Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks was a surprise visitor yesterday at the Licking County Democratic Party picnic in Newark.
Brooks, currently president of the commission, has announced her candidacy to oppose Republican incumbent 12th District Congressman Pat Tiberi in next year's election. Since a successful race depends on holding down Tiberi's margins in Republican-leaning Licking and Delaware counties -- while running strong in Democratic-leaning Franklin -- Brooks vowed to be a road warrior over the next 14 months.
"We're going to make this happen," she said. "I will be back again and again and again."
Tiberi has served in Congress since 2001, aided by the favorable political architecture of his district and relatively unknown opponents in recent years. Brooks, a popular commissioner who won her second term with 63 percent of the vote, is considered the strongest Democrat in the 12th District race since then-Columbus city councilwoman Maryellen O'Shaughnessy in 2000.
"I'm hearing from people that they're disappointed in the current member, and fatigue has set in as to what he's been able to deliver," she said yesterday.
Brooks said she'll stress her record in both public and private service bringing jobs to Columbus and Franklin County.
"“Central Ohio families of the 12th District deserve a representative who will energetically stand up for their most important concerns – their pocketbooks, their jobs, and their health care – not sit back and block progress in Washington,” she said in announcing her candidacy on Aug. 6.
Although Republicans are already attacking Brooks as yet another "tax-and-spend liberal," the Dispatch in its lead editorial last Thursday commended the Democrat-controlled commission for keeping its budget $183 million in the black.
"By the end of the year, county officials estimate that total spending will be $306.9 million, a reduction of $1.1 million from 2008," the newspaper said. "Last week, commissioners eliminated seven vacant positions and reduced the budget for supplies and services to save an additional $4.8 million."
Progressives and Democrats wanting to learn more about Paula Brooks should check out her campaign web site: www.paulabrooks.com
-- Gray Hunter
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