In the midst of a long-shot campaign for president, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio) is finding himself with a newfound challenge at home.
Joe Cimperman, a popular 37-year-old Cleveland city councilman, announced Tuesday that he will be running against Kucinich in the Democratic primary for his House seat next March, giving the six-term congressman his first serious and politically experienced challenger since he was first elected in 1996.
Cimperman will now join a fairly crowded field of Democratic challengers. Kucinich is already facing two other primary opponents in Rosemary Palmer, an anti-war activist whose son died in the Iraq war, and nonprofit executive Barbara Anne Ferris, who ran against him last year.
Cimperman represents Cleveland’s downtown ward in the city council.
In an interview with Politico, Cimperman argued that Kucinich’s presidential campaigns have distracted him from paying attention to his constituents back in Cleveland.
“It’s time the 10th District has a representative who is focused on the needs of the community,” said Cimperman. “I’ve been a Clevelander my whole life. I know how to get things done, full time, 24/7. I think that’s the representation this district deserves.”
In his kickoff announcement, Cimperman also cited Kucinich’s vote against SCHIP legislation expanding federally funded health care for children — Kucinich argued it didn’t go far enough — as a potential issue in the campaign.
“You can’t make the perfect the enemy of the good,” Cimperman said.
Cimperman also would be in a strong position to raise sizable funds for the election, given his past relationships with well-heeled donors from downtown Cleveland.
Cimperman’s entry into the race has also raised speculation in Cleveland political circles that Kucinich might be considering retirement.
“The question is now: Is the congressman running for reelection or not? I don’t think Councilman Cimperman would have entered this race without expecting the congressman not to run for reelection,” said Palmer’s campaign manager, Anthony Fossaceca.
The filing date to qualify for the ballot is less than a month away (Jan. 4), and Fossaceca said there wasn’t any sign that Kucinich’s campaign was distributing petitions.
The primary is scheduled for March 4.
Kucinich didn’t raise any money for his congressional campaign last quarter and has only $3,850 remaining in his House campaign account. He has $327,000 in his presidential campaign account, which he can transfer for his reelection bid.
Kucinich spokeswoman Natalie Laber declined to comment on whether the congressman would be running for reelection but issued a statement accusing Cimperman of being beholden to “corporate interests” and not living within the district borders.
“Voters should know that he is the candidate of downtown Cleveland corporate interests. And he brags about how much money he raises from Big Business,” said Laber. “But worse than that, he doesn’t live in the district. I guess his Big Business sponsors are so confident they can buy the election that their candidate doesn’t even have to live in the district.”
Cimperman said he lives “several blocks” outside the district lines and added that he grew up within the district. He is not required by state law to live in the district in order to run for the seat.
In the past, Kucinich has praised Cimperman’s record on the city council. In a 1999 Cleveland Plain Dealer article, Kucinich praised Cimperman for being “passionately involved in his community.”
“He’s an activist, and an activist approach is necessary in order to catalyze the progress of people you represent,” he told the paper.
Cimperman has been a vigorously liberal voice in his 10-year tenure on the city council. He has recently opposed the building of a Wal-Mart in Cleveland, arguing that it would hurt the city’s independent grocers. And he has supported measures to ensure the availability of affordable housing in Cleveland.
If Kucinich runs for reelection, the presence of Palmer and Ferris could dilute Cimperman’s share of the anti-Kucinich vote. But Palmer and Ferris haven’t shown much fundraising strength to date — Palmer raised $48,000 last quarter, and Ferris raised only $15,880.
Cimperman said he is confident he will be able to raise enough funds to mount a serious challenge and believes that Kucinich’s quixotic presidential campaign is even wearing on former Kucinich supporters.
“He’s a good guy; he’s just out of touch,” Cimperman said. “As someone who grew up in Cleveland, you never forget where you came from. And I think Dennis has forgotten where he came from.”
Joe Cimperman, a popular 37-year-old Cleveland city councilman, announced Tuesday that he will be running against Kucinich in the Democratic primary for his House seat next March, giving the six-term congressman his first serious and politically experienced challenger since he was first elected in 1996.
Cimperman will now join a fairly crowded field of Democratic challengers. Kucinich is already facing two other primary opponents in Rosemary Palmer, an anti-war activist whose son died in the Iraq war, and nonprofit executive Barbara Anne Ferris, who ran against him last year.
Cimperman represents Cleveland’s downtown ward in the city council.
In an interview with Politico, Cimperman argued that Kucinich’s presidential campaigns have distracted him from paying attention to his constituents back in Cleveland.
“It’s time the 10th District has a representative who is focused on the needs of the community,” said Cimperman. “I’ve been a Clevelander my whole life. I know how to get things done, full time, 24/7. I think that’s the representation this district deserves.”
In his kickoff announcement, Cimperman also cited Kucinich’s vote against SCHIP legislation expanding federally funded health care for children — Kucinich argued it didn’t go far enough — as a potential issue in the campaign.
“You can’t make the perfect the enemy of the good,” Cimperman said.
Cimperman also would be in a strong position to raise sizable funds for the election, given his past relationships with well-heeled donors from downtown Cleveland.
Cimperman’s entry into the race has also raised speculation in Cleveland political circles that Kucinich might be considering retirement.
“The question is now: Is the congressman running for reelection or not? I don’t think Councilman Cimperman would have entered this race without expecting the congressman not to run for reelection,” said Palmer’s campaign manager, Anthony Fossaceca.
The filing date to qualify for the ballot is less than a month away (Jan. 4), and Fossaceca said there wasn’t any sign that Kucinich’s campaign was distributing petitions.
The primary is scheduled for March 4.
Kucinich didn’t raise any money for his congressional campaign last quarter and has only $3,850 remaining in his House campaign account. He has $327,000 in his presidential campaign account, which he can transfer for his reelection bid.
Kucinich spokeswoman Natalie Laber declined to comment on whether the congressman would be running for reelection but issued a statement accusing Cimperman of being beholden to “corporate interests” and not living within the district borders.
“Voters should know that he is the candidate of downtown Cleveland corporate interests. And he brags about how much money he raises from Big Business,” said Laber. “But worse than that, he doesn’t live in the district. I guess his Big Business sponsors are so confident they can buy the election that their candidate doesn’t even have to live in the district.”
Cimperman said he lives “several blocks” outside the district lines and added that he grew up within the district. He is not required by state law to live in the district in order to run for the seat.
In the past, Kucinich has praised Cimperman’s record on the city council. In a 1999 Cleveland Plain Dealer article, Kucinich praised Cimperman for being “passionately involved in his community.”
“He’s an activist, and an activist approach is necessary in order to catalyze the progress of people you represent,” he told the paper.
Cimperman has been a vigorously liberal voice in his 10-year tenure on the city council. He has recently opposed the building of a Wal-Mart in Cleveland, arguing that it would hurt the city’s independent grocers. And he has supported measures to ensure the availability of affordable housing in Cleveland.
If Kucinich runs for reelection, the presence of Palmer and Ferris could dilute Cimperman’s share of the anti-Kucinich vote. But Palmer and Ferris haven’t shown much fundraising strength to date — Palmer raised $48,000 last quarter, and Ferris raised only $15,880.
Cimperman said he is confident he will be able to raise enough funds to mount a serious challenge and believes that Kucinich’s quixotic presidential campaign is even wearing on former Kucinich supporters.
“He’s a good guy; he’s just out of touch,” Cimperman said. “As someone who grew up in Cleveland, you never forget where you came from. And I think Dennis has forgotten where he came from.”
