DeWine carries burden of incumbency into election

The Republican primary contest for the U.S. Senate seat held by Mike DeWine may turn out to be a cakewalk for the veteran officeholder, but the criticism that has been leveled against him by his leading opponent, David R. Smith, could haunt him in the fall.
If Smith, a resident of Mason and a finance manager for Proctor & amp; Gamble, is right in his contention that DeWine's presence on the general election ballot will cause Republicans and independents to stay home, the question the incumbent would have to confront is this: "How do I win a third, six-year term without the support of a significant segment of the Republican Party?"
The answer, we believe, is by forming a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats. To do that, DeWine would need to show that his 12 years in the Senate have been good for Ohio, in particular, and the nation, in general.
While it is true and the power of incumbency provides a definite advantage at the polls, it is also true that in times of war, economic dislocations and deep divisions within the country incumbency can be a burden.
Six years ago, we strongly endorsed DeWine for the Republican nomination and in the general election because we were impressed with his first-term record.
Today, we again endorse DeWine in his re-election bid -- but with reservations. Indeed, had the senator faced an opponent in the primary who was less of a political ideologue and less strident in his positions on so-called issues of morality than Smith, we certainly would have taken a harder look at the race.
As we survey the state of the state, we find that the loss of high-paying manufacturing jobs, the skyrocketing fuel prices, the health care crisis and the collapse of the public education system in the urban and rural areas are the result of policy decisions made in Washington.
From the narrow perspective of the Mahoning Valley, we find that those decisions by the Republican controlled White House and Congress are having a negative impact on the lives of our people.
For instance, Forum Health's financial difficulties can be partially attributed to federal policies regarding Medicare reimbursements and the millions of dollars in free health care Forum provides because of the large number of area residents who do not have health insurance coverage. There are more than 40 million Americans in this position.
Likewise, the uncertainty over the future of General Motors Corp. and the bankruptcy filing by Delphi Corp., both major employers in the region, can be traced, in part, to federal trade policies.
High-technology jobs
And, the inability of the Valley to actively participate in the competition for high-technology jobs is the result of the federal government's failing to recognize the challenges that a once vibrant factory-based economy faces in making the transition to today's economy.
Sen. DeWine, who has served as lieutenant governor, U.S. representative, state senator and Green County prosecutor, insists that his record in the Senate is one of working on behalf of the people of Ohio and that his membership on the Senate Appropriations Committee has been good for the Valley. To a certain extent he's right.
But, we were struck this week by a wire story that identified $12 billion worth of "add-ons" -- special projects -- to a bill that provides the $95 billion President Bush has requested for war in Iraq.
One of the add-ons has a price tag of $700 million -- to relocate a rail line along the Mississippi coast so the state can build a new east-west highway to spur economic development and ease transportation woes.
The Mahoning Valley certainly could use some of that money for projects that would open the door to high-paying jobs.
While we acknowledge the senator's success in bringing about the reopening of the private prison on Youngstown's Northside -- it has resulted in more than 400 being hired by Corrections Corporation of America -- and the funding he has secured for various highway and community projects, we would like to see a concerted effort being made to finance initiatives that result in good-paying jobs.
DeWine's membership on the appropriations committee should make that possible.