Dr. Victoria Wulsin, the Democratic candidate running for Congress in Ohio’s 2nd district, hopes to unseat Republican Jean Schmidt, who is currently serving her first term in congress.
Wulsin said that the choice that voters will make on Nov. 7 is an important one: either stay on a course that is seemingly not working or vote for a changing of the guard.
“I am running for the congressional seat because I am seeing how the country is not on course,” said Wulsin. “We are not following our fundamental principles of honesty, equality, and caring for those who need care.”
Schmidt, who did not respond to repeated interview requests, has been recently attacking Wulsin in television ads concerning her ideas for the second district. In these ads, Schmidt is asking the question, “What will she think of next?”
“What will I think of next? How about keeping promises? How about focusing on what is important to the good people of the district? How about public debates (which Schmidt has declined)?”
In an Oct. 18 telephone interview, Wulsin said that she wants to focus on the differences between herself and Schmidt.
“Let’s talk specifics,” said Wulsin. “Jean Schmidt’s votes have consistently not representing the interests of the people who live and work in our district.”
Wulsin cites a school funding vote that was defeated last year in the state House.
“There was a vote whether or not to cut funding (13 billion dollars) for student loans. Schmidt voted to cut the funding; hers was the deciding vote. If I had been there, the funding would have stayed in place and our young people would have more access to higher education today. To me, that was a vote against the people of the 2nd District.”
Wulsin, who is a public health doctor, says that she knows how to get results.
“I have been working with district groups getting results,” she said. “I am a uniter, not a divider. I believe that we can get better results from Congress through finding common ground and acting rather than name-calling and these pointless, groundless, personal attacks.”
Wulsin says she feels that the most important issues to voters are the war in Iraq, health care, the economy, government honesty and accountability.
“The stay the course policy in Iraq is not working and we see that on so many levels. The generals on the ground even say that the present strategy is not sustainable. With October turning into the bloodiest month of the war since last year at this time, we have to look at alternative strategies. We are spending $8 billion a month which translates to 11 million dollars an hour – imagine what we could do to fight the war on terror with that money? I feel that our presence in Iraq is strengthening, emboldening, and creating more terrorists.”
Wulsin says she feels that the election is a referendum on change.
“This election is about change. Are we satisfied with the failed status quo and business as usual? I make these promises to the people of the 2nd district. I will always represent the citizens and not the special interest groups, I will always use the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives with respect and never for name calling or political grandstanding, I will always refuse lobbyist-funded junkets, I will always refuse taxpayer-funded healthcare until all Ohioans have healthcare, and I will always oppose a Congressional pay raise until all Ohioans earn a decent living wage.
“I am looking forward to representing the values of honesty, responsibility, and service with modesty. Jean Schmidt keeps asking me, what will I think of next? I think the answer is clear to voters; it is time for a change.”