Hopefuls to visit Mahoning Valley

They're coming to the area seeking support.
& lt;a href=mailto:skolnick@vindy.com & gt;By DAVID SKOLNICK & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- U.S. Sen. John Edwards is coming to the Mahoning Valley on Sunday, but his handlers aren't sure what he's going to do or what time he'll be here.
Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of the Democratic presidential front-runner, is making two stops Friday in Youngstown. But it wasn't until this morning that the details of the visit, which has been planned for days, were ironed out.
Lisa Antonini, Mahoning County Democratic chairwoman, announced that an urban and economic development speech by Heinz Kerry will be at 4 p.m. at the Oakhill Renaissance Center on Oak Hill Avenue in Youngstown, the site of the former Southside hospital.
Heinz Kerry, wife of U.S. Sen. John Kerry, will be the guest of the Mahoning County Democratic Party at a meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. Friday at Anthony's on the River in Youngstown.
Kerry's campaign had reserved the Ohio Room at Youngstown State University's Kilcawley Center, which holds 200 people, for the 4 p.m. event. But Kerry's staffers opted to hold the event on the city's South Side.
Other visits
Howard Dean was supposed to hold an event Friday at YSU when he was considered the Democratic front-runner, a position he no longer holds. No room was ever reserved for the event though Dean's staff had asked YSU officials about availability.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, another presidential candidate, is also coming to the Valley. He is the guest at the Rock the Vote Youngstown event at 7 p.m. March 1 at the Chestnut Room at YSU's Kilcawley Center.
Edwards will be in the Valley on Sunday.
"We're still nailing down the location, but he'll be making a campaign visit," said Kim Rubey, an Edwards spokeswoman.
State Sen. Marc Dann of Liberty, who is a Dean supporter but is friends with someone on Edwards' campaign, said the North Carolina senator will meet with locked-out workers at RMI Titanium Co. in Weathersfield Township.
Edwards is expected to meet with the workers, tentatively at 3 p.m. Sunday, and then hold a town hall meeting at the union hall of the United Steelworkers Local 2155, which represents RMI employees, or at the United Auto Workers hall in North Jackson, Dann said. Edwards may also possibly stop at a card party being held in Warren by the Trumbull Federate Democratic Women's club, Dann said.
Again, those plans are not finalized.
Ohio's role
Ohio's primary is March 2, known as Super Tuesday because 10 states are holding primaries and caucuses that day. Ohio is seen as a key battleground state in the 2004 election although all its statewide elected officials, except two Supreme Court justices, are Republicans and the state House and Senate are firmly in Republican hands. Also, President Bush has raised more than $5 million in Ohio, the fifth most amount of money contributed to his re-election campaign from any state.
Democrats say a strong turnout for their party's presidential candidate in the Mahoning Valley could greatly improve that person's chance of winning Ohio in November.
& lt;a href=mailto:skolnick@vindy.com & gt;skolnick@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;