Copyright 2000 The Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus
Dispatch
October 8, 2000, Sunday,
Correction
Appended
SECTION: EDITORIAL & COMMENT, Pg. 2B
LENGTH: 903 words
HEADLINE:
U.S. HOUSE
BODY:
The races for the 12th and
15th Congressional District seats in central Ohio represent opposite ends of the
electoral spectrum. The campaign to replace retiring Rep. John R. Kasich in the
12th District pits two highly qualified, well-known officeholders against each
other in a competitive, nationally watched campaign that has kept both parties
on their toes. Meanwhile, the 15th District race featured a highly respected
incumbent likely to cruise to victory.
Voters in the 12th District
should consider themselves lucky to have a choice between credible opponents in
Republican Pat Tiberi and Democrat Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, two people with
strong records of commitment and public service in central Ohio. And the voices
of independent candidate Charles Ed Jordan, Libertarian Nick Hogan and Natural
Law Party candidate Gregory B. Richey have added to this campaign's lively
debate. In this race, though, the nod goes to Tiberi, a lifelong resident of the
12th District who knows its constituents well and has represented many of them
during his four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives.
His work
there has been characterized by professionalism and the ability to navigate the
General Assembly's legislative rapids with skill and decorum, earning him the
position of majority leader, the third-ranking leadership position in the House.
Tiberi served as chairman of the Economic Development and Small Business
Committee, was co-chairman of the committee that dealt with decentralization of
state government and is vice chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee.
Yet, even as he worked well with his colleagues, earning their respect
and allegiance, he has struck out in an independent vein. Despite tremendous
pressure from politically powerful trial lawyers and some fellow Republicans,
Tiberi showed courage when he championed contentious tort-reform legislation in
the General Assembly.
Aside from his considerable legislative
experience, which includes writing measures that created a DNA database to track
violent criminals and that require performance audits for Ohio's 21 urban school
districts, Tiberi has assembled a considerable record of civic involvement. He
helped establish the Windsor Terrace Learning Center, which provides educational
programs for people of all ages in one of Columbus' neediest areas.
Tiberi's opponent, O'Shaughnessy, shares his ability to connect well
with voters. As a member of the Columbus City Council since 1998, she has become
a formidable presence and has established herself as someone deeply committed to
constituent service and advocacy.
Her vigilance in focusing attention on
problems in Columbus' Public Service Department has been the guiding force
behind the city's demands for accountability from this crucial arm of city
government, where oversights and mismanagement have cost the city millions of
dollars. And her experiences as a single parent while caring for her ailing
mother afford her empathy in dealing with the life challenges faced by many of
her constituents.
U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, a Republican, has given her
15th Congressional District constituents a caring voice on Capitol Hill -- a
voice with clout.
Voters of the 15th District elected Pryce, a former
judge and prosecutor, to Congress in 1992. She has amassed impressive
credentials since then by rising through Republican leadership ranks, serving as
a mediator and working on issues of concern to her constituents, as well as to
all Ohioans.
Pryce holds key positions that enable her to promote her
constituents' concerns. She is the fourth-ranking member on the powerful Rules
Committee and is vice chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget
Process. She serves in leadership positions as the House conference secretary
and the deputy majority whip.
Her congressional achievements go beyond
assignments and appointments.
Pryce calls her Child Abuse Prevention and
Enforcement Act, which enhanced child protections against abuse and neglect, one
of the highlights of her House tenure. She corrected a legislative flaw and gave
children's hospitals a much-needed boost by directing more money to
graduate medical- school education for
students doing their training at pediatric institutions.
She has
supported improving the military through a pay raise for the men and women in
uniform and more aggressive recruiting. Pryce also has been a steadfast advocate
of strengthening education and stabilizing Social Security.
Pryce
approaches those issues and others with the commendable conviction that the size
and cost of the federal government should be reduced.
If elected to
another term, she would like to see emphasis put on continuing to pay down the
national debt -- a goal that Americans clearly embrace, Pryce said.
She
also would like to see the federal government reduce its role in education to
researching and instituting academic standards, monitoring results and making
sure that the country's education systems are progressing.
Pryce is
opposed by Democrat Bill Buckel and Libertarian Ted O. Smith. Buckel, a
community activist, and Smith, who has been active in the Libertarian Party, are
well-intentioned, but they don't approach Pryce's experience or expertise.
The Dispatch enthusiastically recommends that voters cast their ballots
for Tiberi in the 12th District and for Pryce in the 15th District.
CORRECTION:
CORRECTION PUBLISHED OCTOBER 10, 2000
-- Ted O.Smith is a Republican candidate for the Ohio House from the 22nd
District.Scott T. Smith is a Libertarian candidate for the U.S. House from the
15thDistrict. A reporting error resulted in the former being listed in place
ofthe latter in an editorial on Page B2 of Sunday's Insight section.
GRAPHIC: Phot, (1) Pat Tiberi (2) Deborah Pryce
LOAD-DATE: November 17, 2000 
