[img_assist|nid=81|title=Ray Pryor (far right)|desc=with wife, Jennifer, and host Norman Shirkey|link=none|align=left|width=294|height=156]The char-grilled smoke of pork chops and rib-eye steaks billowed underneath one of three tents set up in the backyard of Sue Shirkey-Raypole and Norman Shirkey. The table opposite the grill offered cups of macaroni and potato salad, baked beans and an assortment of barbeque and steak sauces. Cornhole was set up in one corner of the yard, and a dessert table complete with homemade apple pie in the other.

This all-American scene was the setting of a barbeque benefit for Ray Pryor (D - Chillicothe), who is making his second bid for Ohio's 85th House district after a narrow defeat last cycle. Pryor, who lost to incumbent state Rep. John Schlichter (R - Washington Court House) by 51.41 percent to 48.59 percent in 2006, said last cycle they were "the new kids on the block" and learned a lot that will help them this time around.

The benefit was held in Washington Court House, Schlichter's home town, and the Fayette County seat. Fayette is traditionally Republican territory, but Pryor is confident he can make inroads there and in other counties in the district and says the lessons he learned from last cycle are what will help him come out on top this time around.

"We're going to run a good, clean race," he said. "We're going to stick to the issues, and we're going to put some teeth on our campaign -- come back a little more aggressive than what we were in '06."

Pryor said his campaign will work strongly on economic development and bringing business and employers to the district. He also said he'd work on school funding and education initiatives, as well as renewable resources.

"There are all kinds of issues out there that don't affect everybody," he said. "But those are the issues that affect everybody. We want to work on what affects everybody."

Pryor said the area has seen some growth in retail jobs but wants to work on getting more manufacturing and industry employment into the district.

"We need to recruit new industry, new manufacturing, but also help our current businesses grow," he said.

Fayette County chair Judy Craig said she sees a county like Fayette as competitive for Pryor because of the amount of potential crossover voters and an appetite for change in the district. She said the economy would be a big issue in Fayette in November.

"We are hit very hard with the economy here in Fayette County," she said. She said the numbers of unaffiliated voters and the numbers of Republican crossovers would help because they see the economy is not working, getting worse, and they see that as a result of the policies of the last eight years.[img_assist|nid=82|title=BBQ with Ray|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=405|height=159]

Pryor said education was important in stimulating job growth and helping the community. He said the first thing is to sort out the property-tax-based school funding issue. He said he supports moving around taxes that are already in place, such as sales taxes, to help funding. He said that they've done a great job building new schools in the area, but many of them don't have the money to operate, and that needs to be corrected.

One cost-saving area he's helped with in regards to school operation is converting heating from gas heat to bio-mass heat -- woodchips.  "If we can convert that school to woodchip heat, they'll save in the neighborhood of $160,000 to $170,000 a year," he said.

He said adult education and training is also important to consider and responsible use of the federal dollars allocated to such programs as Job and Family Services. "If we've got our workforce trained and educated, then we can recruit business," he said.

Pryor said that he was getting some support from state Democrats but the race is won at the grassroots level and benefits like the one hosted by Judy Craig and husband Ted, along with Sue Shirkey-Raypole and Norman Shirkey.

"Right here is where the election is won, at the grass roots level, at the local and county level," he said. "That's where we almost won in '06. That's where we're going to win this year."