Willie Nelson performs to support Dennis Kucinich

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Country music star Willie Nelson came to Lorain, Ohio on Sunday to perform at a sold-out benefit in support of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH).

Due to redistricting in the state, the veteran congressman has been thrown into a primary battle against Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH).

“Dennis and I go a long way back,” Nelson explained at a press conference before the event. “He ran for president a few times and I backed him every time. Whatever Dennis wants to do, I’m here to help.”

Last week, Kaptur’s campaigned dismissed the concert as a stunt.

“Kucinich brings singers to Northeast Ohio, but Marcy Kaptur brings jobs to Northeast Ohio,” her campaign said in statement.

“We have about 21 stage hands who are working this [event] who are union workers,” Kucinich told reporters in response. “The [Lorain] Palace Theater here has created a lot of jobs, right? … There’s 40 jobs here as a result of this concert.”

For his part, Nelson recommended that Kucinich could bolster his poll numbers by following President Barack Obama’s lead and doing some singing of his own.

“The president was singing,” Nelson explained. “He had Al Green in the house and broke into an Al Green song and all of the women started swooning. So whoever this lady is that says you bring singers, maybe have you thought about a duet?”

Watch this video from The Morning Journal, broadcast Jan. 30, 2012.