During a petitioning drive to place Prince on the ballot, supporters talked with hundreds of working people in the neighborhood around the campaign headquarters. "We received an excellent response from working people in Ward 18," Prince said, "who liked seeing a worker running for office. Many wished us luck, and others asked to be put on our mailing list or bought copies of the Militant. Some were already familiar with the paper and the Pathfinder bookstore from previous work we had done in the neighborhood."

Braiman and Prince got a favorable response as well from their co-workers on the job. Several workers at the Hugo Boss garment factory where Prince works signed petitions to put him on the ballot, and one donated $50 to the campaign. At Country Custom Meats, where Braiman works, the campaign is a lively topic of discussion, and several co-workers have bought books relating to ideas put forward by the candidates, such as the Communist Manifesto, Revolution in the Congo, and Cosmetics, Fashions and the Exploitation of Women. Some fellow workers also discussed the answers Braiman drew up in response to endorsement questionnaires she and Prince have received from civic and labor organizations.

In the weeks since launching the campaign, supporters of the socialist candidates have been involved in various struggles that advance the unity and self-confidence of the working class. "A number of working people and youth we have spoken with are inspired by the idea that workers and farmers are the producers of wealth and that we can and should run society instead of the bosses and their parties," noted Braiman.

The Cleveland candidates joined with the supporters of the Socialist Workers campaign of Osborne Hart for mayor of Detroit in participating in protests against police brutality that followed the cop murder of a youth in Cincinnati. They followed up with several visits to that city to sell the Militant and distribute a statement from the socialist candidates titled "Jail the Killer Cops," which states in part: "It is not a matter of 'a few bad apples' or a need to adjust the composition or training of the police. When they terrorize working people, they are carrying out their role in capitalist society: to keep working people down, divided and afraid. The police cannot and will not be reformed."

Braiman and Prince attended a meeting of local unionists to discuss solidarity with the struggle of longshoremen in Charleston, South Carolina, five of whom have been framed up on false charges stemming from a police riot in that city. In addition, the mayoral candidate participated in a hearing in which Ohio workers and their families suffering the health effects from working in the nuclear weapons industry confronted government officials.

The socialist candidates have also responded to the layoffs and concession demands related to the bankruptcy of LTV Steel, which is a major employer in Cleveland. The socialists widely distributed a statement at entrances to the LTV mill, at special union meetings called to discuss the crisis, and door-to-door in Ward 18.

Central to the campaign has been the candidates' outspoken stance against Israel's drive towards war in the Middle East and in support of a democratic, secular Palestine. "Campaign supporters were invited to set up literature tables in front of several busy grocery stores owned by Arab people down the street from our headquarters, and we were able to engage in many discussions and sales of campaign literature, on questions of world politics, the Palestinian struggle, and the Jewish question," Braiman said. "We will continue campaigning against the brutal assaults on the Palestinian people and against U.S. imperialism, both on the job and in the neighborhood."  
 
 
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