Thursday, September 13, 2007

Is Aaron Wheeler the GOP's choice for Ohio's 15th District?

It appears that Aaron Wheeler will seek the Republican nomination to replace Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15).
Dispatch:
The Rev. Aaron Wheeler, a Worthington Republican, today said he is putting together a campaign organization and expects to enter the race for the 15th Congressional District on Oct. 28.
"God told me I'm going to Washington," said the pastor of the Mountaintop Missionary Baptist Church in Worthington.
Wheeler, 60, said he has been contacting GOP leaders in the district about his intention to seek the seat being vacated at the end of next year by retiring Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce of Upper Arlington.
Wheeler, who is black, converted to a Republican about 15 years ago after working on a number of Democratic campaigns in Cleveland and managing the Cleveland office for former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, a Democrat. He said he does not support President Bush's Iraq war strategy. If he is nominated, Wheeler said, the likely Democratic candidate, Mary Jo Kilroy, will not be able to tie him to the war or other Bush policies.....

Let me repeat what Wheeler said: "God told me I'm going to Washington." Somehow I think that God has much more to worry about (wars, pestilence, drought, etc.) than telling a minister to run for Congress.

* Here are some tidbits about Wheeler:

The Ohio State Lantern (4/4/2000)

Police Chaplain Wheeler Resigns After Controversy

The Rev. Aaron Wheeler, one of three chaplains for the Columbus Divisions of Police and Fire and a member of the God Squad, said Friday that he has been forced to resign due to comments he made concerning the police investigation into the death of Ohio State student Charles Ballard....

....At the meeting, Wheeler suggested that additional officers could be added to the campus area.
“I think his tone and some of his comments were inappropriate as a representative of the divisions,” said Sgt. Earl Smith, spokesman for the Columbus police...

> From the Dispatch (11/19/2006):
This article was an analysis of why Kenneth Blackwell lost in his bid for governor of Ohio. Blackwell, who is African-American did not get the African-American vote he was expecting. In that article there is a quote from Rev. Aaron Wheeler:

"....Ken Blackwell was a great role model..."

Do you think Wheeler said this knowing full well that Blackwell had disenfranchised thousands of African-American voters?

> Rev. Aaron Wheeler was a vocal supporter for the re-election of George W. Bush and often provided an opening prayer in rallies for the President.

With Wheeler's ties to the Taft administration and as a friend to Bush, it could be an interesting campaign season.

But that is only MY opinion.