The Advertiser Tribune
By: Kevin Risner
January 11, 2008
Perrysburg native Scott Radcliffe is ready for a new challenge after two tours of duty in Iraq. He also was deployed to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Now Radcliffe is a Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in the 5th District.
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“I served my county in Iraq, I served my country in New Orleans, and I served my country in Iraq again,” Radcliffe said.
“The people of northwest Ohio have always been so great while I was over there. I just wanted to give back to them.”
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Radcliffe graduated from Perrysburg High School in 1998 and went on to attend West Point.
Admittance to West Point, as with the other military academies, requires the nomination of a student’s congressman.
Radcliffe was nominated by Paul Gillmor.
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Radcliffe said he believes Iraq will continue to be an important issue for the U.S. Congress. He said he believes he can bring a unique perspective to the debate in Washington because of his first-hand service in Iraq. He said positive changes have occurred in Iraq, and the U.S. should continue to support the efforts until the task is complete.
Radcliffe’s views on illegal immigration are framed by his military experience.
“I equate it to orders of business in the military,” Radcliffe said. “Your first order of business, whatever you do, is to gain and maintain a secure perimeter. That is what we have to focus on here first is gaining and maintaining a secure perimeter for the United States.”
Radcliffe said securing the perimeter is important so the country might know who is entering the country, especially to identify people who may have intent to harm Americans.
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Radcliffe said he believes the northwest Ohio economy could be invigorated by developing alternative energy sources.
“Look at someplace like California,” Radcliffe said. “They had resources there to continue to develop the technology sector there. Now they are doing the same in Texas. Why can’t we do something like that with alternative energies here? It’s not just an environmental issue any more. It’s a security issue, and we have the resources to do this, we have the capacity to do this, we have the natural resources to do this here.
“We need to encourage that because that could be an absolute boon for this community, encouraging alternative energies to come here because it can be a growth industry. It most certainly could be a growth industry.”
Radcliffe said layoffs and plant closings, like the recent closing of American Standard in Tiffin, tend to motivate him to want to do more for northwest Ohio. As a Republican, he supports lower taxes as a way to encourage economic growth, but his vision also is focused on the plight of potential constituents and finding other ways to help communities economically.
“I would say it is absolutely tragic,” Radcliffe said of American Standard closing. “I have friends the same thing is happening to. Not just friends here, but friends around the country that have lost their jobs for different reasons. It is a very, very personal battle and a very, very personal journey. That is why I want to go to Congress, to fight to make a better community for them, to stimulate growth in their community so they will not have to worry about losing 170 jobs, so we might be able to bring in those sorts of jobs.”
Radcliffe said trade agreements with other countries can be positive, but should be coupled with efforts to make communities in the U.S. more attractive to potential employers.
Radcliffe credits his home church community at Perrysburg Grace United Methodist Church for providing a foundation for personal faith as well as giving him the sense of community that colors his view of the 5th District. His church community supported him with prayers and communication while he was in Iraq.
“God has been a very important part of my life from the very beginning,” Radcliffe said. “I’ve been a member of Grace Church my entire life. It is a community in and of itself with extraordinary people. Just like everything else, it’s been through ebbs and flows, but in the end it is a community in and of itself.
Radcliffe said his church community laid a foundation that was built upon at West Point and used for support in Iraq.
Whether from the prediction of a sixth-grade teacher, from a church community or from education at West Point, Radcliffe said he believes he can be a leader in the 5th District as a congressman.
“Leadership is a very important part of my message,” Radcliffe said. “It is something that has been ingrained in me for my entire life. I have been in leadership positions in high school. I have been in leadership positions among leaders at West Point. I have led men into combat. I have led men into intense combat. I have led people into situations to stimulate hope. That is what I am here to do, to lead this community to a better future. I’m here to lead this community to a better present. That’s what I want.”
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