Jerse D-OH for Congress -- Dec 15, 2003

[Kolesar]

He is running against Leavin' Steven LaTourette
http://crainscleveland.com/news.cms?newsId=1696
Jerse for Congress

State Representative Ed Jerse, the senior Democrat in the Ohio House of Representatives, has filed petitions to run for the congressional seat held by Republican Steve LaTourette.

Mr. Jerse will look to represent the 14th District, which encompasses all of Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga counties and portions of Cuyahoga, Portage, Trumbull and Summit Counties. Mr. Jerse said he will campaign to end what he termed "unchecked one-party rule in Washington."

"My message is simple," Mr. Jerse said. "Under this elitist one-party rule, you, the average citizen, lose. For the past eight years, I've watched Ohio fall behind under exclusionary one-party rule in Columbus and things are even worse in Washington. You need checks and balances or the special interests will run the place."

Mr. Jerse, 45, describes himself as a conservative Democrat.

[Ninga]

1. LaTourette may be ready to

lose because of his domestic at-home cheatin on his wife problems. I am in the 14th and am still steaming at how the LaTourette election workers slandered then Dem. Rep. Eric Fingerhut in 1994. I thought LaTourette was underhanded then, and I still do.

[Kolesar]

3. I am a "Fourteener" also.

Jerse describes himself as a conservative Democrat. He was endorsed by the Ohio Right-to-life group, so he is kind of where Dennis Kucinich was before he ran for President.

I find it hard to absolutely hate Leavin' Steven because he did vote with Labor to oppose fast-track authority for trade agreements and he votes for harbor and stream protection. Then again, he would be risking political capital to vote against Labor in this activist town.

He is no Bob Ney, one of those Ohio downstate caveman republicans.

[dsc]

2. There is a primary opponent

www.herbhammerforcongress.com

His website is sparse as of yet but he is a liberal with a compelling life story. Both he and Jerse were at my local party's Christmas party. In any case just letting you know.

[asthmaticeog]

4. Jerse's reportedly anti-abortion

I live near that district, and though can't vote in it, I'm watching that primary, as I can't stand LaTourette (It's been documented that he cheats on his wife with a lobbyist, I'm still bitter about him ousting Fingerhut, and of course there's that "he's a Republican" thing...). I'm hoping for Herb Hammer to prevail in this one, since I was made aware that Jerse's anti-choice. Hammer's a swell guy, and a pretty classic liberal.