By TERRY BRLAS

Strongsville Post editor

The Ohio Republican Primary is one of 10 primaries and caucuses on March 6, also known as "Super Tuesday." The Strongsville Republican Club got a head start by hosting its own caucus of sorts on Feb. 13 at Strongsville's Old Town Hall.

While the results may not mirror what takes place statewide they were nonetheless insightful. The winner of the Strongsville Republican Club Caucus vote was Mitt Romney with 34.9 percent of the vote (15). Ron Paul followed him with 32.6 percent (14), Rick Santorum with 27.9 percent (12) and New Gingrich with 4.6 percent (2).

Ohio has 66 delegates to the Republican National Convention, Aug. 27 through 30 in Tampa, Fla. There are 10 at-large, 48 Congressional (three for each district), one for having a Republican governor, three for party leaders (one each for state chairman, national committeeman and national committeewoman), one for a Republican U.S. senator, one for a Republican majority in the Ohio House, one for a Republican majority in the Ohio Senate and one for a Republican majority in the U.S. congressional delegation.

The Strongsville Republican Club Caucus was the first the organization has ever held.

"In prior years the race was pretty much decided by time Ohio got to vote," said Republican Club President David Gusman. "We have a distinct possibility that we're going to come down to the convention without knowing who the candidate is. It's highly likely that no candidate will get 50 percent plus one delegate prior to the election. We literally could come to August and still not know, which I think is great for the party and great for the country because it allows the candidates to focus on the issues and get the Republican message out there to all the different states."

The Strongsville Republican Club vote was preceded by presentations from representatives of each campaign, and a question and answer session.

Strongsville resident Val Palmer, a state delegate for Gingrich, led off by talking about her candidate.

After giving some of his background she said, "...He was a speaker for two terms and worked with President Clinton to reform welfare. He balanced the budget at the risk of temporarily shutting down the government and got Social Security on sound footing. We know many of his strengths and because of the time he has been in public we also know his human side. One thing we do know is that he is bold, tough and willing to take on those progressive liberals who would see America and her role as a leader of the free world diminish.

"His common sense approach to solve our problems and the urgency he deems as necessary to accomplish that is unlike the other candidates ... He would eliminate all White House czars and by executive order undo all the Obama damage to our country..."

The most impassioned speaker may have been MaryAnne Petranek, who spoke on behalf of Paul. Her main argument for her candidate was his intention to eliminate the Internal Revenue Service.

"We are $15.3 trillion in debt," she said. "If we were to look at one trillion in seconds it would take 30,000 years. This also translates to $2.5 million of indebtedness every minute of every day. That would be 8,244 26-inch LCD HD TVs every minute. There is no way we can tax our way out of this mess. The only thing we can do is follow a plan and get back to the Constitution. There is one man who has a plan and that man is Ron Paul.

"He has already said that he would cut $1 trillion from our deficit in one year and that is by eliminating five cabinet level departments. He has also said he would eliminate debt and get us back to a balanced budget within his first term ... He has also come up with a plan to end all income tax and to end the death taxes. That would leave you with more wealth and more money in your pocket, and would certainly give you the ability to spend your own money more wisely ... We have to cut spending and eliminate the octopus of a government that we have created over the past several decades. That octopus is reaching into your back pocket, that octopus is reaching into your Internet, that octopus is reaching into your privacy and the federal government does not belong here and has never belonged there."

Lisa Stickan, a city of Highland Heights councilwoman and staff attorney for Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Pamela Barker, represented the Romney campaign. Her talk focused on electability when it comes to taking on Barack Obama in the fall.

"Governor Romney's campaign is on the ground in every state and Governor Romney has been able to make the ballot in every state," Stickan said. "With all due respect to all the other candidates in this race if you can't get on the ballot in each state you have to question if you have the ability to take on Barack Obama this November.

"All of the candidates in this race have clearly demonstrated they are good Republicans, they've served their country at various levels of government and they've been successful businessmen. What we need to look at is who can best serve this country and reverse all the damage done by this current administration ... We need a candidate with business experience, a record of success, and who can really turn the economy around and reach out to young voters..."

Stickan also stated that Romney would connect with independent voters more strongly than the other candidates. She said that independent voters are concerned with getting a job and providing for their families.

Lake County Republican Chairman Dale Fellows made the pitch for Santorum. The two first met in 1992 when the current GOP presidential candidate was a first-term congressman from outside of Pittsburgh.

"He is certainly a conservative leader and has proven that conservative leadership throughout his career," Fellows said. "This (campaign) is about the economy, it's about national defense and it's about bringing back the Constitution."

Fellows spoke about Santorum's "Made in America" plan, and the candidates' platform of faith, family and freedom.

"His Made in America plan is about cutting the tax rates for manufacturing down to zero," Fellows said. "That will spur job creation, it will spur the economy. That's what we need.

"He wants to balance the budget and wants to get rid of Obamacare, which has affected my small business grossly in the last two years. For 31 years my company had been able to provide 100 percent of health care insurance for my employees until this year. He has a plan to reshape Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Rick Santorum is about cutting spending and getting this economy back on track..."

One person in the audience asked about the confidence level of the representatives' candidates fulfilling their campaign promises.

Petranek responded, "Ron Paul's been a congressman for over 30 years. What's the resume of a public official? It's their voting record and he's never deviated. He's never voted for a tax increase and he's never voted to expand government. He's a man of his word."

Palmer said, "Watch some of Newt Gingrich's debates. He's very forceful and very bold. He'll fight for what he can get. If he gets elected the Congress and Senate are on his side. He should be able to accomplish most everything. He's very aggressive."

Fellows stated that Santorum has run on his word, his promises and what he has accomplished in the Senate or Congress.

"He has a pretty clear record of doing what he says and making sure he stays on track," Fellows said. "Faith, family and freedom, that is Rick Santorum. I have every confidence that he is going to fulfill every promise that he states he is going to strive for."

Stickan said, "There's a lot of discussion on being aggressive or promises made. A lot of it points to the greater picture and that's having a House and Senate to work with too ... It's easy to say I'm going to do x, y and z, but it may not be realistic in terms of undoing everything that Obama has ever done. It's clear all four candidates appreciate this. A lot of what President Obama has done is not what this country wants and they have to do whatever they can to get the country on the right track."

One resident referenced attracting young voters. He felt that anyone under 45 was considered young.

"What is the message? The message for someone who just graduated college and is struggling to find work may not be the same message for someone who is 50 with three kids," Stickan said. "They might have different priorities in life. Young voters are still looking for hope and change."

Gusman said that the local organization would be opening a victory center in Strongsville this summer with phone banks and sign distribution, not only for the presidential campaign but also for statewide and federal positions.