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Ben Konop
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Lucas County Commissioner, Ohio
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| In office 2007–2011 |
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| Preceded by | Maggie Thurber |
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| Born | March 1, 1976 Sylvania, Ohio |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Profession | Visiting Professor, University of Toledo Law School |
Ben Konop is currently a Lucas County Commissioner. He was a candidate for Mayor of Toledo, Ohio in 2009, as well as the Democratic Party candidate in Ohio's Fourth Congressional District for the United States House of Representatives in 2004.
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Early life
Konop is the son of a prominent attorney and was raised in Lucas County. He received public education from Whiteford Elemetary School and Ottawa Hills High School.[1] He came from a political family. "We talked about politics around the kitchen table," Konop told The Blade. "Obviously, I had a strong Democratic upbringing."[1]
At age 17, he was appointed to be a page in the U.S. Congress by Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. He received his Bachelor of Arts in history from Emory University and attended Oxford University in England, studying history and literature. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2000.[1] Konop originally moved to Washington working for a law firm that represented Fortune 50 companies, but he returned to the Toledo area to work in politics.[1]
Political career
Representative campaign
Konop got started in politics in 2004 when he raced against Mike Oxley in Ohio's Fourth Congressional District for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. He received the highest percentage vote total of any House challenger in congressional races in Ohio that year at 41%. His opponent, Representative Oxley, announced his retirement a year later.
In his race against Oxley, was named a member of the "Kos Dozen", a group of progressive Democratic politicians endorsed by the website Daily Kos in 2004.[2] Despite being outspent approximately $1.9 million to $175,000, Konop held Oxley to his lowest percentage since being first elected in 1981. Oxley defeated Konop 59% to 41%. Konop also outperformed Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, who received only 34 percent of the vote in the heavily Republican district.
Commissioner campaign
After the 2004 election, Konop returned to Lucas County, where he defeated two challengers in a Democratic primary for Lucas County Commissioner on May 2, 2006. Konop received 47 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. His opponents, Tim Wagener, the mayor of Maumee, and Phil Copeland, a Toledo City Councilman, received 27% and 26% respectively. Konop defeated Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou by a wide margin in the general election on November 7, 2006.
Konop broke two self-created ethics pledges during his campaign, causing critics to question his character.[3] In a pledge he created and demanded his opponents sign, Konop stipulated that elected officials should "serve the full duration of their terms", and that they should not seek higher office during that term.[4] Since then, Konop has broken both of these pledges in an attempt to seek higher office.[5] Konop has refused to resign his commissioner seat or repay the tax dollars he continues to collect, as some critics have said he should do.[3]
Mayoral campaign
In April 2009, Konop announced his candidacy for Mayor of Toledo. Two amateur videos on YouTube drew attention to his campaign.[1] In one of the videos, he is being heckled and booed during a news conference.[1] In the second video, created by his campaign, Konop confronts and wrestles with a heckler, and knocks an American flag to the ground.[6] His campaign continued, and he finished fifth out in the run-off election.
Personal life
Konop, who is known to have an "outspoken persona", is a bachelor who lives in a condominium in the Warehouse District of Toledo. He is fan of the Detroit Tigers.[1]
Konop sponsored Toledo's Million Pound Challenge. With help from The Blade, Mercy Health Partners, ProMedica Health System, and the YMCA, the 1,500 participants lost an average of 9.4 pounds.[1]
In 2007, Konop made the news when he was caught driving without auto insurance and was forced to settle out of pocket after causing an accident.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Toledo Blade: "Summer as congressional page ignited Konop's political passion". August 17, 2009.
- ^ Daily Kos: "Donate, get Lakoff's book". October 7, 2004.
- ^ a b Toledo Blade: "Critics recall Konop pledge as he joins mayor's race". March 31, 2009.
- ^ Toledo Blade: "Konop calls on Thurber to sign ethics pledge". February 10, 2006.
- ^ Toledo Blade: "Konop Takes Step Toward Bid for Mayor". January 28, 2009.
- ^ WTOL: "Ben Konop: In or out?". August 16, 2009.
- ^ Toledo on the Move: "Konop Lacked Car Insurance at Time of Accident". December 13, 2007.
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