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PolitickerOH Partners
November 5, 2008 - 11:21am
News
Independent Eckhart speaks about campaign
By Justin Miller, PolitickerOH.com ReporterIndependent candidate for the 15th Congressional District Don Eckhart appears to have won about 4 percent of the vote by running on a conservative social and economic platform, which was seen by some as a potential threat to Republican candidate Steve Stivers.
According to unofficial results from the Franklin County Board of Elections, which includes totals from Union and Madison counties, Stivers won 49 percent, Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Columbus) received about 42 percent, Eckhart 4 percent, and libertarian Mark Noble almost 5 percent.
Eckhart said he won fewer votes than he expected but ran to be the pro-life alternative to Stivers after they supported U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Columbus) in 2006. Pryce favors abortion rights.
“My aim was to be an alternative for pro-life voters that went for both Deborah Pryce and Steve Stivers,” Eckhart said. “If the Republicans had put in a pro-life candidate...I probably would not have run then.”
Eckhart said he wishes Stivers well, but was not running against him specifically.
“The race was never between me and an individual,” Eckhart said.
Future campaigns are unlikely, Eckhart said, but he wouldn’t rule them out.
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Additonal reasons for Eckhart as the best candidate
I am convinced that I am the best candidate to serve the 15th district. (1) I have extensive nonpartisan experience in state and local government – essential to understanding sensible lawmaking in our federal system. (2) My skills are especially strong in financial and budget analysis, which would be helpful in solving our nation’s economic crisis, balancing the federal budget, and evaluating future spending and tax proposals. (3) I have taken no lobbyist money; therefore I would not be obligated to lobbyists and their clients. (4) I was recognized for conducting a clean campaign – I did not make personal, demeaning attacks on other candidates. I believe the public really wants positive campaigns, even though it continues to vote for negative campaigners. (5) I pledged that, if elected, I would donate $100,000 of my congressional salary each year to provide college scholarships to at least 20 residents of the 15th district. I believe that this pledge shows that I am willing to sacrifice along with other Americans as our nation is undergoing tough economic times.
Don Elijah Eckhart
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