Touring the countryside on foot takes a toll both physically and mentally, but U.S. Senate candidate Eric Fingerhut said it is the best way for him to understand the citizens of Ohio.
Fingerhut, D-Cleveland, wearing a faded pair of New Balances, walked the streets of Athens yesterday and met with students and area residents on a campaign stop that is part of a larger tour of the Ohio River Valley. His recent walk along the river and surrounding areas, an event that began in Steubenville, will total 108 miles when he finishes this week in Marietta, he said.
Fingerhut recently completed a walking journey that took him on a 335-mile trek across the state from Cincinnati to Cleveland and gained him press coverage for his unprecedented move to gain more notoriety among voters, he said.
The people need a senator who walks in their shoes
Fingerhut said. With walking you get a feel of the geography what the people are like and what they like.
Some students, however, do not know who the challenger to U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, is.
I've even done research on who I'm voting for
and I don't know who he is
linguistics major Patti Johnson said.
Fingerhut wants Ohioans to know who he is and hopes this walking tour will make citizens more familiar with his name and message.
There is an alternative
Fingerhut said. People need to know that and know who I am. People appreciate the close contact.
Other students did not know that Fingerhut was in Athens, but knew and liked his campaign for Senate.
This state is going downhill
political science major Arturo Reyes said. There needs to be a change in the leadership.
Fingerhut focused his criticism of Voinovich around the incumbent's record. Fingerhut said that twice his opponent voted against legislation that would make more affordable prescription drugs from Canada available to Ohioans.
All the people I have talked to want cheaper drugs
Fingerhut said.
Prescription drug companies, on the other hand, would not want such legislation to pass and would contribute heavily to a senator that followed their preferences, he said.
(Voinovich) may be running a $5 million campaign
but that doesn't make him a better candidate
Fingerhut said.
Fingerhut's plan to make Ohio better revolves around job creation and reducing the federal deficit.
Fingerhut said he wants to see Ohio become more focused on research and development to help create more jobs, to spur more sophisticated products that would help the state retain local talent and to increase funding for higher education.
We are transferring our wealth to other countries when we are not producing sophisticated products
Fingerhut said.
He said that because of the nation's historic trade and federal deficit, money was not staying in the country because states could not compete in the world market.
Fingerhut also said he wanted to balance the federal budget, and would do this by restraining discretionary spending, forcing programs to receive funding on a pay as you go structure and putting more of the tax burden on citizens in the top tax bracket.
I respect George Voinovich
