LORAIN — U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign will make a stop in Lorain —at least that’s what she told Mayor Tony Krasienko.

“She gave me her word that she’d come to Lorain,” he said following the state of the city address Thursday. “It may be a short stop, but it’ll be a stop.”

Krasienko received the confirmation call from the New York senator, who is locked in a fierce primary battle with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, about 10 p.m. Wednesday.

He didn’t have an exact date for the visit, but he said he expects it to occur before the state’s March 4 primary election.

Krasienko, a Democrat, hasn’t backed either candidate for president, saying he was waiting to see who would come to Lorain.

While Obama’s campaign staff has been in touch with Krasienko’s office, the two have not spoken personally and there’s no word whether he too, would pay the city a visit.

Neither Clinton’s campaign staff nor Obama’s could confirm Thursday whether either was adding Lorain to the schedule.

Krasienko said he thinks Clinton is willing to squeeze in a visit to Lorain because the city has a unique demographic.

“Too often Lorain County gets grouped into Cuyahoga (County),” he said. “But voter make-up and trends are different than Cuyahoga. It’s important to gauge the electorate out here.”

Krasienko already has offered Clinton the Premier Soccer Academies facility as a potential rally point, but said one of the city’s two high school auditoriums also could be options.

Craig Umland, the academies’ chief operating officer, couldn’t confirm the visit, but he said the facility would be open to hosting her, among other candidates.

“I think it’s absolutely necessary for one or all presidential candidates to make a trip to Lorain,” he said. “It’s a very important part of our region, and we’d certainly try and make it work.”

Krasienko said he intends on taking advantage of the visit to make Clinton aware of the need for federal dollars to be funneled toward the city and county.

If the conversation goes as well as it has over cell phones, he said, it could prove to have a positive impact for the region.

“She’s real down to earth and easy to talk to,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting her in person.”

Contact Stephen Szucs at 329-7129 or sszucs@chroniclet.com.

 

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