The Advertiser-Tribune
Editorial
March 07, 2008

The Democratic Party isn’t alone in discovering a promising young candidate. The Republican Party also found one: Scott Radcliffe.

The U.S. Army veteran impressed many whom he met while campaigning to represent the Fifth Congressional District.

“In a matter of 2 months in returning from Iraq we put together a campaign that yielded support beyond expectations and I am forever grateful to my supporters,” he said in conceding the nomination to U.S. Rep. Bob Latta.

He added, “The voters of Northwest Ohio didn’t say ‘no,’ they have said ‘not yet.’

“I will continue to serve my country, my state, my community and my party in anyway I can.”

The GOP would be wise to encourage him as he seeks ways to continue that service.

Toledo Blade
By KATE GIAMMARISE
BLADE STAFF WRITER
March 1, 2008

A young Iraq war veteran taking on newly elected Congressman Bob Latta and another challenger in Tuesday’s Republican primary says the leadership and decision-making skills he learned in the military are needed in Congress.

“I’ve seen how tough decisions are made and were made,” said Scott Radcliffe, 28, of Perrysburg, who recently finished his second tour of duty in Iraq.

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Mr. Radcliffe, in explaining why he is running, focused on his service in the military and the leadership skills he said he learned. He attained the rank of captain in the military.

In his first tour in Iraq, Mr. Radcliffe served as a tank platoon leader, he said. During his second tour, he was a speech writer for Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno. Between the two tours, he was deployed to New Orleans for a month following Hurricane Katrina. He returned from his second Iraq tour in December.

He is a graduate of Perrysburg High School and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Mr. Gillmor was the congressional sponsor for Mr. Radcliffe to attend West Point.

“He did all kinds of things to keep in touch with us and remind us that we were his cadets,” Mr. Radcliffe said.

Mr. Radcliffe said he believes his conservative background makes him a good fit for the district. His campaign literature promotes him as a someone who will “defend family values, promote small business, and provide leadership in the war on terror” as well as reduce taxes and government spending.

While he said he tends to agree with most Republican policies, if elected, he would be more than a party-line legislator.

Case in point: He wants to scale back President Bush’s No Child Left Behind education policy, which he says was “good in theory,” but in practice left teachers teaching to the test and “sucked the creativity out of the classroom.”

He said he believes that veterans should serve as legislators. He’s a member of Iraq Veterans for Congress, a group of vets running for Congress in several states.

Mr. Radcliffe said he favors continuing the war and letting Iraq develop into a stable, sovereign nation at its own pace, drawing out U.S. forces as conditions allow.

Mr. Radcliffe said he knows running against an incumbent congressman won’t be easy.

“I’ve got nothing to lose,” he said. “I came here. I set up a campaign in two weeks. I knew it was going to be an uphill battle.”

He’s hoping running in a presidential primary year will work in his favor.

“A lot of the folks that are coming out might be looking for change, might be looking for a new face,” he said.

…

For the full article click here.

The Lima News
Heather Rutz
Mar. 1st, 2008
WASHINGTON  

…Latta, a Republican from Bowling Green, is doing just that, seeking election to a full term, first in a primary against two GOP challengers, Columbus Grove resident Michael Reynolds and Perrysburg resident Scott Radcliffe. 

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Radcliffe, 28, has received attention from the media reporting on Iraq War veterans now running for office.

Veterans issues, including needs of soldiers while and after they serve the country, are important to him and would remain a priority for him. He also supports encouraging growth in small business through tax policies, lowering the corporate tax rate, and making President Bush’s tax cuts permanent.

“We could use some stronger leadership in that seat,” Radcliffe said. “I was trained for that and had those skills sharpened in combat. We need a strong voice advocating for this district.”
…

For the full article click here.

The Sentinel Tribune
By JAN LARSON
Sentinel County Editor
February 29, 2008

After leading troops under fire in Iraq, Scott Radcliffe isn’t intimidated by facing a filibuster in Congress. The battle-tested Republican, though just 28 years old, believes he is ready to serve as congressman for the 5th District.

“I was tested and forged” at West Point, he said. “I was privileged to lead men into combat.”
That is where he differs from the incumbent Republican, Radcliffe said. And that is why the Perrysburg resident is sure he can bring about change in Congress.

“I’ve done it while being shot at. I can certainly do it on the floor of debate in Washington,” he said. “I’m a new conservative face.”

Radcliffe’s desire for public service was fine-tuned when he was sent to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. During a month there, he worked to improve the conditions in a hard-hit parish.

