Toledo Blade Article - Konop Worries Oxley (He Should...)

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http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2...

Article published Sunday, November 7, 2004

4TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Konop savors small win with Allen Co. results
Despite loss, challenger cites firm challenge to incumbent

By STEVE EDER
BLADE STAFF WRITER


Ben Konop did not win the big battle for Ohio's 4th Congressional District, but he's finding smaller victories in the aftermath of his contest with U.S. Rep. Mike Oxley.
In a letter to supporters on Wednesday morning, Mr. Konop proclaimed, "We Won !"

The 28-year-old Democratic attorney beat the 11-term incumbent from Findlay by more than 2,000 votes in Allen County. The county hasn't supported a Democrat for president since Franklin Roosevelt in 1936.

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One factor that detracted from Mr. Oxley's popularity in Allen County were job losses created by the closing of the Lima Correctional Institution, Mr. Holmes said. Mr. Konop said Mr. Oxley didn't do enough to save the institution.

"The LCI thing, that hurt, on Mike's part," Mr. Holmes said. "Those things, and not coming back with answers, hurt in Allen County."

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Mr. Oxley was the only member of Ohio's congressional delegation to garner less than 60 percent of the vote in his re-election bid, despite some strong challengers in other races.

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Editorial about strong showing:
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041107/OPINION02/411070334

Konop's impressive showing

We won't pretend that a loss by 18 points in a congressional race is a victory, but if U.S. Rep. Michael Oxley isn't concerned about challenger Ben Konop's impressive showing against him on Tuesday, he's even more distant from his 4th District constituency than we thought.
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What makes Mr. Konop's performance even more impressive is that this was a year in which Mr. Oxley's traditional Republican constituency turned out in substantial numbers, which made his challenger's climb even steeper.

Mr. Konop figures he was outspent 15 to 1. Yet he attracted four votes in 10 even though the Democratic Party gave him little help, a vivid reminder of the game that both parties play when they gerrymander, accommodate each other, and choose not to compete in congressional districts.

America deserves better than that. America deserves 435 vigorously competitive House races every two years. We've got to believe there are at least 435 Ben Konops out there, and when more of them step up to the challenge, there will be fewer "safe" seats in Congress.
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