Plusquellic to help lead Sawyer's run for House

Mayor returns favor from 25 years ago, will co-chair campaign
By Carl Chancellor
Beacon Journal staff writer

Twenty-five years ago, Tom Sawyer, who was then Akron's mayor, chaired Don Plusquellic's campaign for an at-large seat on City Council.

Thursday morning, Plusquellic returned the favor, announcing during his weekly press conference that he would co-chair Sawyer's campaign for the 13th Congressional District seat.

``Tom Sawyer has done a great deal for Akron, for Summit County, and for all the constituents he has represented over the years,'' the current mayor said. ``Returning him to Congress will give us a representative determined to fight for the best interests of our working families.''

Standing at a lectern on the floor of the Vacuum Electric Switch Co. -- one of several firms housed at the Akron Industrial Incubator on South Main Street -- Plusquellic termed the press conference location ``the perfect place.''

``When he (Sawyer) was mayor, he was very supportive of this effort,'' Plusquellic said.

He said Sawyer has always been aware of the need to help startup businesses and that the Akron Industrial Incubator was made possible by more than $2 million in federal grants Sawyer secured during his 16 years in Congress.

Sawyer said Plusquellic's endorsement meant ``a great deal.''

A bumper sticker plastered to the lectern read: Sawyer, the Experienced Democrat -- Fix The Economy, End The War.

``The last major vote I cast (in Congress) was against the war,'' Sawyer said. He called the current Iraqi situation a ``total failure of adequate planning.''

When Sawyer's district was redrawn for the 2002 congressional races, he lost in the Democratic primary to Tim Ryan, who then won the seat.

This year, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown -- who is leaving the 13th District seat to seek the U.S. Senate nomination -- set off a stampede of candidates to fill the vacancy.

Eight Republicans and nine Democrats filed their candidacy to seek their party's nomination in this year's primary.

Sawyer's eight opponents are Capri Cafaro of Sheffield Village; Norbert G. Dennerll Jr. of Westlake; Daniel Goulder of Westlake; William Grace of Elyria; Gary Kucinich of Strongsville; Michael Lyons of Richfield; Betty Sutton of Chardon; and John L. Wolfe of Akron.

Sawyer's 2002 defeat was blamed, in part, on the redistricting, but his 1993 vote for the North American Free Trade Agreement, which angered many labor leaders, also played a role.

Thursday, Sawyer said he had ``come to the conclusion that NAFTA was a mistake.''

``NAFTA has become a metaphor for the economic woes of many communities in northeast Ohio,'' he said.

Knowing the effects of the trade agreement, Sawyer said he ``would not vote the same way'' today, but he also said pulling out of NAFTA is not the answer.

The United States should revisit that agreement, as well as the Central American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization, he said.

Sawyer said he has brought hundreds of millions of federal dollars to Akron to help rebuild the city's economy.

``As congressman, my voting record on these matters is clear,'' Sawyer said. ``I know how to get things done.''