Takeaway host John Hockenberry flew to Ohio to convene a panel of seven voters who could pick the next president of the United States. These are their stories and their issues.
Al Jones lives in Concord, Ohio. Al began his career as a contractor, and he’s now a Deacon at St. John’s Baptist Church and sits on the boards of several non-profits in the Lake County area, including the local NAACP and Hola. He and his wife are registered Democrats, as are his children and grandchildren.
Ohio is one of the 32 states that allows for early voting. Al has already cast his ballot, and he voted for Barack Obama.
Joe Tirpak has lived in Mentor, Ohio since 1967. A great-grandfather, Joe works as a human resources management consultant. He is a registered Republican and his wife is an Independent.
If Joe had to cast his vote on Saturday, October 6, 2012, he would have voted for Mitt Romney.
John Rampe lives in Willoughby Hills, Ohio. A registered Republican and father of three grown children, John is the president of Torque Transmission Company, a manufacturing business.
If Joe had to cast his vote on Saturday, October 6, 2012, he would have voted for Mitt Romney, with some hesitation.
Kiarra Jones is a student at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, where she studies international business and sports management and is a member of the basketball team. Kiarra is a registered Independent, and 2012 marks her first time voting in a presidential election.
If Kiarra had to cast her vote on Saturday, October 6, 2012, she would have voted for Barack Obama.
Kim Lobe lives in Willoughby Hills, Ohio. Born and raised in Lake County, Kim is a development director at Laurel School, a private girls school in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Kim and her husband are registered Republicans, and her three, college-age sons are registered Democrats.
If Kim had to cast her vote on Saturday, October 6, 2012, she would have voted for Mitt Romney.
Marisa Cornachio lives in Willoughby, Ohio. Born and raised in Lake County, Marisa is an attorney and adjunct professor at Lakeland Community College. She is also a special prosecutor for Lake County. Marisa and her husband have three children under the age of five. She and her husband are registered Republicans.
If Marisa had to cast her vote on Saturday, October 6, 2012, she would have voted for Mitt Romney.
Veronica Dahlberg lives in Ashtabula County, Ohio, but works in Painesville, Ohio, in Lake County. As the executive director of Hola, a nonprofit organization focused on Latino outreach, advocacy, and community organizing, Veronica works closely with the immigrant community in Lake County. Veronica is registered as a Democrat with three sons, one a college-age registered Democrat, one a college-age registered Republican, and one in the sixth grade.
If Veronica had to cast her vote on Saturday, October 6, 2012, she would have voted for Barack Obama, with some hesitation.
