Dems’ Candidate For Congress, Justin Coussoule, Says He Can Win 8th District — Calls Boehner “An Embarrassment”

At the Ohio Daily Blog is posted a three part interview with Justin Coussoule, written by Anastasia Pantsios. Coussoule is the Democrat who is seeking to be elected to the U.S. House from Ohio’s 8th District.  He is seeking to replace Republican Leader John Boehner, the long term incumbent.

Justin is 35 years old, a West Point graduate.  His wife, Amanda, is also a West Point grad. They have two children.  Justin left a good job at Procter and Gamble so he could be free to campaign full time.

In the interview Coussoule emphasizes that the 8th District can be won. He says Boehner’s poor work ethic and Boehner’s astounding indifference to the needs of his constituents make him vulnerable.

Coussoule is counting on his West Point credentials to help out.  He says “I don’t think you can overstate the weight people in this part of state put on being a veteran and having a military background.”  And he points to Democrats who have come close to carrying the district: “In 2006, Ted Strickland won 46% of vote. Rich Cordray in the special election in 2008 won 43%.”

Excerpts from the interview:

• John Boehner is an embarrassment on so many levels. He is so focused on his role as party leader and power player in Washington, he has grown out of touch with constituents. He is never here. The big joke in the district is where is John Boehner? He lives in a gated golf-course community, the only one I know of in the whole district. This is somebody who last year alone hosted 119 golf outings. He spent $83,000 on golf. The median income in this district is $43,000 dollars.
• Our country faces the biggest challenges we’ve faced in 50 if not 100 years, and our representative is on the golf course every three days. We wouldn’t tolerate that work ethic from the dogcatcher, let alone our congressman. And this golfing is not in the district. He spends his time in southern California, Florida.”
• I don’t think John Boehner has a principled bone in his body. Anyone who sees the time he spends being wined and dined by the wealthy corporate community sees he’s not the representative of this middle-class working community, with places have been hollowed out after 25-30 years of trade policies Boehner has supported.
• This district is a working, middle-class district. The vast majority of communities were once much more vibrant blue-collar manufacturing-based economies.
• The Republican Party and the conservatives have used a handful of social issues I don’t think they even believe in to appeal to people’s anger and fear to win elections. Then they pursue economic policies that oppose most of the voters’ interests. We need to carry the message that Boehner is against you on 90% of the issues, and the other 10% he’s using as a political football.
• I think that’s a trap we fall into as Democrats, letting discussion swirl around gay marriage and abortion, when what affects people’s lives is bread-and-butter issues. Unemployment in the 8th district is 13%. Why don’t we talk about that rather than abortion?
• Two things tie the list of biggest concern of 8th District voters.  Generally, it’s about Boehner’s lack of involvement in district, his absenteeism. Where is he, and what has he done in 20 years? And second, his stance on earmarks. … People say John Boehner takes this supposedly principled stand against earmarks, but he has no problems voting for legislation with earmarks for other districts. We pay our federal tax dollars into the treasury like everyone else. We have worthwhile projects in our district like everyplace else. They say, we want someone who fights for our interests and dollars. We’re not looking for abuse, the things you’d see on the evening news as fleecing the taxpayers. People don’t see his stance against earmarks as admirable. After 20 years, people look at that and say, this is disingenuous on his part.
• I can’t think of any other race in the country that can change the political climate as much as this one. If we keep John Boehner having to fight, we shut their mouths about taking over the House if he’s here, having to campaign and preserve his own seat. That benefits everyone.
• I think we’ve received contributions from just about all 50 states. A significant share of our fundraising is from online from people outside the district. There is a national component to this race, and to the extent that we can foster that that is great. I think as a strategy, as a campaign, we are focused locally. … We want to keep it focused on what John Boehner has or hasn’t done for us and what I can do better.
• It’s frustrating that people like Sherrod Brown won’t endorse, and they won’t do it because they take their guidance from the party. It’s surprising that these people won’t even endorse the Democrat who is running against John Boehner.