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Three Republicans vie to take on Sutton

13th District candidates tout life, work experience

By Stephanie Warsmith
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published on Sunday, Feb 03, 2008

Two of the three Republican candidates in the 13th District Congressional race in the March primary have never held political office.

The third has — as a township trustee.

The candidates, however, see their lack of political know-how as an advantage. They think that their experiences have prepared them to challenge U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Copley Township, in the November election.

''I'm from the private sector — I have no agenda,'' said David Potter, a medical device sales
man and one of the Republican contenders on the March 4 ballot. ''At the end of the day, when the Constitution was formed, nowhere was it indicated that you have to hold office to represent good views.''

The other candidates competing to represent the district, which takes in parts of Summit, Medina, Cuyahoga and Lorain counties, are Frank Chestney, who owns an Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips in Parma Heights, and Frances Kalapodis, a retired Akron school principal.

Kalapodis, the only one of the three who lives in Summit County, was a Franklin Township trustee for 10 years.

Chestney, who had to declare bankruptcy when his first Arthur Treacher's restaurant failed, said he has always wanted to run for office.

''I'm an honest man,'' he said. ''I don't want anything. I'm strictly doing this because I want to help.''

Chestney has unconventional views for a Republican. He thinks that President Bush should be impeached, that the war in Iraq is wrong and that the Patriot Act should be repealed.

''The people in power are not representing the majority of us,'' he said. ''The party has gone way too far to the right.''

Potter thinks the Democrats are the ones who have been getting it wrong. He said Sutton claims to promote job creation, but her stances on other issues, such as her concerns about oil exploration, run contrary to this goal.

''If we do not figure out a way to tap into more of the Earth's gifts of oil, in the 13th District, oil prices will continue to drive up,'' Potter said. ''This does nothing to create jobs.''

Potter also thinks a bipartisan committee should be formed to study Social Security.

''This is something that has to be addressed and fixed,'' he said. ''It speaks to a larger issue of how Republicans and Democrats can't work together. Even the ones in the middle are beholden to people in their party. The beautiful thing is, I owe nothing. I'm not afraid to take issues and bring them to the top within my own Republican base.''

Kalapodis thinks she's the best candidate because she has the most education (a master's degree), is the oldest (by 31 years) and has held political office.

''The main reason is: I think I have the heart for it,'' she said.

Kalapodis was one of the leaders of the effort to make New Franklin a city, a process that took many years and that she sees as one of her biggest accomplishments.

Kalapodis, whose grandson just finished his military service, thinks more needs to be done to provide U.S. troops with educational and job opportunities when they return from Iraq.

As a 33-year educator, Kalapodis thinks for-profit charter schools shouldn't be permitted, especially those that aren't performing well or being held accountable, like public schools.

''If they go down year after year, they should not be allowed to stay in business,'' she said.

Neither Kalapodis nor Chestney plans to accept donations for the primary. Potter is trying to raise money.

The candidates won't get any help from the Summit County Republican Party, which interviewed them, but isn't going to endorse in any federal races.

Despite this, Potter is hoping he made a strong enough impression during the interview to gain some word-of-mouth support among the GOP leadership.

Chestney wasn't expecting party support and is planning a door-to-door campaign.

Kalapodis is hoping to appeal to those who know her from her time in Akron schools and her efforts in New Franklin.

''I will start with my strengths and spread out,'' she said.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached
at 330-996-3705 or
swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.

Two of the three Republican candidates in the 13th District Congressional race in the March primary have never held political office.

Get the full article here.


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