His goal to serve was further tested when he was deployed to Baghdad as a scout platoon leader. “I was told to make their lives better,” he said of the district he was assigned to with both Sunni and Shiite populations. “I made it my mission to improve their lives and reach out to every one of them.”

His platoon helped dig trenches for sewers and infrastructure for schools.

Later Radcliffe was re-assigned as a speech writer for Lt. General Ray Odierno, commander of the multi-national corps in Iraq. “I know what it takes to make significant leadership decisions on a national basis.”

Radcliffe agrees with his opposition that the failing economy is the top issue for Congress.

“It needs to be addressed in a conservative manner,” he said.

Though he supports the economic stimulus package, he is skeptical about how much each check will actually help a family and the nation as a whole.

“That’s not going to sustain them in the long term,” Radcliffe said. “It is not a fix-all.”

The candidate would like to see this region build on the alternative energy projects already in place. “We could be at the epicenter of that,” he said.

Radcliffe said the nation should be encouraging innovation, noting the correlation between the number of patents awarded to an area’s economic well-being. “It’s not all about big business.”

Like his opponent, Radcliffe would like to see President Bush’s tax cuts become permanent. And he believes Congress needs to tighten its reins on spending.

“Pork barrel spending is something that has to be addressed,” he said. “Our taxpayers should not have to pay those burdens.”

The candidate worries that the “No Child Left Behind” initiative is not allowing enough innovation in schools, and extends the reach of the federal government too far. “They are forced to teach to the test,” he said of the standardized tests now required.

Radcliffe said the government can play a role in making health care affordable by enacting tort reform and encouraging competition among health insurance providers. Those efforts should drive down prices and improve quality care, he said.

“We need to make sure the government stays out of the doctor-patient relationship.”

Though he is troubled by the rising gas prices, the candidate is uncomfortable with government subsidies for alternative fuels.

“We need to make sure we let the market play out,” he said. “The free market works.” And eventually, competition will create alternatives to big oil companies. “There will come a day when they are not kings.”

On the topic of immigration reform, the candidate sees a grave national security need. “We need to focus on securing our borders first, period.”

Like his opponent, Radcliffe is opposed to a premature withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

“We have a stake in getting that right,” he said.

The troop surge is working, he added, with American troops now being able to gradually back down from secure areas, and Iraqi troops taking over.

“We are making a difference over there,” he said. “They have seen what it is like to buy into their government.”
Radcliffe also sees a need to keep troops in Afghanistan, which he called the epicenter of extremists.

“Afghanistan is another region we cannot allow to fall back into the hands of extremists. We have fought too hard, lost too many lives to let them fall back into the hands of our mortal enemy.”

The Associated Press
By: Julie Carr Smyth

Columbus, OH (February 26, 200 - Scott Radcliffe believes two tours of duty in Iraq gave him the stuff to serve in Congress. As a platoon commander, he helped spearhead economic development, built citizen coalitions and made many tough decisions, often amid enemy fire.

“I would be putting all I learned in that pressure-filled environment into practice. So it really cuts through metal,” said Radcliffe, 28, who seeks to unseat a newly elected Republican in northwest Ohio.

He’s among the dozen young Republicans from across the country helping each other campaign under the banner of Iraq Veterans for Congress, cross-promoting each other and directing donors to a shared Web site. It’s a response to the anti-war veterans whose campaigns drew attention in 2006, when Patrick Murphy of Philadelphia was the only Iraq vet to win election while openly supporting the war.

The platform of Iraq Vets for Congress grew out of the attitudes of the previous election: They believe in victory in Iraq, staying on the offense in the war on terror and taking care of all veterans, said founder Kieran Lalor, who’s running for a seat in New York.

. . .

The warrior returned from battle to serve in public life is as ancient as the Roman hero Cincinnatus and as familiar as five-star general-turned-President Dwight Eisenhower. Political scientist Costas Panagopoulos, director of Fordham University’s graduate program in Elections and Campaign Management, said combat experience resonates with voters, especially during wartime.

. . .
For the full article please contact The Associated Press.

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The Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune
By: Kevin Risner
February 26, 2008

The three Republican candidates in the 5th Congressional District primary met to share their views during a candidates forum Sunday evening in Tiffin. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, was joined by challengers Scott Radcliffe of Perrysburg and Michael Reynolds of Rimer.

…

Radcliffe said life begins at conception, and as a man of faith he considers it a duty to protect human life.

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Each candidate said he was opposed to universal health coverage.

Each candidate agreed marriage should only be between one man and one woman.

Each candidate said Congress should not pursue a legislative solution at this time to remedy claims of global warming.

…
Radcliffe said the U.S. can benefit from a safe and secure Iraq.

