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By Stephanie Warsmith
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Monday, Oct 13, 2008
The two men vying for the 16th Congressional District seat have similarities to the presidential candidates.
Like Sen. John McCain, Kirk Schuring, the Republican candidate, is older, has more experience and refers to himself as ''a maverick.''
John Boccieri, the Democratic contender, is younger and newer to the political scene and is promising change — much like Sen. Barack Obama.
''People want change,'' Boccieri said. ''I don't see Schuring as a catalyst for change. He would just be more of the same.''
The winner in the Schuring-Boccieri matchup will claim the seat in one of the most hotly contested and closely watched congressional races in the country. He will replace popular U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, who is retiring after 36 years in Congress.
The race has drawn national attention, with the Democratic Party picking it as a must win; a conservative group targeting Boccieri for negative, automated phone calls and radio ads; and money pouring in to both candidates from across the country.
The candidates combined say they've raised about $2.5 million, with the next filing due to the Federal Election Commission Wednesday. Schuring said he expects to be outspent 3- or 4-to-1, with help factored in for Boccieri from groups like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
''They're looking to obliterate me,'' Schuring said.
Schuring, who has significant contributions from big-name, local business executives, doesn't expect much help from his own party, which he said has given him about $84,000.
''They're flat broke,'' he said, though he noted that the National Republican Congressional Committee may pay for television ads in the last two weeks before the Nov. 4 election.
A big issue in the campaign has been where the candidates live. Schuring has emphasized his ties to the district, while pointing out that Boccieri just recently moved to Alliance and changed his voter registration from Mahoning to Stark County.
Schuring even has tickers on his campaign Web site comparing the number of days he has lived in the district (20,477 today) versus how many days Boccieri has been eligible to vote in the district (82 today).
''His heart and soul are not in the district,'' Schuring said.
Boccieri, who prides himself on being a family man, has taken these types of comments personally. He said he didn't want to uproot his family until the end of the school year, to make the transition easier.
Regula, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, was known for the amount of money he brought into the district. Some don't look favorably on these funds, referring to them as political ''pork.''
Boccieri, however, said he wants to continue the Regula tradition, fighting to bring as many dollars back to the 16th as possible. He noted that Ohio sends the federal government about $1 billion a year in gas taxes and gets back only 88 cents on the dollar.
''It's about time Ohio gets its fair share,'' he said.
Schuring, who, like McCain, emphasizes the need to get federal spending under control and reduce the deficit, said the country is in a ''different era'' with the Wall Street crisis. But, he added, ''if federal money comes in and we grow the economy, that's what it's all about.''
Boccieri and Schuring have plans for big-scope issues like the economy, energy, health care, trade policies and the Iraq war that include several overlaps with the proposals offered by Obama and McCain. (Details of the congressional candidates' plans are on their Web sites.)
In terms of the district, Boccieri said he'd like to see a greater investment in infrastructure, such as U.S. 30 and 62. He said the area's roads and bridges are ''crumbling,'' and this would be a good way to create jobs quickly.
Schuring wants to see more collaboration between area colleges and businesses. He said one of the region's greatest assets is its institutions of higher education.
''I've been advocating this long before he knew what it was about,'' Schuring said of his opponent.
Schuring said transportation is key to expanding the local economy, and he thinks a multimodal system should be developed that uses highways, rail, freight and the Akron-Canton Airport.
Both campaigns have used some unique tactics to get their messages out, targeting not just Stark County, but the more outlying counties as well. Boccieri held ''fair-side'' chats at the Stark County Fair, each one focused on a different topic. Schuring had four ''town hall'' meetings over the phone, with as many as 3,000 people on the line.
The candidates also have had several joint appearances and debates around the district. They will square off again at 8 p.m. Thursday in a debate at the University of Akron's Medina County University Center.
The two have remained cordial, despite the high stakes of the campaign.
''Our friendship is still firm,'' Schuring said. ''That's amazing in all of this.''
Boccieri said the race ultimately isn't about the two of them. ''It's about issues and ideas — not insults,'' he said.
As for who will win, many expect this race — like the battle for the White House — to be close.
''We're still in the game,'' Schuring said. ''It's going to be tight.''
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
JOHN BOCCIERI
AGE: 39.
RESIDENCE: Alliance. Moved there from New Middletown in Mahoning County at the end of the school year. (Was not required to live in the congressional district to run.)
PARTY: Democrat.
FAMILY: Wife, Stacey, and four children, with the latest born in May.
OCCUPATION: State senator for the 33rd District, which includes portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties and all of Carroll and Mahoning counties. Pilot for the 910th Airlift Wing who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in economics from St. Bonaventure University in New York. Master's degrees in public administration and business from Webster University in St. Louis.
POLITICAL HISTORY: State representative from 2000 to 2006, when he was elected to the Senate.
CAMPAIGN WEB SITE: http://johnforcongress.com.
KIRK SCHURING
AGE: 56.
RESIDENCE: Jackson Township. Has lived in Stark County his whole life.
PARTY: Republican.
FAMILY: Wife, Darlene; two grown children and one grandchild.
OCCUPATION: State senator for the 29th District, which includes most of Stark County.
EDUCATION: Attended Kent State University.
POLITICAL HISTORY: State representative from 1993 to 2002, when he was elected to the Senate.
CAMPAIGN WEB SITE: http://schuringforcongress.com.
The two men vying for the 16th Congressional District seat have similarities to the presidential candidates.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 09:29 AM, 10/13/2008
Frankly, when the politics are local, the national party machines should stay the hell out of it. I'd just as soon see a ban on any spending by the national parties on local house district elections. To them, all we are is a 'section on a map' they want to have colored their way.
Akron, OH
Posted 10:16 AM, 10/13/2008
I'm tempted to vote for Schuring only because Boccieri's annoying attack ads on him are driving me nuts.
"Scuring... Schuring... Schuring..."
Posted 12:27 PM, 10/13/2008
Is Boccieri going to move around Ohio running for vacant seats? I could care less about either one since I don't live in the 16th, but I generally distrust carpetbagging politicians.
Posted 01:50 PM, 10/13/2008
Boccieri will rent a house in your district if he think he has a chance of winning a seat in Congrees.
