Instead of stressing over his Economics in Crime class, 20-year-old sophomore Anthony Russo has bigger fish to fry. On his mind are the pressures of the public office election he may face.
Russo
Russo, double majoring in political science and economics, will use skills learned at UT much sooner than some college students while running as a Democratic mayoral candidate in his hometown, North Ridgeville, Ohio, for the 2011 election.
“It’s really exciting to think of all the possibilities,” Russo said. “I have an advantage because I already have some name recognition due to an early start.”
After leaving the Coast Guard Academy in 2007, Russo felt like something was missing.
“I want to be able to serve my country, and I believe that holding public office is a fantastic opportunity to serve my country in a different way.”
Russo said the campaign will be more challenging for him than the other candidates due to lack of funding.
“Therefore, I will have to get myself noticed. For instance, instead of using television for promotion, I will go house to house and shake hands.
“I think some people are hesitant to listen to me because of my age and experience level. However, recently, many young people have moved to North Ridgeville,” Russo said.
“They might be more open to listening to a younger voice.”
Neglect of the city’s infrastructure, particularly roads, is a problem in North Ridgeville, he said.
“If I succeed, replenishing the city will be one of my top priorities as mayor.”
