| Jim Traficant (D) | 50% |  | | Paul Alberty (R) | 23% | | | Randy D. Walter (I) | 21% | |
Race Recap: The Dirty Dozen campaign against Democratic incumbent Jim Traficant elevated environmental issues in OhioÆs 17th District in an attempt to defeat Traficant in the primary. Earning a poor 17 percent environmental rating for his votes in the 106th Congress, Traficant had one of the six worst environmental voting records among Democrats in Congress. In this solidly Democratic district, LCVÆs involvement focused primarily on influencing the outcome of the four-way Democratic primary, trying to push votes toward LCV-endorsed State Senator Robert Hagan and away from Traficant. Although Traficant won the primary, LCVÆs television ad in the last week of the campaign successfully injected clean water concerns into this race, prompting Traficant to call himself an environmentalist and promise to clean up the Mahoning River. Traficant faced Republican Paul Alberty and Independent Randy D. Walter in the general election. Dirty Dozen Campaign Activities: Total budget: $52,000. LCV named Jim Traficant to the Dirty Dozen on March 1, 2000, during a news conference in Youngstown, Ohio. On the same day, LCV began airing a television ad on broadcast stations in Youngstown highlighting TraficantÆs votes to weaken clean water protections, despite the dire condition of eastern OhioÆs waterways, especially the Mahoning River. The ad concluded by encouraging voters to support Robert Hagan, an environmental leader who in 1998 earned a 100 percent environmental rating from the Ohio League of Conservation Voters. LCVÆs effectiveness was noticeable when, feeling the pressure from the ad, Traficant declared himself an environmentalist and announced that one of his goals in Congress would be to secure funding to clean up the Mahoning River. | 
