Graham Veysey: The Candidate for Congress You May Not Have Heard Of

Graham Veysey doesn’t mind that you don’t know his name.

You will.

The 29-year entrepreneur is running for the Democratic nod in the race for the newly drawn Ninth Congressional against incumbent representatives Dennis Kucinich and Marcy Kaptur. 

The primary race is set for March 6.

In a contest in which the other two candidates are recognizable by their first names, it’s no surprise that the many don’t even know how to pronounce Veysey’s last name.

(It’s ‘Vee-Zee’)

He makes it clear on his campaign literature.

The self-proclaimed underdog has been hitting the campaign trail hard during the past several weeks.

From the Ford Motor plant in Avon Lake to preschools in Lakewood, Veysey hasn’t stopped since he announced his candidacy last month.

We caught up with Veysey at the during his mad scramble across Northern Ohio to learn why he’s running, what he thinks about his chances and what he’d do if elected.

Residence: Ohio City, in an old fire station at W. 29th Street and Church Avenue.

Education: Studied political science, environmental studies at Bates College.

Experience: Small business owner and entrepreneur; field organizer for President Barack Obama’s campaign in Ohio; and volunteer for Howard Dean’s campaign in New Hampshire.

Why are you running?

When the new Ninth District was drawn — what I call the Lake Erie district — that’s when I felt called. The only options were career politicians who’d been in (public) office for 70 years. I knew we could do better, and I wanted to be the alternative to the status quo.

What are your thoughts about being an underdog?

I feel like a David, going up against two Goliaths. Each of them have entrenched interests. Their interests are in Washington DC, not the North Coast that is the new Ninth District.”

What are some of the major issues?

It’s all about the money. We have a fiscal crisis in this country — a $15 trillion debt. I talk about it because it compromises the investments we’d like to make in the economy, education, the environment and energy.

We’re going to stand up and speak out. You can’t saddle my generation with this debt. Why elect somebody who let the last recession bypass us? If I am elected to Congress, I will fight to make sure an economic recovery isn’t bypassed again.

Do you feel that you’ve often been left out of the discussion?

The media has got an obligation to let the voters decide. We’re working really hard to be included in that conversation. The problem is that people need to know where I stand.

I think people are interested when they learn there’s a fresh alternative. We’re going to be outspent, but we won’t be out-hustled.