Jim Traficant recently had his press conference at the Hampton Inn this morning. While there was no announcement of a Congressional run, it is apparent that something is going to happen on that front sometime in the near future. The former Congressman made the announcement that he was looking to run in one of three districts, which likely will be either the 17th, the 6th, or the 16th. There was indication that a former staffer, Linda Kovachik, would be in charge of taking out and circulating the petitions, though it was not announced which party he would run for or if he would remain an independent.
The primary reason for the conference was the announcement that Traficant would be supporting the creation of an Indian casino in the Mahoning Valley, via the Etanna Tribe which is in the process of officially becoming a recognized tribe (*I believe that is the correct spelling).
This is not an entirely bad move, particularly in light of the fact that the State of Ohio screwed the Mahoning Valley with the passing of this recent casino amendment. Jim Traficant has always been an advocate (however outspoken) for the people of the Mahoning Valley, and this fits in line quite well with his persona. Traficant claims he has been in talks with who he identifies as “equity bankers” and other influential investors in the area, and he is involved in leading the charge to ensure that a casino is built “somewhere” in the Mahoning Valley.
Where it is built may be entirely political, if the project does in fact go off. I would be willing to bet that wherever the casino is located will determine which Congressional district Traficant will decide to run in. That is just one person’s opinion, but I think it may very well reflect the reality of what Traficant is trying to accomplish.
The issue is whether or not Traficant has the clout to pull off something as big as this. At the end of the day, Jim Traficant is a former Congressman and a convicted felon. This is not to discount the good he has done for the area over the years, but will anyone play ball with him knowing his past? Does he have enough clout and influence to make a legitimate run at this project, no less a run at Congress?
The other question is does Jim Traficant need to succeed here? Would merely sparking interest and trying to lead the charge against what will be tremendous opposition and stonewalling be enough? Maybe Traficant knows this is not going to happen well in advance, and he is counting on failing at this so he can make his case when he decides to run. It would be the classic scenario: Traficant tried to do good only to be stopped by the man, and only because such a project was being proposed by a location in Northeast Ohio. It would strictly be an “us versus them” situation, and it could be something Traficant knows he can capitalize on.
Bottom line with this is Jim Traficant wins if he succeeds or if he fails, so this move to push for an Indian casino in the Mahoning Valley is actually a smart one.
It will be an interesting political season. Traficant running in either the 6th or the 17th bodes well for Republican candidates for a number of different reasons, and 2010 shall be an exciting year in the Mahoning Valley when you throw that wild card into the deck.
The primary reason for the conference was the announcement that Traficant would be supporting the creation of an Indian casino in the Mahoning Valley, via the Etanna Tribe which is in the process of officially becoming a recognized tribe (*I believe that is the correct spelling).
This is not an entirely bad move, particularly in light of the fact that the State of Ohio screwed the Mahoning Valley with the passing of this recent casino amendment. Jim Traficant has always been an advocate (however outspoken) for the people of the Mahoning Valley, and this fits in line quite well with his persona. Traficant claims he has been in talks with who he identifies as “equity bankers” and other influential investors in the area, and he is involved in leading the charge to ensure that a casino is built “somewhere” in the Mahoning Valley.
Where it is built may be entirely political, if the project does in fact go off. I would be willing to bet that wherever the casino is located will determine which Congressional district Traficant will decide to run in. That is just one person’s opinion, but I think it may very well reflect the reality of what Traficant is trying to accomplish.
The issue is whether or not Traficant has the clout to pull off something as big as this. At the end of the day, Jim Traficant is a former Congressman and a convicted felon. This is not to discount the good he has done for the area over the years, but will anyone play ball with him knowing his past? Does he have enough clout and influence to make a legitimate run at this project, no less a run at Congress?
The other question is does Jim Traficant need to succeed here? Would merely sparking interest and trying to lead the charge against what will be tremendous opposition and stonewalling be enough? Maybe Traficant knows this is not going to happen well in advance, and he is counting on failing at this so he can make his case when he decides to run. It would be the classic scenario: Traficant tried to do good only to be stopped by the man, and only because such a project was being proposed by a location in Northeast Ohio. It would strictly be an “us versus them” situation, and it could be something Traficant knows he can capitalize on.
Bottom line with this is Jim Traficant wins if he succeeds or if he fails, so this move to push for an Indian casino in the Mahoning Valley is actually a smart one.
It will be an interesting political season. Traficant running in either the 6th or the 17th bodes well for Republican candidates for a number of different reasons, and 2010 shall be an exciting year in the Mahoning Valley when you throw that wild card into the deck.
The Mang
Conservative Capo of Youngstown and Local Grinch
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