By HANNAH SCHAEFER Staff Writer

Candidates running in the March 4 Republican primary for the 13th Congressional District seat cite their experience as reasons voters should elect them as their representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Three Republicans are vying for the chance to oppose U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton for the 13th District seat this November: Frank Chestney, of 1087 Luray Lane, Brunswick; Frances Kalapodis, of 3333 Minuet Drive, Clinton; and David Potter, of 13916 Maple Circle, Strongsville.

Sutton, of Copley, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. She was elected to the seat in 2006.

Chestney did not respond to a written request seeking information about his candidacy.

Kalapodis, 77, a retired school principal, served as a Franklin Township trustee for 10 years and helped incorporate the township into the city of New Franklin.

Potter, 46, is a sales manager for Cardiva Medical and has never held political office.

Members of the U.S. House earn about $169,000 a year.

Experience

Kalapodis said she believes her 10 years as a trustee and 30-plus years in education make her the most qualified Republican candidate, and noted Potter has never held elective office.

“I’ve already experienced government work,” Kalapodis said. “I’ve worked in the schools, and I think that experience is valuable, and I can use that.”

Kalapodis earned a master’s degree in school administration and served as an elementary principal in the Akron Public Schools. She also worked for a decade to incorporate Franklin Township and New Franklin Village in Summit County into a city.

“It was hard work — eight years of going door-to-door and talking to people,” she said. “My husband did it with me, and I had a few close friends who did the same thing, and we worked as a team, and we just kept at it.”

Kalapodis said she would bring the same work ethic if elected to the 13th District seat.

Potter said his lack of political experience isn’t relevant and, if he wins the primary, his successful sales career would translate well into a campaign in November, when earning Democratic votes will be important in defeating Sutton.

“I’m not going to be going out chasing Republicans around,” Potter said. “I’ll be going to Betty Sutton’s closest and most supportive groups from the past.”

Potter said as a medical device salesman, he often approaches people who use the competition’s products.

“They’re tough people to sell to,” he said. “I live to sell to people who use the competitors. I have to know my competitors’ products inside and out.”

Potter said his values will appeal to mainstream Democrats, and 13th District representatives past and present need to be held accountable for their shortcomings.

“For the most part, (Betty Sutton and Sherrod Brown) really claim they are passionate about their ability to work within our federal government that will bring about job creation and job preservation,” Potter said, noting Democrats have held the 13th District seat since the 1970s. “What I would argue is that we’d all agree that since (1977), Northeast Ohio has continued to go downhill, downhill, downhill.”

Jobs

Potter and Kalapodis agree government shouldn’t be responsible for creating jobs, but should instead create a favorable environment for job opportunities to increase. However, the two proposed different methods for creating that environment.

Kalapodis said she would be “out in front” and work to promote all Ohio has to offer, including colleges with research facilities, excellent medical facilities and access to the Great Lakes, to investors who would bring industry and more jobs to the state.

“We have got to have industry,” she said. “We have to go out and try to get investors to come to Ohio because it’s a great place to be.”

Kalapodis also said reforming taxes could boost small business.

“The government can’t create jobs, but they can create situations in which jobs can flourish,” Kalapodis said. “Government could take a lot of restrictions off small businesses, small businesses right now hire more people than large businesses, and a lot of government restrictions right now aren’t even necessary.”

Potter agreed the government can’t create jobs.

“It’s not the government’s job to create jobs,” he said. “Unfortunately, that’s the … response to someone who’s saying, ‘I want my congressman to get me jobs in Northeast Ohio.’ When you respond that literally, it’s probably going to make the listener completely shut down.”

Potter added it’s the government’s actions elsewhere that will improve employment prospects in Ohio.

“What they need to be able to understand is that it’s the tax policy, the trade policy, and again, the policies of what government should or should not be involved in when it relates to oil exploration, to maintain safety within the environment and health care,” he said. “It’s those things that allow private-sector industry to thrive.”

Potter said he doesn’t believe employers should be forced by government to provide health care for employees.

“It’s going to cut jobs, not create jobs,” he said.

Schaefer may be reached at 330-721-4048 or hschaefer@ohio.net.