If one believes the Cleveland Plain Dealer's analysis of the 2018 Ohio general election, then "all" Stark Countians who live in Ohio's 16th Congressional District (which includes this blogger) have to be celebrating the replacement of former Wadsworth congressman and car dealer Jim Renacci with:
- ex-Ohio State football star,
- former professional football layer for the Indianapolis Colts, and
- Stanford University graduate
The only thing possibly worse thing than Renacci having stayed put and likely remained as 16th District congressman, was for Marlboro Township state Representative Christina Hagan having won the May 8, 2018 16th District Republican Primary election.
For she certainly would have won the heavily gerrymandered Republican 16th (which Hagan helped create) and the constituents of the 16th would be stuck with this:
To fully understand how utterly Hagan would have been, readers should read a 2017 Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com) editorial which "really" lays out the "out-of-touch" with we 16th District residents that Christian Hagan possesses.
Gonzalez wrote this Tuesday night after handily defeating (never-had-a-chance in the heavily gerrymandered 16th) Democrat Susman Moran Palmer.
In these divided times, my commitment is to be a voice for the enduring values that have inspired every generation of Americans since our founding days. It will be with an unyielding respect for the universal dignity and common humanity of every American that I will walk through any door to work on behalf of Northeast Ohio — our families and our workers.
The United States is and will always be a beacon of hope for the world. The longing for the blessings of liberty and the opportunity it affords led my paternal grandparents to escape communist Cuba in search of a better life. It was with a commitment to protect and defend the American experiment that led my maternal grandfather to risk his own life on the shores of Italy during World War II. The values I learned from their tremendous examples and those of my parents will act as a constant source of inspiration as I seek to move our community forward.
My promise will never be to be perfect, but to always be honest, accessible, and tireless, in working on behalf of the constituents who I’m now honored to serve.
God Bless the State of Ohio, and God Bless the UNITED States of America. (large type and color added for emphasis sake).
We shall see.
During the campaign, The Stark County Political Report (SCPR, The Report) which, of course, is this blogger who is a resident/voter in the 16th requested in direct e-mails to the Gonzalez campaign and through North Canton councilman Daryl Revoldt who by virtue of his political connections did have access to Gonzalez for a SCPR interview with Gonzalez.
The silence from the Gonzalez campaign was deafening.
Revoldt: "I tried."
Gonzalez like 7th District incumbent congressman Bob Gibbs and many other Republican congressional candidates across America were only appearing in "safe" places and in general (not totally) was denying media access if it was thought that the presser might ask tough questions.
The Report did get to short interview with Gibbs at the Gibbs/Harbaugh Ashland University in late October. However, it was obvious that Gibbs did not know the identity of this blogger.
Yes, it appears that the likes of Gonzalez were under strict instructions of the national Republican Congressional Committee folks to avoid whenever possible "incisive" questioning.
Whether one is a registered Republican, Democrat or like this blogger "a nonpartisan," there ought to be satisfaction that the Democrats have taken control of the United States House of Representatives.
For the SCPR, it is a message to the Republicans, that Americans want a "loyal opposition" in place to hold the majority Republican U.S. Senate and the president accountable to "all" Americans; including registered Democrats and nonpartisans.
So we shall see rather quickly about Anthony Gonzalez as to whether or not he is "a man of his word."
Will he be "always accessible?
Will he as now in the minority in Congress reach across the aisle and work with the likes of Tim Ryan (Democrat - the 13th Congressional District, which includes a small part of Stark County)?
The adage "talk is cheap" is a truism that plays out in particular with most politicians who way to often do not "walk the talk."
Hence only about 17 percent of Americans have respect for congresspersons.
Gonzalez predecessor Jim Renacci several years ago touted his participation in a bipartisan congressional "breakfast club" in his run in 2012 as a Republican incumbent against former Democratic congresswoman Betty Sutton (note: Sutton had been gerrymandered out of her seat by the likes of Stark Countians Christina Hagan, Kirk Schuring and Scott Oelslager and the OGA GOP colleagues).
Indeed, Jim Renacci was all talk.
And on Friday, The Cleveland Plain Dealer characterized Renacci this way:
What an absolute horrible political legacy Jim Renacci leaves in his losing to a "liberal" Democratic senator, no?
Will Anthony Gonzalez be any different than Renacci?
Gonzalez (R, the 16th), Bob Gibbs (R, the 7th, which includes most of Stark County) and Tim Ryan can be sure that the pages of the SCPR will be devoted to the issue of whether or not they can work together for the good of America, the state of Ohio and Stark County and its political subdivisions.
And will Gonzalez counsel Gibbs to follow his lead in terms of now being a mere "talking point" of "I promise to ALWAYS to be accessible."
Gotta tell you folks, the SCPR is skeptical.
Maybe Gonzalez will prove The Report wrong.
His model ought to be "Country Over Party" 7th District congressional candidate Ken Harbaugh.
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