Jim Traficant Files to Run as Independent in 17th District

• ts1227

  

  http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/may/03/traficant-files-run-independent-17th/
  
  Traficant will most likely face his old staffer, Tim Ryan.
  
  He can garner a decent amount of votes from Youngstown and Trumbull County, but can he pull votes from Portage and Summit? I don't think he can. Most people outside of his immediate stomping grounds view him as an insane crook so he probably has an uphill battle in those western counties. When he used to run in the 17th it was pretty much only Trumbull and Mahoning Counties (most of Columbiana too), and much more favorable to him.
  
  So, do you think he wins? Would you vote for him? Would you vote for him simply based on the fact he's not Tim Ryan (I have a feeling this will be the case around here)?
• ts1227

  

  He may attempt to file in BOTH the 17th and the 6th, as the Vindy has updated the above link. Said he's heading down to Lisbon at noon.
  I'm not sure of the legality of it, and according to the link neither is the state, as they are looking it up
  
  EDIT: He did NOT file in the 6th, though it was said he would have been allowed.
  
  6th district runs along the river from Columbiana County to Athens. I think he'll get stomped there.
• LJ

  

  I figured this would happen. If he wins, then you can,without a doubt, factually say "those crooks in Washington"
• Swamp Fox

  It's one of those unexplainable foibles that people have. We seem to put the same people back in office again and again even though they have been proven, (actually convicted in this case) of being crooks but we always excuse ourselves by saying that there is no finer person to represent us in Congress or whatever. I think it's something in the water.
• hrspeedmerchant

  If he does indeed decide to run against Ryan it will be the final chapter in Jimbo's political life. Ryan will win in every county in the 17th and it won't even be close.
  
  The electorate isn't as stupid as Jimbo thinks.
• superman

  If Tim Ryan is the best option, I feel sorry for that part of the state.
• QuakerOats

  superman wrote: If Tim Ryan is the best option, I feel sorry for that part of the state.

  You, my friend, just said it all.
  
  I would vote for Traficant over that little leftist flunkie.
• cbus4life

  QuakerOats wrote:

  superman wrote: If Tim Ryan is the best option, I feel sorry for that part of the state.

  You, my friend, just said it all.
  
  I would vote for Traficant over that little leftist flunkie.

  Lol, you complain all the time about the "criminals" in the Obama administration...and then you admit that you would vote for one that has been convicted of a crime before. Makes sense.
• krazie45

  

  I like Tim Ryan as a person but his support for healthcare and especially cap and trade have turned me off to him as a politician.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  QuakerOats wrote:

  superman wrote: If Tim Ryan is the best option, I feel sorry for that part of the state.

  You, my friend, just said it all.
  
  I would vote for Traficant over that little leftist flunkie.

  Bingo.
  
  I'd definitely vote for Traficant over Ryan. Ryan is a bitch. Say what you want about Jimmy T, but he got shit done for the Youngstown area. My grandpa is as far right and conservative as just about anyone I know, and he's always said he'd vote for Traficant in a heartbeat if he ever ran again.
• Al Bundy

  I don't think Traficant can win this district with the boundaries the way they are now. If the 17th district still had the old boundaries, it would be an interesting race.
• I Wear Pants

  Hilarious that people would still think of voting for Traficant.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  I Wear Pants wrote: Hilarious that people would still think of voting for Traficant.

  Not surprising that you wouldn't understand why.
• I Wear Pants

  SQ_Crazies wrote:

  I Wear Pants wrote: Hilarious that people would still think of voting for Traficant.

  Not surprising that you wouldn't understand why.

  Don't vote for Ryan then. But for the love of Christ don't vote for Jim fucking Traficant.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Why?
• ts1227

  

  I Wear Pants wrote: Hilarious that people would still think of voting for Traficant.

  I called that in my first post.
  
  By no means am I saying vote for Tim Ryan (because I wouldn't), but voting for the other guy, regardless of who it is, simply because he's not Tim Ryan is a piss poor reason
  
  However, this is what happens both choices are shitty. Look at the past few presidential elections , and the Governor race in 2006. All of those were simply picking the lesser of two evils (in our own individual opinions) because all candidates sucked pretty hard. I don't think anyone here was enamored with any of the choices in those particular elections... unfortunately it happens, and a lot in todays politics.
• hrspeedmerchant

  [/quote]I'd definitely vote for Traficant over Ryan. Ryan is a bitch. Say what you want about Jimmy T, but he got shit done for the Youngstown area. My grandpa is as far right and conservative as just about anyone I know, and he's always said he'd vote for Traficant in a heartbeat if he ever ran again.
  [/quote]
  
  You aren't the first person who has been fooled by Traficant. He does have a nack for making people gullible, I'll give him that much.
  
  How much would he get done for the Youngstown area if, God help us, he won? He'd have no allies in the House and couldn't bring dime one to the area.
  
  I'll be the first one in line to criticize Ryan on some issues (Cap and Trade come to mind), but I also give him credit when credit is due. Just in my hometown of Warren he's brought over $8.4 million to one of the most economically depressed cities in the state. I'm hard pressed to think of even one thing Traficant brought to Warren. Two Federal Courthouses and the Covelli Center went to Youngstown and I'm happy for that city, but do you really think Jimbo could duplicate that now?
  
  In one sense I'm actually happy that Traficant will be in the race. Maybe after he totally embarrasses himself this crook will go away.
  
  Might I suggest the South Pole?
• SQ_Crazies

  

  LMAO, Traficant gets exposed by people who are guilty of the same shit he went to prison for, and he's the prick.
  
  He played the game, and someone was a rat because they had it out for him. End of story. He did a lot of great things for Youngstown because he actually represented the people he was supposed to represent. Yet he takes heat for playing the games they all play so that he's able to get anything done. And the only reason he takes that heat and other members of the government get a pass is because he went to jail and other guys didn't. Doesn't mean they aren't guilty of the same bullshit.
• Mooney44Cards

  

  I'd like to take this opportunity to say that my avatar is totally sarcastic.
• flashes0406

  I've lived in Trumbull County for 50 years. It's unbelievable that people in the Mahoning Valley don't get that Traficant is viewed as a huge buffoon outside of the area, especially by his "peers" in DC. By the way he's worked very hard to earn that reputation. Unfortunately, I'd bet that the morons in the Valley will probably return him to office...and they deserve him!
• Paladin

  This is hilarious. I will vote for Ryan and he will wipe the floor with old Jimbo ( and the conservative crook the Rs run too). The area has its share of buffoons that swallow old Jimbo's B.S., but he'll lose all counties to Ryan & it won't be close. Frankly, it will be more interesting to watch Crist run as an I and edge out Rubio (R) in Florida. This race in Ohio will be a laugher.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  flashes0406 wrote: I've lived in Trumbull County for 50 years. It's unbelievable that people in the Mahoning Valley don't get that Traficant is viewed as a huge buffoon outside of the area, especially by his "peers" in DC. By the way he's worked very hard to earn that reputation. Unfortunately, I'd bet that the morons in the Valley will probably return him to office...and they deserve him!

  LOL, when most of DC doesn't like you, it usually means you're doing something right.
• I Wear Pants

  Except he isn't. He's a criminal douchebag.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  I Wear Pants wrote: Except he isn't. He's a criminal douchebag.

  Do you even have a clue what he went to jail for?
  
  He went to jail because he pissed someone off and they sold him out. He went to jail for playing the political game, which is a necessity whether that is right or wrong and whether you like it or not.
• I Wear Pants

  Took bribes and used his campaign funds for himself.