Several hopefuls vie for Kucinich’s seat

Democrats usually win over Republicans in the 10th
District.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Democratic candidate for president Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland faces new opposition — for his congressional seat.

In addition to his presidential campaign, Kucinich last week filed to run for re-election to the seat he’s held since 1997.

Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman, North Olmsted Mayor Thomas O’Grady, antiwar activist Rosemary Palmer and former U.N. worker Barbara Ferris filed to oppose Kucinich in the March 4 Democratic primary.

Also running are Republicans Jim Trakas, a former state representative from Independence, and Jason Werner of Olmsted Township, who lost the 2006 GOP primary for Kucinich’s seat.

Opponents tried to make dual campaigns an issue in 2004, when Kucinich ran his congressional campaign from a tiny office nestled in his west-side district while running for president. He easily won his congressional primary and prevailed in the general election with 60 percent of the vote against two opponents.

Democrats are perennial favorites in the blue-collar 10th District, although Republican Martin Hoke served two terms before Kucinich, a former Cleveland mayor and longtime political instigator, knocked him off in 1996.

That gives Trakas, a former Cuyahoga County GOP chairman, hope. However, he’s counting on voter frustration from Kucinich’s travels around the country in the presidential race for help.

“The good news is, whether in the primary or the general election, the people of the 10th District will have a choice and they will have better quality representation no matter what happens,” Trakas said.

A message seeking comment was left at Kucinich’s campaign office on Sunday.

The best known of his Democratic opponents is Cimperman, a councilman since 1997. A one-time political ally, Cimperman has been blasting Kucinich for spending too much time outside of Washington and his district.

Kucinich, who barely registered in last week’s Iowa caucuses and was left out of a New Hampshire debate Saturday because of his poor showing, has a “wasteful, odd habit of spending vast amounts of time traveling around the country waging an impractical and distracting quest,” a posting on Cimperman’s Web site says.

Palmer, a former reporter, lost a son in the Iraq war. She and her husband founded Families of the Fallen for Change, a nonprofit group tying to bring a “responsible end” to the war.