In the 65th District: Harwood

In the 65th District: Harwood

Sandra Stabile Harwood, a Democrat of Niles is running for re-election in the 65th Ohio House District in Trumbull County, and she has earned the support of voters in her district.

Harwood, an attorney, has been a conscientious member of the state Legislature, pursuing projects that will benefit her district, such as a business incubator for Trumbull County, and taking an active interest in the larger issues facing the state, such as education funding and reform and health care.

The next two years in the General Assembly should be ones in which she can reach some of her goals, given that the state now has a Democratic governor and Democrats are likely to gain strength in the General Assembly.

Gov. Ted. Strickland has made it clear that he will unveil an ambitious educational reform plan early next year and will be seeking bipartisan support.

This will be Harwood’s last two-year term in the Ohio House because of term limits.

The Vindicator endorses her for re-election.

She is being challenged by Republican Lyle Waddell of Newton Falls, owner of an electrical contracting company, who was unable to meet with Vindicator editors because of business and travel demands.

A libertarian challenger, Timothy J. McNeil of Mineral Ridge, said he is running to give voters a choice between Democrats and Republicans. McNeil notes that Harwood talks a lot about health care and education, two subjects that he believes should be of little concern to a state legislator. Parents should have more choice in providing education for their children, he said, but both education and health care are primarily family and individual responsibilities.

The 65th District includes the cities of Girard, Hubbard, Niles and Newton Falls; the townships of Brookfield, Hartford, Hubbard, Liberty, Newton, Vienna, Weathersfield and parts of Bazetta and Fowler; and the villages of Lordstown, McDonald and Orangeville.

The 64th District

Farther north, the 64th district includes the cities of Warren and Cortland and the townships of Braceville, Bristol, Champion, Farmington, Howland, Johnston, Mecca, Southington, Vernon, and Warren, and parts of Bazetta, Fowler and Mesopotamia.

It is represented by Tom Letson of Warren, who also a Democrat and an attorney. He is seeking his second term.

He says education, health care and job creation will be his priorities.

Letson is being challenged by Republican Thomas Montgomery of Cortland who did not return a questionnaire or schedule an interview.

The Vindicator will not make an endorsement in the 64th District because of reservations about Letson’s credibility in the wake of an interview in which he clearly stated, “There are a thousand reasons to vote for (Barack) Obama and only one reason not to, and that’s race.” That statement was reported in this newspaper, was recorded on WKBN-TV videotape and received wide — even some national — attention. Subsequently Letson told another newspaper that the comments attributed to him were not accurate.

When asked to reconcile his conflicting statements, Letson refused. Although Letson also told the TV station, “I will speak to that issue (race) time and time again over the next 50 days (leading up to the presidential election),” he’s not addressing it anymore.

Politicians put their feet in their mouths all the time. When they admit it, voters are generally forgiving. When they stonewall, they give voters (and newspapers) serious cause for concern.

In the 65th District, we endorse Sandra Stabile Harwood for re-election. In the 64th we make no recommendation.