A candidate for U.S. Congress stopped by Baker Wednesday
Scott Wharton, a Democrat running against Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Columbus, for the Congressional seat representing Ohio’s 15th District, was at the top of Baker University Center tabling with Ohio University College Democrats Wednesday.
Stivers visited Athens a couple weeks ago.
Though Wharton said the student vote is important, he anticipated a low turnout for the upcoming election.
Jake Fenzl, Communications Director of OU College Democrats and Campus Coordinator for Wharton’s campaign, also spoke about the importance of raising awareness of voting in midterm elections.
With less than a week until Election Day, the College Democrats are focused on getting as much of their base to get out and vote.
Wharton, a Delta Airlines pilot, regarded the fact that he doesn’t have a career in politics as a source of appeal to voters. By phone later Wednesday, Stivers, however, regarded that lack of experience as a negative quality.
“This is not a career move for me. I can vote to do what’s best for the district, and I’m not going to be beholden to special interests,” Wharton said, accusing Stivers of catering to banking and financial lobbying groups.
Both candidates spoke about the importance of bipartisanship. Stivers pointed to a number of his bills that have been co-sponsored by Democrats and cited the increasingly partisan nature of Congress as reason for more bipartisan action.
Wharton also said earlier in the day that he would work across the aisle to get things done.
Wharton called student loans the next looming financial crisis on the horizon. Along with reining in tuition prices, he said, the U.S. needs to provide a way for students to more quickly pay off their loans.
Wharton pointed to a growing gap between the wealthy and working classes that he said has hindered recovery from the last recession. He also supports raising the minimum wage.
“The further you get away from Columbus, it seems like in this district, the more you see the lack of an economic recovery,” he said.
Putting money into the hands of the working class stimulates the economy, Wharton said, since they will spend it on goods in services and in turn drive more employment. Wharton is also a supporter of unions.
“We need unions back because we need a nice balance between management and labor,” he said, because that’s when the system seems to work the best.
Stivers said the economy and paying down the national debt are important issues affecting students, since young people will be left with the check.
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