Mayors get to share campaign spotlight (with Kerry)

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Jun. 15, 2004

Mayors get to share campaign spotlight

JOHN McCARTHY
Associated Press


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Democrats' control of Ohio's big cities provides a welcome mat that presidential candidate John Kerry otherwise wouldn't enjoy, the mayor of Ohio's largest city says.

Democrats run Ohio's six largest cities. Kerry was scheduled to visit two of them on Tuesday - Cincinnati, for a fund-raiser, and Columbus, for a rally followed Wednesday morning by another fund-raiser. It was Kerry's seventh visit to Ohio this year. President Bush has been in the state four times.

As Republicans have controlled all statewide non-judicial state offices for 10 years, Democrats have turned to the cities for their power. When Bush visits, Gov. Bob Taft and other Republican officeholders are there to introduce the president to the party faithful.
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"No matter what city they are in, the people identify more with the mayor than even with the governor. The mayor is much closer to the people," Coleman said Monday.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/8924334.htm
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