From The Politico:

In that vein, Kilroy says that, if elected, she will “fight against” Big Business — insurance companies, oil companies and utilities — and she cited her record of “taking on” those interests ever since she began her elective career on the Columbus city school board.

Kilroy’s campaign also points to a 2006 vote in which Stivers was one of only four state senators to oppose a bill making it easier for victims of predatory lending to sue.

Her message is being echoed by Democrats throughout the country. With gas prices hitting $4 a gallon and a wave of foreclosures affecting middle-class households, many Democratic candidates are holding big oil companies responsible for high gas prices and blaming the banking industry for economic woes.

But complicating the message in this district is its more business-friendly environment. This area is filled with employers who work for banks such as JPMorgan, and is home to five insurance companies, led by Nationwide Insurance, one of the largest employers in the city. More than 58,000 employees work in the area’s banking and insurance sectors — 39 percent more than the national average.

“There are a lot of white-collar jobs in banking and insurance in the district. I absolutely am proud of my record fighting for economic growth. She wants to make that sound bad,” said Stivers. “I don’t think it’s fair for someone to say they want to be in Congress and not represent their district.”

Despite the white-collar nature of the district, Kilroy argues she won’t back down from her populist message. When asked if she had a good working relationship with Nationwide Insurance during her tenure on the County Commission, she reiterated how she has taken them on in her political career.

Kilroy also has been a vocal supporter of labor: As county commissioner, she drew some criticism for rejecting three bids from non-unionized companies to help construct the city’s baseball stadium. Her opponents argued that taking the higher bid cost taxpayers at least $42,000.

Struble said the fact that her actions match Kilroy’s tough rhetoric is a central part of her appeal.
“I’ve worked for politicians that wouldn’t take on big employers — they would never cross these people,” he said. “She took on Nationwide and American Electric Power. … That’s political courage by any measure.”

So Kilroy is telling businesses that if elected to Congress, she will attack some of the largest employers in her district, such as Nationwide, JP Morgan, and AEP especially if they don’t give in to unions. Columbus’ business community might want to take note.