Verich's support of Bush doesn't surprise Dems

The former state rep says the president has helped the Valley.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
WARREN -- Former state Rep. Michael G. Verich's decision to cross party lines and endorse President Bush's re-election doesn't surprise his party chairman.
"The last few years, he's been leaning toward the Republicans," said Christ Michelakis, Trumbull County Democratic Party chairman, of Verich, a former state representative. "His name doesn't mean much in the Valley anymore."
Verich of Warren said he is still a Democrat, a proud one, who votes for the best candidate for the office and not along a straight party line. For example, Verich said he is voting for U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, because he believes he's the best candidate for the job.
Verich is among four current and former Ohio politicians who the Bush campaign calls charter members of its Democrats for Bush organization.
None of the other charter members are from the Valley, and Verich says he doesn't know of any other local Democratic politicians who support Bush's re-election effort.
Verich said he will talk in support of Bush if someone asks him, but he doesn't have any plans to campaign for the president as a charter member of the organization.
In December 1998, a month after he was elected to his ninth term to the Ohio House, Verich resigned to accept an appointment by then outgoing Gov. George V. Voinovich, a Republican, to the State Employment Relations Board.
The three-member board hears cases regarding unfair labor practices and oversees negotiations between public employers and employees.
House tenure
During his tenure in the state House, Verich enjoyed a solid relationship with Republicans.
But he angered Trumbull Democrats when he worked out a deal with the Ohio House Democrats to have his brother, Chris, appointed to replace him in the Legislature. Chris Verich lost the first time he ran for the seat in the 2000 Democratic primary to former Warren Mayor Dan Sferra, who still holds the position.
"He got a government job under Republican leadership," Michelakis said. "Maybe he's still upset that his brother lost."
Verich said he is supporting Bush simply because he is the better candidate. He voted for Bush in 2000 because he was disappointed with how the Clinton-Gore administration in its last few years treated the Mahoning Valley, particularly supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. He said both deals devastated the local economy.
"I voted for Clinton in 1992 and 1996, but I voted for Bush in 2000 because I was hoping he would do more for the Mahoning Valley than Clinton-Gore, and he has," Verich said.
Verich points to Bush imposing tariffs on foreign steel for about 18 months, something that was lifted earlier this year after the World Trade Organization threatened sanctions against the United States over it.
"You've got to give him credit [for imposing the tariffs] because it helped the Valley economy," he said. "
Also, Kerry voted in favor of NAFTA and GATT.
"I'm disappointed with Kerry," Verich said. "Generally, I have nothing negative to say about Kerry, but those two votes really hurt the Valley."
skolnick@vindy.com