More On 18-Year-Old Ohio House Candidate
I’ve already mentioned that an 18-year-old high school student, Chelsi Smith, is running against incumbent Jennifer Garrison for the 93rd district House seat, but now that the deadline for applications has passed we’re starting to learn more about this young candidate.
A recent Marietta Times article provides a first glimpse at what type of candidate she’ll be. You can read the article for yourself here (The article has been taken down.), but I briefly want to examine some of the statements Ms. Smith made.
“I’m still formulating my stance on everything. Education is the main thing that’s important to me, but I’m going around the area, talking to different people and seeing what the 93rd District needs. What’s most important to me is what’s most important to the people.”
She cites education as her main issue, yet she goes to a private school in West Virginia. Does her attending a private school mean she’ll support vouchers? What is her experience with the Ohio school system that she’ll base her opinions on?
I also want to point out the interesting line, “I’m still formulating my stance on everything“. Shouldn’t a candidate already know their positions before they decide to run? I have serious concerns about who will actually be making the decisions on this campaign already, statements like that don’t help matters. Is she just going to be a puppet for the local Republican Party?
It’s still pretty early, but Ms. Smith has a lot of work a head of here if she wants to be taken seriously.
You can also read the Washington County Republican Party’s write up on Chelsi Smith here.
January 15th, 2008 at 8:08 am
“‘What’s most important to me is what’s most important to the people.’”
David – I would call that the red flag.
January 15th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I agree. I’ve seen this type of thing happen before, a party (or group) desperate for a candidate runs a young person that they generally agree with and think they can control.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I think it is admirable what this 18 year old girl is doing. She is showing the United States that kids are able to do anything, and I for one am proud to be in the state in which welcomes teenages to be actively involved in politics, and if I lived in the district I would vote for her!! GOOD LUCK!
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:24 pm
So you’d vote for someone just because of their age? I respect that young people have the right to run, but they must do so on equal footing as older candidates. To give her special treatment would be just as wrong as not allowing her to run. Remember that should she win, she’ll be representing a large group of people to the rest of the state, those people (including me) have every right to make sure she’s up for it.
And for the record, I’m only 21.