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JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEKJohn Russell, a political novice, files as a Democrat for the chance to take on the incumbent Republican for her seat in Congress.
John T. Russell says he has paid a lot of attention to the political issues of the day, and he does not like what he sees.
One of Russell's friends, a software engineer, is worrying about whether his job will be outsourced to China or India. A department store salesman, who formerly worked for an airline, told Russell about having to pay $700 a month for health insurance for his family.
Millions of Americans have no health insurance at all, Russell observed.
"There are a lot of questions that have to be answered, when you talk about corporations benefiting at the expense of the workers," said Russell, a 48-year-old critical care nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital. "In Congress, I can actually make a difference."
The Dade City resident has filed papers to seek the Democratic nomination for Florida's 5th Congressional District, which includes part or all of Hernando, Citrus and Pasco counties.
Russell would face Brian Moore of Spring Hill in the Aug. 31 primary, for the right to challenge incumbent Republican Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville. Independent candidates Cindy Cino of Homosassa and Andrew Pasayan of Holiday also are in the Nov. 2 general election.
Russell has not run for political office before. He filed papers to challenge state Rep. Ken Littlefield of Wesley Chapel in 2002, but withdrew.
Still, the newcomer to politics remained undeterred.
He contended that Democrats will vote for the "real Democrat" in the primary, taking a jab at Moore's 2002 quest for the job as an independent railing against the two-party system.
"I'm a Democrat and forever will I be a Democrat," Russell said. "I'm fighting for me and for everyone else like me who works for a living."
According to the Pasco County Elections Office, Russell registered as an independent in 1997, switched to no-party affiliation in 1998, changed to Republican in 2000 and settled on Democrat in 2001.
Russell also did not worry about Brown-Waite's incumbency and the money that goes with it. As of Jan. 1, Brown-Waite had $444,463 in her campaign account, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
"No matter the financial (status) of Virginia Brown-Waite, I'm confident our positions will carry the day," Russell said.
Neither was he concerned about his lack of experience in politics.
"If Ginny Brown-Waite wants to talk about legislative experience, we've seen now what her experience can bring us," Russell said. "I don't think we need any more of her experience. . . . This is purely about the objective of changing the direction of this country."
He criticized Brown-Waite for supporting labor law changes that made thousands of people ineligible for overtime pay. He further blasted Brown-Waite as a pawn of corporate America.
"She has tied herself inextricably to George W. Bush," Russell said. "Our intention is to hold her accountable on the positions she's taken on issues of importance."