Dennis Kucinich

Editor's Note: Dennis Kucinich dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 25.

Political Party: Democratic
Current Position: Representative
State: Ohio
Political Experience: Mayor of Cleveland, 1977 – 1979; New Mexico State Senator, 1994 – 1996; Representative from Ohio, 1996 – present

This is not original reporting. All information has been compiled from Dennis Kucinich's official campaign web site.

Dennis Kucinich chooses principle over popularity. As mayor of Cleveland in the late 1970s, he refused to sell the city's publicly owned electric utility and give in to big businesses. Consequently, the city fell into default, as the Cleveland Trust Company demanded that the city's debts be paid immediately. The Cleveland mafia put a hit on Kucinich, and the city was divided. Over thirty years later, he maintains his individuality as a presidential candidate – but at a price. In a December Fox News poll, Kucinich received support from only one percent of likely Democratic voters in the upcoming primary elections.

Kucinich's record on foreign policy emphasizes communication over military action. He voted against the war in Iraq and supports diplomacy as the path to the reestablishment of global American leadership. Kucinich wants to make fighting global poverty a top priority. He cites poverty, joblessness, hunger, poor healthcare, inadequate education and discrimination as "weapons of mass destruction." He plans to emphasize ethics, accountability and fairness in capitalism and trade around the world. In his time as senator of New Mexico, Kucinich cut money from military spending and added taxes on the rich to provide money to combat poverty.

Kucinich supports reform of the campaign finance system and opposes the Patriot Act and secret strategy meetings. He also supports national gun laws, which would guarantee people the right to bear arms, but not deadlier assault weapons.

Kucinich has been a vocal critic of the Bush administration, and plans many drastic changes in domestic policy if elected. He opposes the death penalty, torture and the illegality of marijuana. Kucinich claims that the legalization of marijuana would allow the U.S. government to redistribute law enforcement officials to more important tasks. He believes that healthcare is too expensive and has a plan for a universal, single-payer, not-for-profit healthcare system. Over the next four years, Kucinich wants to invest $30 billion in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. To address global warming, he supports joining the Kyoto accords and the Safe Climate Act of 2007, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced.

In the Jan. 5 Iowa Democratic caucus, Kucinich received one vote – zero percent – of voter support, according to CNN. Preliminary polls of New Hampshire Democratic voters, who will vote in the state primary on Jan. 8, show Kucinich with two percent of the vote.