Members of the North Central Ohio Conservatives Inc. listened to information from two candidates of the Constitution Party.
Eric Deaton of New London, who is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and Robert Owens of Delaware, who is running for Ohio attorney general, introduced themselves during a meeting Thursday evening.
Jim Green, president of the organization, said the event was great and the "public was energized" by the two candidates.
"They were some of the classiest guys," he said. "They were real and intelligent - not canned."
Deaton is running for Senate against Democrat Lee Fisher and Republican Rob Portman.
"I decided to run for politics because ... I don't want to wake up in a country in 15 years with my American dream dead, my Constitutional rights on the ropes and all of our God-given rights squandered," Deaton said. "If that happens, I'm not going to wake up and think that I didn't do all I could to stop it."
Deaton spoke against socialism and politicians who claim to be progressive. He said he believes those systems infringe upon the American dream and Americans' rights.
Deaton said he would uphold the Constitution, support the rights of gun owners and seek term limits for elected officials. He added that he wants a better standard for living, to be achieved through heightened emphasis on technological innovations.
"I want to live in a country - and I want one for my children - that will have men living on Mars in 180 years and not struggling to make it back to the moon," he said. "I want to push for bigger and better things."
Deaton, who is an electrical engineer with General Electric, said he comes to the race as a "working man" and said he would "give it all (he)'s got."
Owens is running against Republican Mike DeWine, Libertarian Marc Allan Feldman and Democratic incumbent Richard Cordray. This was Owens' second address to the group.
He spoke about activism, and getting out into the public and getting support for the next election.
He said he favors petitions to nullify the new health care bill, and thanked those who signed them.
"It is the action that you are doing everyday, it's starting to take root. You cannot even contemplate the impact of what you're doing and how successful (it is)," Owens said.
"It is only a small, dedicated tireless group of people who have ever changed anything, for good or for bad."
Owens said he supports the Constitution and would keep out political corruption and greed in the attorney general's office.
"For the first time in a long time, the attorney general's office will work for Ohio," he said.
NCOC does not endorse candidates. Green said the group is bipartisan and will bring in any candidate who wishes to speak.
Ben Nutter, Seneca County Commissioner and Democratic candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives from the 81st District, is to speak to the group at a later meeting.
