NPR: Kucinich in Five-Way Fight For Congressional Seat

Kucinich in Five-Way Fight For Congressional Seat

There must be something about members of the House of Representatives running long-shot presidential campaigns that brings out the competitors in their home districts. Recently Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul returned home to battle for his Texas 14th District seat, although he still remains a part of the GOP presidential race.

Dennis Kucinich supporters march in January in Nevada.

Supporters of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) marched outside Cashman Center before a Democratic presidential debate January 15, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, protesting his exclusion from the debate when he was still a candidate.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

And Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and former presidential candidate, is also facing a tough battle to win the Democratic nomination to run again in Ohio's 10th District. Kucinich is facing four other Democrats who want his seat, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer's political blog says that his main rival is Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman.

"Let's not be fooled again. Mr. Kucinich is not a congressman. He's a showman. Mr. Kucinich is not a workhorse. He is a show horse," Cimperman said in opening comments before nearly 700 people attending a debate at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre hotel.

Kucinich mostly ignored Cimperman during the debate and told the audience that ""Time after time I've shown the leadership that people have a right to expect in a member of Congress, and I've done it without fear or favor because people know that I cannot be bought nor can I be bossed."

You can see a video of the debate at the above link.

12:25 PM ET | 02-20-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

A lagging Hillary, playing a cagey Wiley Coyote to Obama???s serene Roadrunner, just named the latest anvil she intends to drop. She is going to lobby (which is how polite people spell ???sue???) to allow the Michigan and Florida delegates to vote. Mrs. Betty Bowers 'The No Sin Zone.'

Ah, so this is how it goes when we mix the genders in politics. We're going to have a little Peyton Place without all the intimate scenes.

You know, someone said something to me the other day, when I was still in Florida, something that I really hadn't been thinking much about.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist is on the short list for V.P. candidates.

Yeah, that almost caught me by surprise. Charlie Crist. Now that I take a little more time to think about it, who wouldn't want Charlie Crist in their corner?

My guess is that Charlie Crist has possibly replaced Rudy as the darling of the V.P. circuit.

During the Florida primaries that weren't supposed to count, Charlie Crist traveled the state and did more political courting than all the other candidates combined. Charlie was, ostensibly, pushing his Homestead Exemption package the voters ended up approving.

That was a political coup on the local Florida homefront for Charlie. Sure didn't hurt that he had his pictures in the papers more than John Gotti in New York.
Okay, onto Denver where the fun begins.

fred camorra call

Sent by fred camorra call | 3:11 PM ET | 02-20-2008

Cimperman is truly a character. He proclaims himself to be a better representative of this left leaning district, then has his campaign doing extensive outreach to Republicans who no longer have a presidential primary to vote in the dem primary and vote for him. He's essentially touting himself as the best Republican candidate in the race. I this will hurt him in the end.

Sent by Marty Tewes | 10:25 PM ET | 02-20-2008

Rep. Dennis Kucinich is undoubtedly better able to serve his constituency than anyone else posturing to gain his position. I only wish I was there to vote for him.

Sent by MayBelle Tucker | 3:02 AM ET | 02-21-2008

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