Valley becomes ground zero for Democrats

By David Skolnick (Contact)

Between Feb. 14 and this past Wednesday was probably the busiest seven-day period for Democratic presidential politics in the Mahoning Valley in a very, very long time.

Hillary Rodham Clinton visited twice, Barack Obama came once and both sent surrogates — U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy and actress Alfre Woodard for Obama and former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt for Clinton.

When numerous states moved up their Democratic primaries and caucuses to January and February, it appeared as though the race would be over before Ohio’s March 4 primary. Many politicians and political observers said Ohio would be irrelevant in the primaries.

The weeks leading up to March 4 were supposed to be boring when it came to the presidential race.

When I took a week of vacation beginning Feb. 14 for a family event in Florida, I figured I wouldn’t miss anything while I was away.

Even when it became obvious that Ohio would be a key state in deciding the Democratic nominee for president, I thought the Valley would be lucky to get one visit each from Obama and Clinton.

I also thought those appearances would start today at the earliest and more likely occur in the final week before the primary.

Oops.

Obama and Clinton decided to kick off their campaigns in the Mahoning Valley with the latter making two appearances while I was away.

[I have to thank Harold Gwin and Don Shilling, who covered most of the campaign stops while I was sitting by the pool.]

Obama and Clinton are focused on Ohio and Texas, the two delegate-rich states holding primaries on March 4. The candidates, their spouses and their surrogates are traveling throughout Ohio.

Clinton is holding events today in Columbus and Toledo.

Obama starts a three-day bus tour Saturday that will take him to Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati and Dayton.

The Valley isn’t on either candidates’ list of immediate areas to visit again.

While there are no guarantees and neither campaign is making even a vague commitment, it’s likely both candidates will return to the Mahoning Valley before the March 4 primary.

I wasn’t there, but the reactions received by the candidates at campaign stops in the area were very strong. In particular, Obama’s rally at Youngstown State University’s Beeghly Center attracted an overflow crowd. Also, someone should tell Clinton that the General Motors plant is in Lordstown and not Warren.

Both campaigns recognize the importance of Mahoning and Trumbull counties when it comes to the Democratic vote. Among the larger counties in Ohio, only Cuyahoga turns out a greater percentage of Democratic voters than Mahoning and Trumbull.

“It’s a core Democrat region of the state with a base of voters who have been faithful to the Democratic Party,” said Ben LaBolt, an Obama spokesman who knows this from experience. LaBolt was U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s campaign spokesman when Brown defeated incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine in 2006.

“What you’re seeing in this campaign is Youngstown is a critically important region in this election,” said Isaac Baker, a Clinton spokesman. Like LaBolt, Baker knows this firsthand. Baker served as a campaign spokesman during Ted Strickland’s successful 2006 gubernatorial bid.

It’s great that the Democratic candidates are coming to the Valley talking about how they can turn around the local economy if elected president.

But the true test is, if elected, will the winner return to tout the implementation of his or her plan that makes the Valley economically viable.

Regardless of what Obama or Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick say, talk is cheap in the Valley. This area has heard too many false claims and promises from politicians over the years. The voters here want to see results.