"He seemed very involved in the class, very passionate about the topic of social justice, but left room for everyone's opinion," said Gabriela C. Gonzalez '03, a student in his Justice section this fall. "I found he has a good sense of right and wrong, that's why he'd be a good Congressman. He has a real sense of justice."

Cranley connected with some of his students so well that many of them turned out for his fundraising event at the Faculty Club, and at least one student is prepared to dedicate a good deal of his future time and energy into his campaign.

Franklin J. Leonard '00, who first got to know Cranley as a student in his fall '98 Warren Court section, has agreed to stay with Cranley and work his campaign full time until the election. Leonard said he has no long term political ambitions--he just thinks Cranley would be a good addition to the U.S. House of Representatives.

"When [Cranley] called me I was in New Hampshire for the primaries, and I decided then and there I'd do it for him," Leonard said. "It's rare to get to jump into a campaign with a candidate who's as young [and] exciting...as John Cranley."

"Cranley is incredibly charismatic, and he has a real commitment to people," Leonard added. "His campaign slogan is 'Faith in People' and with John Cranley that is a whole lot more than sloganeering. He is committed to people in Cincinnati and the world at large."

Cranley's candidacy has also begun to turn heads in Washington, as Democrats hope to recapture the House this fall after six years of Republican control. Democrats are gunning for Chabot's seat because he served as one of the 13 managers in President Clinton's impeachment hearing.

If the Democrats can get a net gain of six seats nationwide, they will retake control of Congress.