Radcliffe said military veterans should have another voice in Congress.

..
Radcliffe said the U.S. should consider a military model for dealing with illegal immigration. He said the first step would be to secure the perimeter of the nation, calling it a national security issue.

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Radcliffe said he favored legislation to require legislators to attach their names to earmarks and make earmarks subject to separate votes. Reynolds said earmarks should be dealt with as separate bills.

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Radcliffe said incentives should be offered for alternative energy development.

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Radcliffe said the country has been bombarded with messages of change in recent weeks, but said it needs to be the right type of change. Radcliffe said northwest Ohio should have a strong voice in Congress.

…

The Delphos Herald
Friday, February 22, 2008 
By TYLER HOWARD

OTTOVILLE - Putnam County residents got a chance to “Meet the Candidates” for their county’s March 4 primary Wednesday at the Ottoville Municipal Center.

The event, sponsored by the Ottoville Chamber, drew about 65 people who listened to the candidates introduce themselves before engaging in a question-and-answer session.

The biggest seat up for grabs in the upcoming primary is the position of congressman for the 5th district.
…

Running against Latta in the Republican primary will be Scott Radcliffe and Michael Reynolds.

Radcliffe, a West Point graduate, was a platoon leader in Baghdad during his two stints in Iraq and assisted in the rebuilding of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. While in New Orleans, he made a phone call to the 5th district asking for assistance and received a tremendous response, which led to his desire to represent the district in Congress.
…

For the full article click here.

Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune
By: Kevin Risner
February 22, 2008

Republican Congressional candidate Scott Radcliffe is to be at Heidelberg College Sunday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. to meet with voters from Seneca County.

Radcliffe is attempting to unseat 5th District Congressman Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, in the March 4 primary. Latta won the seat during a special election last year after the death of Paul Gillmor.

“I am looking forward to visiting Seneca County again,” Radcliffe said. “The citizens of Seneca County have been extremely welcoming since the start of my campaign. I would like to use my life experience as a Captain in the U.S. Army to bring strong leadership to Washington and represent the citizens of northwest Ohio. I look forward to the opportunity to meet the good people of Seneca County and ask for their vote.”

Radcliffe is to participate in a Republican Congressional candidate forum at the Public Safety Building on the Seneca County Fairgrounds 7 p.m. Sunday. Latta is expected to participate, as is Michael Reynolds of Columbus Grove.

The winner of the March 4 Republican primary is to face Democrat George F. Mays of Norwalk in the November general election.

Radcliffe is a lifelong resident of northwest Ohio, a graduate from West Point, and a two-term, decorated Iraq War veteran.

Radcliffe recently commented on the decision of Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives to act on legislation concerning foreign intelligence surveillance.

“The actions of the Democrats in Congress are nothing short of irresponsible,” Radcliffe said. “My father, a retired FBI agent, was in the trenches of the global war on terror here in the U.S. as the head of the Northwest Ohio Joint Terrorism Task Force. We cannot afford a wall to re-emerge between our criminal investigations and our foreign intelligence gathering services. I’ve been on the other side of this war in Iraq, and I know from ground experience we cannot allow the terrorists we are fighting overseas to gain a foothold here in America. We need strong leadership in Washington to keep the great citizens of this country safe.”

Radcliffe is to return to Tiffin Feb. 28 to participate in the Seneca County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner at the Seneca Hills Golf Course.

Defiance Crescent-News
By: Todd Helberg
February 17, 2008

…All Republican candidates for county office in the March 4 primary — opposed and unopposed — were invited to the event at Charlie’s Down Under Restaurant as were those seeking to represent county constituents in state and federal offices. And, while most unopposed candidates showed up, the most interest was reserved for those running opposed within GOP ranks.

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Republican’s three U.S. 5th District candidates were also asked to attend, although only one could make it.

Scott Radcliffe of Perrysburg said driving through Defiance “reminded me of what motivated me to run.” Specifically, he was referring to the hard work required to undo damage from last weekend’s flooding.

“It motivates me to want to represent you and give you strong representation,” said the Iraqi war Army veteran, son of an FBI agent.

He said he wants Congress to “take action to keep our citizens safe” and to “jump start the economy” while the health care issue needs a “conservative approach.” …

For the full article click here.

Perrysburg, OH (February 21) - ”I applaud Sen. McCain for raising the important issue of veteran’s health care. It is something that needs to be addressed in Washington. As a veteran of the Iraq War I know the sacrifices our troops and their families are making and we need to strengthen and streamline the health care benefits that our veterans should be receiving. I strongly support Senator McCain’s proposal to issue a card to each veteran that can be used for any health care provider across the country.”

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