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Wilson positions himself for run
YOUNGSTOWN
While he’s waiting until the redistricting process ends to make a decision, ex-U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson is taking major steps needed to position himself for another congressional run.
In addition to filing a statement of candidacy, Wilson, a Democrat from St. Clairsville, contributed $150,000 to his campaign Sept. 30, according to his campaign-finance form filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Wilson also is in full campaign mode with a prepared statement emailed Monday to The Vindicator stating his interest in the seat “is about my commitment to the people of southeastern Ohio during a time when they need local leadership to help build our economy.”
Wilson is strongly considering a challenge to U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, who beat the Democrat in last year’s congressional race.
Congressional redistricting by Ohio Republican officials shifted the 6th District, beginning with the 2012 election, from leaning Democratic to leaning Republican.
But the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision Friday permitting Democrats to seek a referendum on the redistricting plan makes the upcoming congressional election unclear.
Wilson wrote in the email that he wouldn’t make a final decision until the redistricting process is over.
He then took a shot at Johnson.
“I am disappointed with Bill Johnson’s votes for new free-trade agreements that will continue a terrible trend of Ohio jobs being moved overseas,” he said.
In response, Mark Weaver, a Johnson campaign spokesman, said Johnson’s votes in favor of free trade will “bring hundreds of thousands of jobs to America with a lot of those jobs in Ohio. Congressman Wilson appears to be making Washington political attacks without getting his facts straight.”
The Johnson campaign expects Wilson to run next year, Weaver said.
“Congressman Wilson has a long record in elected office, and voters will have a chance to compare that to the changes Bill Johnson is bringing to Washington,” he said.
Wilson’s potential candidacy also is drawing criticism from the National Republican Congressional Committee. A committee spokeswoman said Wilson enacted legislation that “hurt” coal and energy industries, and raised taxes on small-business owners when he was in Congress.
“Wilson’s biggest problem is that Ohioans rejected his partisan, big-government record in 2010, and with President [Barack] Obama at the top of the ticket in 2012, they’ll do it again,” said Andrea Bozek, NRCC spokeswoman.
The House Majority PAC started a radio campaign Monday criticizing various Republicans, including Johnson, for various votes he’s cast that the pro-Democrat group says hurts the middle class.
Wilson said last month, while he was in Washington talking to high-level Democrats about a potential run, that he would spend money on polling to see if he could beat Johnson.
But between July 1 and Sept. 30, Wilson spent only $237 for payroll and Internet services.
As of Sept. 30, Wilson had $153,566 in his campaign fund. Nearly all of that was the $150,000 contribution he made.
Johnson raised $221,434, with $152,366 coming from political- action committees, during the year’s third quarter. Johnson spent $51,683 during that same time frame with most of it going to media and fundraising firms.
As of Sept. 30, Johnson had $324,415 in his campaign fund.
Also, ex-U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, a Democrat from Alliance, said he also is looking at running for Congress, likely against Johnson, but is waiting for clarity on the impact of the Supreme Court redistricting decision.
Boccieri said he was in Washington last month meeting with Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee officials discussing a potential run.
Boccieri raised only $190 in the third quarter and spent $10,129, including $5,000 to Anthony J. Travena of Massillon, his former chief of staff and campaign manager, for a “consulting fee.”
Boccieri, with money left in his account from his unsuccessful 2010 re-election bid in the 16th District, had $18,629 in his campaign account as of Sept. 30.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, raised $168,686 and spent $89,137 between July 1 and Sept. 30. He had $256,648 in his campaign fund as of Sept. 30.
U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette of Bainbridge, R-14th, raised $109,635 and spent $124,950 between July 1 and Sept. 30. He had $562,923 as of Sept. 30.
In Pennsylvania, U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire of McCandless, D-4th, raised $388,243 and spent $77,667 during the third quarter with $736,939 on-hand as of Sept. 30. U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly of Butler, R-3rd, raised $211,345 and spent $85,809 during the third quarter with $237,682 in his campaign account as of Sept. 30.