Republican Lori Oien, who is running against Democrat Rodney Glassman for the Ward 2 City Council seat that voters will decide Nov. 6, sent out a mailer this week touting her support from Democrats for Oien.
The honorary chair of the organization is former Ward 3 City Councilman Jerry Anderson, who served one term from 1997 to 2001.
Anderson says he’s supporting Oien because “overall, she’s a better person for the job. She’s been involved in the community for several years in neighborhoods and MADD.”
Anderson admitted that when he was on the council, he had a heated run-in with Glassman when Glassman was trying to convince the City Council to buy his family’s ice-skating rink. “Who didn’t?” Anderson asked.
But Anderson denies that’s the reason he lent his name to the Oien campaign.
“I’m not one to hold a grudge too much,” Anderson says. “It was a messy situation back then, but again, I think I really looked at both candidates and thought Lori was going to be a better representative of the community.”
Asked what other Democrats were members of Democrats for Oien, Anderson drew a blank.
“Names are escaping me,” Anderson said. “I should know them. I guess I’m going to strike out on that one.”
More in next week’s print edition!
This article appears in Oct 18-24, 2007.
How is the last name, “Oien” pronounced? Must we wait until next week’s print edition?
This sounds like desperation in a big way to me. I hear that the mailer didn’t even note that Oien was a Republican. Guess that is a testament to the registration advantage, but is also a bit presumptuous that Democrats will be stupid and vote for her…thinking she is a Democrat.
Like him or not, Rodney has an excellent network, is known throughout the city, has done a ton of public service for children, and, I would bet, is going to beat her handily.
Red Star: We’ll let you know when the electronic version of TW hits next Wednesday!
Just kidding. It’s dem dat dori doy-en!
I was driving to meet a friend for breakfast at the Good Egg in the Crossroads shopping Center at Grant and Swan this morning and I saw something that really had me busting a gut…It was one of those ubiquitous campaign signs for Rodney Glassman and under it was this plastic doll in a diaper holding up a sign that said “Trust Fund Baby”
God I love this town !
I think it is going to be interesting to see how Rodney responds to the criticism and mean-spirited campaigning of his rival. He needs to keep doing what he was doing before. Contact voters, tell them what he is about and for, and to just keep making the GOP faithful behind Oien looking like total fuckers.
but is also a bit presumptuous that Democrats will be stupid and vote for her…thinking she is a Democrat.
That assumes that the race is one extreme versus the other, I figure. (i.e. the Republican will behave like a hyper-Republican instead of a moderate)
But if she can carry the centrist vote (by being a moderate who happens to have an “R” tagged on), then why shouldn’t she aim for those voters?
Of course, here I’m talking out of my bum – I haven’t followed this Ward race too well. But it sounds like Glassman’s not necessarily the best candidate — in 2003, the great Chris Limberis voted him as one of the people who needs to Get Out of Town.
IPH,
What a difference a few years make. What is interesting about the “Get out of Town” thing is that he didn’t stop. A lot of folks would be really spanked by the criticism. He just keeps on moving. He kept meeting people, working with kids, formed an “under 40” club with public issue forums…basically kept doing public service. I think that it shows a lot of things…good and bad. But I can say one thing, I don’t believe he will be easily used. He seems to do what he wants.
Republican or not, at least Oien isn’t enrolling in classes like Gender & Law and Indian Law at in law school in order to fluff up her public record and make it seem like she cares about social justice and related policy changes. That’s a particular Glassman tactic that earns no points in my book.