rich and reducing the federal farm bill, which he says is a government subsidy to major agricultural companies.
Traficant's not talking
As for Traficant, he's not saying anything. Serving an eight-year federal prison term in White Deer, Pa., Traficant, a former eight-term congressman, has declined interview requests from The Vindicator.
If Traficant is elected and not released pending appeal, he will not be able to serve on Capitol Hill as congressman. Also, federal prison officials say Traficant could not conduct congressional business out of his prison cell.
Prior to his expulsion, Traficant's main issues were the elimination of the IRS, opposition to free trade, toughening the nation's borders and pushing a buy-American policy.
skolnick@vindy.com