Stivers is acutely aware of the fine line he has had to walk over the past year.
“I always find myself pointing out the differences between John McCain and I, George Bush and I, and frankly the similarities and differences between us as well as similarities and differences between myself and Barack Obama,” he said.
Hoyer told The Hill he is confident Kilroy will be a member of the 111th Congress.
“In an environment that was ood but not as good today's, she came within 1,100 votes of knocking off one of the Republican leaders,” he said. “It was an extraordinary accomplishment ... we've got a very exciting campaign and she's going to win.”
Following a speech to Kappa Alpha Theta, a woman raised her hand and asked Stivers, “Are you a Republican or are you a Democrat?”
“I happen to be a Republican,” he said. “But I’ve worked with Republicans and Democrats. I want to go to Washington to bring people together because there isn’t enough of that.”
Stivers says Washington must be more fiscally responsible. He is not against all earmarks but favors the line-item veto because “that’s the ultimate in earmark reform.”
Stivers said he would have had “tough questions” on the $700 billion economic rescue legislation, but didn’t go as far as to say he would have opposed it.
After six years in the Ohio General Assembly, the attractive, then engaged and now married state lawmaker was on the road to becoming the next president of the Ohio Senate. Stivers said his mind changed following the memorial service for Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio), who died suddenly in September 2007.
“I said no three or four times,” said Stivers. “When I looked around I saw [GOP Reps.] Deborah Pryce, Ralph Regula and Dave Hobson, who were all retiring...these are people who worked to get things done. We need people like that in Congress.”
The attacks on Stivers started almost immediately. The day he announced his bid, a spokesman from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee described Stivers as a refugee of the unpopular administration of Gov. Bob Taft and as a “paid lobbyist” for Bank One.
He said the negative ads simply serve to drive away voters: “They probably hate both of us at this point … I guess they’ll pick who they hate the least.”
After asking if the crowd at his second sorority of the day had any questions, Stivers turned to leave, passing a table full of bright yellow fliers with the words “Obama Bash!” written in bold black letters across the top.
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