Behind the Campaign
Meet Ben McCullough
Kari Phelan
Issue date: 2/9/06 Section: Features
While freshman Ben McCullough may be the youngest man running for Ohio District 74's state representative, McCullough stands unfettered in his commitment to the campaign.
"If I didn't think I had a chance to win I wouldn't be doing it," McCullough said.
Though McCullough is only 19, he is already gaining important insight into the business of politics. As an Attendee of the National Student Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., McCullough worked on a mock committee for the Senate which specialized in defense issues. McCullough has also been in contact with Ohio politicians - like former minority house leader Chris Redfern - to learn what to expect during the campaign.
Should he be elected to office, McCullough plans to institute several changes for the northwestern Ohio region, including education reform, increased security, increased technology, and biotechnological agriculture.
McCullough's education plans include revamping the Ohio Graduation Test, which is required for students to pass prior to graduation. McCullough says that teachers often teach for the test rather than teaching for the subject, leaving out important curriculum.
McCullough also hopes to raise money for poorly funded schools in the area. Though the general population in Williams and Defiance Counties-the region McCullough would be representing-cannot afford raised taxes to pass school levies, McCullough plans to seek federal grants that currently are not being applied for.
He also plans to get creative about saving money. McCullough said that Texas created a board for cutting costs that saved 13 billion dollars simply by taking light bulbs out of pop machines. He would like to adopt some of those creative policies.
He also wants to integrate technology into agriculture and industry. The 74th district is primarily agricultural, so McCullough wants to bring in 43 skilled laborers to use some of the crops toward an ethanol plant. The plant would provide an estimated $85 million for the economy, McCullough said, as well as a step toward twenty-first century fuel technology.
Since high school, McCullough has thought about politics as a way to give back to his community.
While he plans on staying "as active as [he] can," at Wittenberg, McCullough said he realizes what a huge commitment the job would be. With a projected schedule of classes in the morning and the representative job Tues. through Thurs. afternoons, McCullough said he understands he must be "flexible to adapt."
"Everyone's been really great and supportive," McCullough said, "and I really appreciate that."
More information can be found about McCullough's campaign at www.benforohio.com.
"If I didn't think I had a chance to win I wouldn't be doing it," McCullough said.
Though McCullough is only 19, he is already gaining important insight into the business of politics. As an Attendee of the National Student Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., McCullough worked on a mock committee for the Senate which specialized in defense issues. McCullough has also been in contact with Ohio politicians - like former minority house leader Chris Redfern - to learn what to expect during the campaign.
Should he be elected to office, McCullough plans to institute several changes for the northwestern Ohio region, including education reform, increased security, increased technology, and biotechnological agriculture.
McCullough's education plans include revamping the Ohio Graduation Test, which is required for students to pass prior to graduation. McCullough says that teachers often teach for the test rather than teaching for the subject, leaving out important curriculum.
McCullough also hopes to raise money for poorly funded schools in the area. Though the general population in Williams and Defiance Counties-the region McCullough would be representing-cannot afford raised taxes to pass school levies, McCullough plans to seek federal grants that currently are not being applied for.
He also plans to get creative about saving money. McCullough said that Texas created a board for cutting costs that saved 13 billion dollars simply by taking light bulbs out of pop machines. He would like to adopt some of those creative policies.
He also wants to integrate technology into agriculture and industry. The 74th district is primarily agricultural, so McCullough wants to bring in 43 skilled laborers to use some of the crops toward an ethanol plant. The plant would provide an estimated $85 million for the economy, McCullough said, as well as a step toward twenty-first century fuel technology.
Since high school, McCullough has thought about politics as a way to give back to his community.
While he plans on staying "as active as [he] can," at Wittenberg, McCullough said he realizes what a huge commitment the job would be. With a projected schedule of classes in the morning and the representative job Tues. through Thurs. afternoons, McCullough said he understands he must be "flexible to adapt."
"Everyone's been really great and supportive," McCullough said, "and I really appreciate that."
More information can be found about McCullough's campaign at www.benforohio.com.
Be the first to comment on this story