By Jim Siegel
Enquirer Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS - Ohio's two U.S. Senate candidates will debate many topics this fall, but no issue will be bigger than how they propose to generate jobs.

"The top issue is getting Ohio's economy moving, and creating good jobs for Ohioans," said Democratic challenger state Sen. Eric Fingerhut, who is taking on incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. George Voinovich.

"I believe the policies that Sen. Voinovich has been supporting in Washington have been moving us in the wrong direction."

But Voinovich, a senator since 1999, points to Ohio's economic prosperity during his time as governor - 600,000 new jobs, low unemployment, and a national leader in factory expansions.

"I'm very concerned about jobs in Ohio, and there's no one in the Senate who has done more in terms of manufacturing jobs," he said.

With the campaign now in full swing, Voinovich is preparing to purchase "significant" television advertising and plans a statewide campaign bus trip in about a week.

Fingerhut, 45, of Shaker Heights, faces an uphill fight to unseat the well-known and well-funded Voinovich, 68, a former Cleveland mayor who has won his last three statewide elections by an average of 24 percentage points.

Fingerhut recently walked more than 300 miles across the state, and has become known for his crowd-pumping speeches as a warm-up act at Kerry-Edwards rallies across Ohio.

Their campaigns show clear differences on several key issues.

Jobs

Ohio has lost more than 200,000 jobs since 2001, mostly in manufacturing, which traditionally has been the muscle of the state economy.

"The tax breaks Sen. Voinovich voted for have not been effective in creating new jobs," Fingerhut said.

Fingerhut wants to make permanent the now-expired research and development tax credit, allow businesses to deduct the expense of new machinery as long as it's made in the United States, and offer special capital gains rates for those who invest in start-up companies.

Voinovich supported two tax cuts totaling $1.7 trillion over 10 years, which President Bush has cited as a key reason for the national economic recovery.

Voinovich also says the economy needs a clear energy policy and better enforcement of trade laws.

Voinovich supports the NAFTAfree-trade pact, but says he is willing to invoke trade sanctions to level the playing field for American workers. He wants the United States to step up enforcement of trade agreements.

"I basically told the administration that until I'm satisfied that you are really aggressively enforcing these laws and have the capacity to get the job done, I'm not going to support any more trade agreements," he said.

Health care

Roughly 45 million Americans were without insurance in 2003, according to the U.S. Census, a figure that also has been rising in Ohio. Meanwhile, most people with health insurance are paying sharply more for it and seniors remain concerned about soaring prescription drug costs.

Fixing the health-care burden means relieving the "crushing burden" of medical malpractice lawsuit abuse that raises costs and threatens to push doctors out-of-state or into early retirement, Voinovich said.

Voinovich also touts the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, passed in 2003 as a way to help 400,000 low-income seniors who have no drug coverage.

But Fingerhut said that by subsidizing prescription drugs, the new Medicare program has increased drug costs faster. He said the program needs changes, such as allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices.

Iraq war/terrorism

Fingerhut said he would not have supported going to Iraq, and as he sees it today, the war is not worth the cost in dollars and lives.

But he said the focus now is not whether the United States should be in Iraq, but rather how to handle the situation.

"I have talked to people for and against the war, but I have not talked to anybody who thinks we've got a workable strategy," Fingerhut said. "(The administration) does not understand the magnitude of what they have undertaken. And our senator is silent on the matter."

Voinovich voted to authorize war against Iraq and still believes Bush did the right thing. He called the war on terror the fourth World War, which "isn't going to be over by snapping our fingers."

He agrees with the 9/11 Commission recommendation for the creation of a national intelligence director.

Gay marriage

On the issue of a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, Voinovich said he would vote for it, but he expressed concern about its timing when the Senate debated and ultimately blocked it in July.

Fingerhut opposes the amendment, saying, "There really is absolutely no need to address that issue right now."

Education

One of the few areas where the candidates agree is their opposition to the No Child Left Behind act. Voinovich voted against the accountability system in 2001, saying the federal government was overreaching into state and local affairs.

Fingerhut wants more funding to cover obligations created by the new law. He also calls for more spending to support federal special education mandates.

Voinovich has voted against requiring the federal government to fund 40 percent of special education costs, as was originally promised years ago. Washington currently pays about 19 percent of those costs.

A Voinovich spokeswoman said the senator thinks such spending should be discretionary, rather than required.

George V. Voinovich

Party: Republican

Hometown: Cleveland

Age: 68

Family: Married, four children

Experience: Lawyer; U.S. Senate (1999-present); governor (1991-1998); Cleveland mayor (1979-88); Cuyahoga County commissioner (1977-78); Cuyahoga County auditor (1971-76); state representative (1967-71); assistant attorney general (1961-64).

Education: Bachelor's degree, Ohio University, 1958; law degree, Ohio State University, 1961.

On the Web: www.voinovichforsenate.com

Eric D. Fingerhut

Party: Democratic

Hometown: Shaker Heights

Age: 45

Family: Married, one child

Experience: Lawyer; Ohio Senate (1998-present); U.S. House (1993-94); Federation for Community Planning (1995-2001); Ohio Senate (1991-92).

Education: Bachelor's degree, Northwestern University, 1981; law degree, Stanford University, 1984.

On the Web: www.fingerhutforsenate.com

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E-mail jsiegel@enquirer.com