How does a Republican run for political office in Northwest Ohio? He talks like a Democrat.

Early this year, Larry Kaczala, running to replace Marcy Kaptur, the Toledo-area's popular Representative, claimed that he would win the election because the economy sucked. An odd claim for an Ohio republican to make, since the state government, like the nation is controlled by the Republican party.

Now Kaczala is sounding even more like a Democrat: he's been hitting the stump extolling the beauty and power of the Federal government. Odd, that.

Pointing to successes he has had as auditor, including the development of an extensive computerized database of all real estate in the county that is now copied elsewhere, he said, "government works by being positive. It's being creative. It's working together."

Though he has a bizarre understanding of the power of a congressman; he apparently thinks that they can set local policy:

"If you are a business and you are looking to relocate, are you going to go to Toledo, or are you going to go to Findlay? You are going to go to Findlay," Mr. Kaczala said. Predicting victory in November, he added, "I'd like to see a sign up in northwest Ohio that says, 'Under new management.' We will be open for business."

Fortunately, Republicans are still Republicans, and Kaczala has a not-so-secret plan to screw the worker once he get into office:

He criticized Miss Kaptur for winning low marks from business groups - including the National Federation of Independent Business - compared to Republican Congressman Mike Oxley, who represents a district south of Toledo, including Findlay.

Oxley of course, has such deep concern for his constituents that he is literally forced to run and hide in shame when confronted by those who have gotten the economic shaft:

After Rotary members barred the steelworkers from attending the speech, a handful of locked-out AK Steel Co. union representatives pulled out signs protesting the lockout and waited outside to confront their congressman. John Puskar remembers keeping one eye on the door and another on Mr. Oxley's car.

[base "]We started seeing the people come out and we recognized his driver, who got in his car and takes off and goes around the block by himself. Everybody comes out but Oxley,[per thou] Mr. Puskar recalled. [base "]Then we see the car coming around the other side of the building. The driver opens the door and Oxley jumps in and they take off.

[base "]We were literally running down the street after him yelling and screaming that we wanted to talk to him.[per thou]

Mr. Oxley didn't stop.

It wasn't the first time he had snubbed them.

After the company locked out the 620 employees at the mill during contract talks in September, 1999, United Steelworkers Local 169 members repeatedly wrote and called their congressman to help them end the lockout. The workers wanted to get back on the job while negotiating a new contract.

The workers' union asked all area members of Congress to intercede. Eight Democrats and two Republicans [~] including Steven LaTourette and Robert Ney [~] wrote to AK Steel in March, 2000. The 10 congressmen urged company leaders to end a lockout [base "]that is damaging the Mansfield community and the Ohio economy.[per thou]

Mr. Oxley refused to sign the letter.

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