Gingrich stumps for Rep. Johnson

June 23, 2012 at 12:07a.m.

HANOVERTON

In a matter of hours, Helen Mekara of Canton went from learning about a political rally 30 miles away to attending it.

And she did not leave disappointed.

“I was very pleased with the things he said,” Mekara said, referring to former House Speaker and Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, who was the main speaker at Friday’s public rally at the Spread Eagle Tavern, 10150 Plymouth St.

Gingrich spoke at the gathering and attended a fundraiser event at the restaurant, both of which were on behalf of U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, who’s seeking re-election in November.

Mekara said she heard about the outdoor rally shortly beforehand from listening to an Akron radio station, adding she was happy with Gingrich’s 30-minute speech, much of which centered on energy production and manufacturing.

Mekara, who considers herself politically active, said she plans to vote for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in November. A Romney presidency likely will mean the building of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline in the middle of the country and the removal of what she sees as too many unnecessary regulations on a lot of businesses.

Mekara came with her friend Nancy Hentsh-Jacobson of East Sparta, who said she wanted to hear some of Gingrich’s ideas.

Gingrich said President Barack Obama fails to see the connection between increased oil and natural-gas production and a greater number of jobs. Eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania have enormous potential for prosperity largely because of the Marcellus and Utica shale formations, he noted.

Nevertheless, the Obama administration opposes energy production that can lead to a stronger manufacturing base and supports policies that hurt job growth, he contended.

“We are at a crossroads. This president has created the largest deficits in history,” Gingrich told the crowd of about 200.

Johnson blasted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health-care reform bill Obama signed into law in 2010, saying it has failed to create jobs as promised and will cut about $500 billion from Medicaid.

In addition, he said, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated the cost at about $2 trillion higher than the president predicted.

The health-care law should be repealed because the costs are “strangling American production” by making it harder for many businesses to expand, Johnson added.

“We’re going to get America back on track,” he said. “We have to change some positions in Washington.”