Wired News: Software Exec Eyes Senate Seat

LANCASTER, Pennsylvania -- Musician. Programmer. Waiter. Laborer. CEO. Filmmaker. (DU Member :) )

Charlie Crystle, who runs a software company in the farm town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has held all these jobs, now wants to add the title of U.S. senator to his eclectic resume.

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Making the United States competitive in international trade is high on Crystle's agenda. He bemoans the growing U.S. trade deficit with China, which reached $10 billion in June and is more than a quarter of the country's total trade deficit.

Crystle said the United States is exporting too many manufacturing jobs to China, and that the Chinese government has manipulated its currency to further the trade imbalance. "Multinationals have gone too far" in sending jobs overseas, according to Crystle. "We're getting screwed by irresponsible leadership."

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Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of the Rothenberg Political Report, said that having no political track record both helps and hurts Crystle. While he doesn't have a voting record or public stance on issues to criticize, he's also far behind the other candidates in name recognition.

"He's not tilting at windmills, but he's got a long way to go," Rothenberg said.

Crystle will also be able to tout his tech savvy and private-sector credentials, such as running a company and meeting a budget, to show financial responsibility, according to Rothenberg. Crystle isn't the first tech exec to campaign for the Senate. Former RealNetworks executive Maria Cantwell used some of her stock profits to win a U.S. Senate seat in 2000 in Washington state.

Crystle said his campaign is largely relying on volunteers to build community, and that the Internet will play an important role in getting out the word. His website uses the Meetup service to help organize volunteers, who are at the heart of his campaign. This strategy emphasizing a volunteer network to inform and inspire voters has helped presidential hopeful Howard Dean to gain a national audience.

(much more...)

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60078-2,00.html

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