KOTOS KICKS OFF 2006 CAMPAIGN

--Second time the charm in the Second?
--Campaign to focus on economic development

Muskegon, June 6, 2006: Kimon Kotos (D-Muskegon) announces his candidacy for the Second Congressional District. Kotos also ran for the seat in 2004.

Key Issues:
*
* Return to fiscal sanity from the reckless deficits strangling Michigan jobs

* Safeguard our elderly

* Promote Michigan manufacturing

* Build a diverse sustainable economic future through high -value agriculture, tourism, and workforce development and education.

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Muskegon Chronicle
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
By Steve Gunn, Chronicle Staff Writer

Opponent sees Hoekstra as vulnerable

For a candidate who captured only about 30 percent of the vote two years ago, Kimon Kotos sounded remarkably confident Tuesday as he formally announced his candidacy for Congress in Michigan's 2nd District.

And his confidence was buoyed by the presence of Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer, who introduced Kotos to a partisan crowd and predicted success for the local candidate.

But now comes the hard part, as Kotos again tries to unseat popular U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Holland, in a decidedly Republican district. Two years ago, Hoekstra blasted Kotos, 225,343 to 94,040.

At a press conference Tuesday at Muskegon's Terrace Plaza, Kotos made his strategy clear. He plans to tie Hoekstra to the unpopular policies of President George W. Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress, then hope voters decide it's time for a change.

"Over the past six years, George Bush and his accomplice Peter Hoekstra have ruined this country," said Kotos, addressing a room full of enthusiastic Democratic supporters. "They have engaged in reckless spending, sustained long-term debt, and put ourselves in disrespect around the world.

"We need to turn this thing around."

Kotos, 53, is still a relative newcomer to West Michigan politics. A Flint native who spent much of his adult life in California, he moved to Muskegon County several years ago after marrying a woman from the area.

Now a resident of North Muskegon, Kotos decided to fill an empty spot on the Democratic ticket and challenge Hoekstra in 2004. His campaign drew little attention or financial support, but Kotos continued to work, even after his defeat, to familiarize himself with local issues and build a base of support.

Now, with Bush and congressional Republicans drawing low approval ratings, he thinks voters may turn to Democrats for change. And he thinks he may benefit from that, despite the 2nd Congressional District's Republican leanings.

He said there are lots of reasons to replace Hoekstra.

Kotos attacked the veteran congressman for violating his pledge to serve a maximum of six terms in the House. Hoekstra is currently finishing his seventh term.

He attacked Hoekstra for defending the president's controversial domestic spying program, which attempts to intercept communications between people in the U.S. and suspected terrorists abroad.

He also suggested that Hoekstra, a powerful member of the House leadership, has failed to use his position to bring substantial federal dollars home to the district.

"I'm not running against George Bush. But Pete has been a major ally of Bush, and he has to take responsibility for that," Kotos said. "His voting record is at stake."

Meanwhile, Brewer blasted Hoekstra, claiming he's done a poor job of managing the nation's intelligence community as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Hoekstra, contacted this morning, defended his record.

He pointed out many programs in Muskegon County that have been funded with federal dollars he helped secure, including the new Coast Guard helicopter station at the county airport, the runway expansion project at the airport, the cleanup effort in Little Black Creek and the downtown redevelopment project in Muskegon.

Hoekstra, chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee, pointed out the president's domestic spying program, which is designed to identify terrorists and their allies within the U.S., was developed with the support of many Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

And Hoekstra defended his efforts to rebuild the nation's intelligence community in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"One thing we've been able to do is move the process forward to rebuild the intelligence community," Hoekstra said. "It's still not where it needs to be. Rebuilding something that was gutted under the Clinton administration will take some time."

Hoekstra said Kotos' liberal views favoring abortion and gay marriage are out of step with West Michigan, and he predicted his opponents' attack strategy will fail with voters.

"The Democrats are finding out right now that a campaign agenda that just blasts Republicans and the president without offering any alternatives is not going to fly," Hoekstra said.

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