Seven vie to replace Strickland

Seven candidates -- three Democrats and four Republicans -- are running.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
The race to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland in the 6th Congressional District has featured many twists and turns.
The campaign of state Sen. Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville, considered the leading Democratic candidate in the race, got off to a bad start.
Wilson's campaign submitted petitions with the signatures of 96 people. It turned out that 43 of the people who signed Wilson's petitions don't live in the 6th. Of the 53 who remained, seven were disqualified for other problems, leaving Wilson with 46 valid signatures. Fifty valid signatures are needed for a congressional candidate to get his name on the ballot, so Wilson was disqualified.
Write-in candidate
Wilson is running as a write-in candidate in the 12-county district that includes Columbiana and a portion of Mahoning.
Wilson sees job creation, health care reform and opposition to a proposal to privatize Social Security as the most important issues in the race.
Wilson, a 10-year state legislator, wants to attract companies to build clean-coal-burning energy plants in the district. Two plants are already in the planning stages in the southern part of the district.
The National Republican Congressional Committee says Ohio's 6th is its No. 1 priority when it comes to picking up a seat currently held by a Democrat. Strickland, a Lisbon Democrat, opted to run for governor rather than seek re-election to his House seat.
Two on the ballot
The two candidates whose names will appear on the May 2 Democratic primary are Bob Carr of Wellsville and John Stephen Luchansky of Boardman.
This is the fourth time Carr, the owner of a company that restores old railroad train cars, is running for Congress.
Carr ran for a seat in Michigan in 1994, 1996 and 1998 as a Republican. He lost the first and third primaries. He won the 1996 Republican primary, but lost in the general election.
If Carr is elected to Congress, he plans to focus his attention on economic development by enticing businesses to relocate to the district because of its low cost of living and solid work force.
He also wants to focus attention on the district's historic places and its tourism potential.
Luchansky, who is currently unemployed, ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign against Strickland in the 2004 general election.
As for Luchansky's top priority, he wants to fight injustice and corruption as a congressman.
Republican ticket
In the four-man Republican primary, state Rep. Chuck Blasdel of East Liverpool is considered the front-runner.
The other Republican candidates are Noble County Commissioner Danny Harmon of Quaker City, Timothy E. Ginter of East Liverpool and Richard D. Stobbs of Dillonvale.
Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned for Blasdel, who has the support of the state and national Republican Party, as well as numerous endorsements.
Blasdel said his top priorities are improving the district's economy and giving opportunities to students to receive a quality education.
Blasdel said he is pleased with the recent change in the state's tax code that makes Ohio more business-friendly, but more needs to be done. For example, Blasdel said the state needs to decrease regulations on small businesses to allow them to succeed.
Bring back steel mills
Harmon wants to bring back the district's steel mills by offering government loans to those interesting in restoring them, as well as having workers buy a majority of the shares in new mills, and eliminating excessive tax burdens and regulations. Harmon wants to invest in infrastructure improvements and also favors a flat tax and the removal of all business taxes.
Among Ginter's priorities are developing the natural resources in the district, including coal, and to diversify the economy by attracting high-technology businesses. Ginter, a pastor, also wants to keep God in the fabric of our society and protect traditional marriages.
This is the fifth time Stobbs is running for elected office. The four other times were for Belmont County sheriff in 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988. He only won the 1980 race.
Stobbs said he wants to protect veterans rights and funding for the Veterans Administration.
14th District primary
There is also a Democratic primary in the 14th Congressional District that includes seven northern townships in Trumbull County. The winner faces U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, a Concord Republican, who is unopposed in his party's primary.
The three Democratic candidates are Lewis Katz of Pepper Pike, Dale Virgil Blanchard of Solon and Palmer J. Peterson of Aurora.
Katz wants to mount a federal initiative to achieve energy independence and a national health care policy to provide coverage for people without health insurance.
Katz also wants to reduce the number of American troops in Iraq, and to change the federal tax code to include credits to encourage businesses in the district to create new jobs.
Blanchard, who's unsuccessfully run for Congress five times, wants to propose legislation that will lead to faster rates of economic growth through tax cuts, balancing the budget, and placing pressure on the Federal Reserve Board to keep interest rates lower.
Blanchard also proposes providing more capital for business investment and adjusting the federal tax code to provide incentives for businesses.
Palmer said his top priorities include recovering jobs lost in the district due to trade agreements and the outsourcing of jobs.
Palmer also wants all American troops out of Iraq by the end of the year.
skolnick@vindy.com