Written by Roberta Biros
On March 29th I published the first in a series of several grades for lawmakers. The grading system is called the Mercer Conservatives Index (the Index) and it is a basic grading system designed to compare and rate candidates, elected officials, bills, etc. on a simple scale of fiscal conservatism and public service.
In the first set of grades that were determined, I compared all of the state lawmakers that represent Mercer County. Senator Bob Robbins, Representative Michele Brooks, Representative Dick Stevenson, and Representative Mark Longietti were all graded in 10 categories and final results and grades were published for each.
Below are the results for the State Legislators that represent Mercer County. An individual article was published for each as follows:
Senator Bob Robbins
Representative Michele Brooks
Representative Mark Longietti
Representative Dick Stevenson
The 3rd Congressional District — Candidates and Incumbent
I’ve been busy compiling a comparison for the 2010 race for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District. The race will put current incumbent, Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper against one of 6 Republican challengers. In an effort to provide guidance to my readers, I’ve graded all of the individuals involved in this race. I first graded Mrs. Dahlkemper (read HERE). She received a flat out F. I’ve since compared the 6 Republican candidates that want to challenge Mrs. Dahlkemper in the fall.
The summary results of my analysis are listed below:
Here is an overview of my findings:
#1 Steve Fisher
After analyzing all of the candidates in all categories and tallying the results, my findings show that Steve Fisher was the highest rated candidate in my comparison. The totals for the top three vote getters were very close. Steve Fisher, Clayton Grabb, and Paul Huber rated VERY high in all categories. Steve Fisher ended up at the top of the pile because of his perfect grades in the area of Transparency, Accountability, and Public Service. In my analysis of the candidates, Steve Fisher was the ONLY candidate that responded to my initial query immediately.
My original query went out by email on 3/4/2010 at 1:24pm. At 1:34pm Mr. Fisher emailed me personally to touch base. At 3:07pm on that same day, Mr. Fisher provided full written answers to all of my questions and provided me the OK to publish those responses in my blog. He was thorough, he was expedient, and he was charming in the process. He answered my questions completely and IN WRITING (which is unheard of by most politicians). Most importantly, the answers to his questions made me want him to be my Congressman.
If I were a registered Republican, I would vote for him in the Primary. Unfortunately, as an Independent my vote doesn’t count in the Primary, so I’ll need to wait until November to cast my vote for Steve Fisher.
#2 Clayton Grabb
Clayton Grabb is a very strong candidate and he was #2 in my ranking. He scored lower than Steve Fisher only in the areas of Transparency and Public Service. Clayton Grabb did answer my questions when I asked him personally, and his answers were spot on. He did not, however, respond to my original written query and he never answered in writing. I had no choice but to score Steve Fisher higher due to this significant difference.
Clayton Grabb has many wonderful qualities, and I would be proud to support him against Congresswoman Dahlkemper should he win the Primary in May.
#3 Paul Huber
Paul Huber is a very intelligent and strong candidate. Only 4 points from the top score, Mr. Huber scored well across the board, but he was simply not as transparent and responsive as Steve Fisher. Mr. Huber is extremely smart, but he lacks a scrappy-ness (yes that is made up) that some voters are looking for right now. I fear that Mr. Huber may appear too “low-energy” to some people on a first impression. If you get an opportunity to talk to him personally, he is a great guy, but first impressions mean a lot.
Paul Huber is a strong and qualified candidate, and I would be proud to support him against Congresswoman Dahlkemper should he win the Primary in May.
#4 Mike Kelly
Mike Kelly ended up only a few points off of Paul Huber. While scoring very high in most categories, I am concerned about Kelly’s tough-guy image. He appears too rough and mean at times. I realize that we might need someone like that in Washington DC right now, but I’m not sure that many voters can embrace him. Additionally, Kelly scored lower than Fisher, Grabb, and Huber due to his inability to answer some questions completely. His score of a 3 in Transparency hurt his overall score.
#5 Ed Franz
I really like Ed Franz. He is a nice guy, and I could see sitting down to have a beer with him. The problem is that I don’t drink. Ed’s charm is that he is a blue-collar guy with really good intentions. While I admire his desire to “serve”, I can’t see him as my Congressman. It is my opinion that Ed Franz overshot his mark in this race. He would have been a wonderful pick for State Representative or State Senator, as those positions require that you really be involved with the locals. In a state position, you are involved with more hands-on work with your constituents, and Ed would have been perfect in that arena. He could go into a crowd of folks in Greenville and charm everyone in the room. Unfortunately, Ed didn’t want to go against the grain and challenge the current incumbents from his own party. Senator Robbins and Representative Brooks would have had their hands full with Mr. Franz. Unfortunately, in the race for Congress, Mr. Franz is outmatched by some of his opponents. I’m sorry Ed.
#6 Martha Moore
Dr. Moore seems like a very passionate individual. She is a patriot and she loves Ronald Reagan (so I have to like her). Unfortunately, Martha Moore has way too much competition in this race. If no Republican’s had stepped forward to run against Mrs. Dahlkemper, I think Martha Moore would have had a great chance of beating Kathy in November, but the fact is that there are a number of very qualified candidates to choose from . . . Martha Moore is lost in the dust.
In Closing . . .
I’ve tried to be fair in my anaylsis, and I’ve adapted my numbers in each category as I’ve had additional time to talk to the candidates in more detail. In general, I feel that the race in the 3rd Congressional District is down to three primary candidates. Steve Fisher, Clayton Grabb, and Paul Huber are all very strong candidates. Each one is very different in personality, and each offers a different style that is very appealing. If I can summarize,
Steve Fisher is both friendly and compassionate. He has the ability to summarize information and make decisions quickly and with great ease. He is a quick thinker . . . he is a smart thinker . . . but he is not overly analytical or disconnected from who he is or who he will represent. He is a natural.
Clayton Grabb is very passionate, and his passion is contagious. I’ve used his quotes more than a half-a-dozen times over the past week alone. [I’ll be wear out his “If not me, who? If not now, when?” reference quickly.] His involvement in this race will put the power of the Tea Party to the test, and it will be an interesting experiment.
Paul Huber is the sharpest knife in the drawer. He has proven his analytical abilities and he has demonstrated his commitment to the race. He is somewhat sterile, but this might appeal to some voters. He lacks some of the passion that Fisher and Grabb demonstrate, but he is driven and focused on beating Congresswoman Dahlkemper in November.
As always, just my opinion.
~Mercer Conservatives
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Mercer County Conservatives 