Commission candidates taking different approaches

Since surviving the May 6 primary, the six remaining candidates for three seats on the Iredell County Board of Commissioners have kept a low profile.

But that doesn’t mean they aren’t focused on the November election.

“We typically, after the primary, just put everything in low gear until Labor Day,” said Ken Robertson, one of two Republican incumbents seeking another term. The third seat is open as a result of Sara Haire Tice’s pending retirement.

After the long presidential primary season, Robertson said he believes voters are a little tired of politics. Campaigning, he said, has taken a backseat to doing the job he was elected to do four years ago.

According to the financial reports filed with the Iredell County Board of Elections, Robertson, Republican candidate Scott Keadle and Democrat Chuck Gallyon were the only candidates who filed contribution and expense reports for the second quarter.

The reports indicated that these candidates haven’t been actively spending or fundraising since the primary.

“We bought signs and newspaper ads before the primary and that’s it,” Robertson said of his own campaign.

According to his campaign expense reports, Keadle spent more than $22,000 of his own money to buy signs, send out mailers and purchase radio and print advertisements.

“Scott has had many offers of financial support for his candidacy, and will begin fundraising in the near future,” said Kevin Lakey, Keadle’s campaign press secretary. “Scott is grateful for the confidence expressed by the voters in the primary election.“

While the other candidates haven’t filed a report, that doesn’t mean they’re not working and strategizing to bolster their support.

Keadle and Republican incumbent Godfrey Williams both said are taking advantage of the down time to reflect on the issues. Keadle was the only remaining commissioner candidate not currently serving on the board who attended any of the county’s public budget workshops.

Williams said he has a steering committee that is organizing his upcoming campaign efforts.

In the meantime, he has purchased location-specific campaign signs that he plans to use to attract more voters.

For the farmers, Williams has green and yellow John Deere-themed signs. In Mooresville, he is hoping to draw from the Blue Devils’ spirit.

“Other than that, I haven’t done a bit,” he said. “You never stop campaigning though.”

Aside from working at a couple festivals, Democratic candidate Barbara Orr’s campaign has been relatively quiet.

“We just get out and do what we got to do,” Orr said.

Orr’s supporters have played a key role in her campaign so far. The certified public accountant was busy with tax season or out of the country during much of the primary campaign.

Orr, who received more votes than any other candidate in the primary, said she knows she will have to run a more active campaign as the general election draws closer.

“I’m not hiring any staff,” she said. “I do have a couple of people who are working on my campaign and co-chairing it.”
Keadle isn’t the only candidate who is attending county meetings and picking up staff members.

Democratic hopeful Mark Vanek attended the County Parks and Recreation Master Plan public meeting Thursday.

“Our campaign has picked up an amazing amount of momentum, as we have added a new campaign manager, field director and media relations person,” Vanek said. “It’s important for me to stress to the citizens of Iredell County that I have a plan for a new way forward.”

Attempts to reach Gallyon were unsuccessful.

By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted on 07/20/08 at 08:53 AM
Iredell County •County Commission • (0) Comments

You must be logged in to post comments. Please Log in or register.