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Charlie Wilson's race to keep Ohio's 6th Congressional District
in the hands of the Democrats began with a rocky start. Although
the state senator needed 50 valid signatures to get his name on
the May primary ballot, most of the 98 he turned in were from
outside the district and he failed to qualify.
 As
the favorite to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, who gave up
his seat to run as the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Wilson
and other Democrats launched a costly write-in campaign. The effort
won him a spot, with 45,000 write-in votes, or 66 percent of the
tally, despite Republican attempts to raise the profile of Wilson's
challenger, Bob Carr, by running attack ads against him.
The primary win drained his campaign but gave him an unexpected
lead in the polls. Strickland endorsed him and Democrats hope
that a strong turnout from supporters of the five-term Congressman
will boost Wilson's chances against Republican and speaker pro-tempore
in the Ohio House of Representatives, Chuck Blasdel.
According to Wilson's campaign Web site, his platform includes
fighting efforts to privatize Social Security, creating jobs,
opposing trade deals that transfer American jobs oversees and
improving the healthcare system.
Wilson served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1996
until elected as state senator for Ohio's 30th District in 2004.
He is the ranking minority member on the Agriculture and Energy
and Public Utilities committees and sits on the Finance and Institutions,
Health and Human Services and Aging committees.
As a state representative, Wilson was the whip and assistant
leader in the Democratic Caucus.
Wilson, like Strickland before him, has the endorsement of the
National Rifle Association. From 1998 to 2004 he received an "A-plus"
from the NRA based on his voting records concerning gun control,
an issue important in rural Ohio.
He also won the endorsement of Ohio Right to Life.
Wilson was born Jan. 18, 1943 in Bridgeport, Ohio. From 1961
to 1965, he worked as a welder, painter and assembly line worker.
In 1966 he became a small business owner and president of Wilson
Funeral & Furniture Co. In 1979, he opened Wilson Reality
Co.
Wilson received a B.S. from Ohio University and is a graduate
of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.
Wilson is single and has four sons and eight grandchildren.
Official Web site: www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/bios/sd_30.html
Campaign Web site: www.charliewilson.com
-- Compiled by Anna Shoup for
the Online NewsHour
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