Russ Gottesman Seeks 10th District Democratic Nomination —To Un-Seat Congressman Mike Turner

Dayton businessman, Russ Gottesman, this morning announced that he is seeking to be the Democratic Party’s candidate to represent Ohio’s 10th Congressional District. The event was held at the Patterson Homestead on Brown Street.

Gottesman’s message is that as an entrepreneur who at an early age started his own successful company, he understands how to bring jobs to the community. He said, “Jobs — it is what it is all about.”  

It appears that Gottesman is about 35 years old — I can’t find his age. He is married with one child and has another child that will soon be born. This is his first attempt to gain elected office.

Gottesman started Commuter Advertising — a business which provides audio advertising on city busses and returns part of the advertising revenue to the bus companies. So far, city transportation companies have gained over $1 million through his business.

Republican Mike Turner currently represents Ohio’s 10th District and has been elected to that position six times. The 10th District includes all of Montgomery and Greene Counties and until the 2010 reapportionment, when Ohio lost two congressional seats, this region was designated as Ohio’s 3rd District. After reapportionment, the Dayton region became the 10th District and now it is considered one of the more competitive districts in the state. In the 2012 election, however, Turner won almost 60% of the vote, while the Democratic candidate, Sharen Neuhardt, received 37% and a Libertarian candidate received 3%.

Regardless that Gottesman’s literature promises “a campaign of ideas,” at this launch of his campaign, I failed to hear anything other than the usual boilerplate that any challenger might be expected to include — jobs, reaching across the isle, innovation, inclusiveness, building bridges, new voice, new leadership, etc.

After the speech, as I was eating one of the campaign’s pastry treats, one of Gottesman’s campaign workers asked what I thought about the speech. I told him that regardless that Gottesman projects a good spirit and a confident attitude, to me, Gottesman’s promise about creating jobs is simply unbelievable. I said, in fact, I couldn’t imagine anyone will be much impressed with his promise of creating jobs and that if he persists on making jobs his main message, he will be wasting a lot of effort that could be put to better use. I said, to my ear, Gottesman’s speech advanced a point of view that might be called “Republican Lite” — and that Gottesman failed to say anything that would make anyone think that he has any empathy or compassion for the plight of ordinary citizens. The speech, for my taste, was much too business-like and lacked heart. I explained to the campaign worker that, in my view, Gottesman’s speech failed to communicate passion and conviction and that I didn’t hear Gottesman say anything that would motivate the Democratic base to do the hard work that will be needed if he, or any Democrat, is to have any hope for victory. I said, if he is to have a chance, he needs to find the words that will communicate emotions that were missing in this initial effort.

Impressive today was the setting and overall organization of the event. About 50 people were in attendance. It appears that Gottesman has already put together an experienced team, and that, evidently, he has money to spend. Also impressive was the turn-out of much of the Montgomery County Democratic Party establishment. In each of the previous campaigns against Turner, this is the first time, in my memory, there has been such an early launch with a lot of the party establishment in attendance. Endorsed Democratic candidate for the Mayor of Dayton, Nan Whaley, introduced Gottesman and on the stage showing their support was Mark Owens, chair of the party, along with County Treasurer, Caroline Rice; County Commissioner, Dan Foley; County Recorder, Willis Blackshear; and State Representative, Fred Strahorn.

I’m wondering if this support by party leaders signals that there will be a push by the Montgomery County Democratic Party establishment to officially endorse Mr. Gottesman for the nomination — a push, as in the mayoral race and Ohio House races, to discourage unchosen Democrats from participating in the Democratic Primary.

Notably absent from this gathering was the Democratic candidate for Dayton mayor, A. J. Wagner — the candidate that failed to get the MCDP endorsement — and also absent were Wagner supporters, County Commissioners, Debbie Lieberman and Judy Dodge.