COLUMN: Rundown on key local political races

District Attorney

This is an odd race with three candidates, each with his (or her) own political strengths and weaknesses.

Donna Sikes has campaigned the hardest and aggressively attacked her two opponents for their having worked under former DA Tim Madison in the past. But her “guilt by association” tactic hasn’t gotten much traction. Neither opponent, Brad Smith or Rick Bridgeman, had anything to do with Madison’s mess. Sikes’ hammering them on the point backfired at one forum where she was asked about her own association with her controversial husband, a former mayor of Arcade who has faced his own legal issues. Sikes responded by saying she, not her husband, was running for the post; but having opened the door on the “association” question, Sikes can hardly run away from the issue in return. Still, Sikes has worked hard and raised money from a broad range of people from around the Piedmont Circuit. She may surprise some with just how many votes she gets.

Brad Smith has kept the lowest profile in the race and clearly doesn’t like the politics involved. But he is obviously the choice of many high-powered lawyers in the Piedmont Circuit and surrounding area. That could cut both ways, however. On the one hand, having support of a large part of the legal leadership could be viewed as the legal community’s confidence in Smith’s abilities. On the other hand, voters may see it as an insider’s bid where the legal community is seeking to pick its own DA. Smith’s base in the campaign appears to be Barrow County where he’s better known and where Bridgeman landed in controversy shortly after taking office last year. Smith has the lead in fund-raising for the race, always a plus in such large, three-county campaigns. That could make a difference in a runoff.

Rick Bridgeman is the incumbent in the race and that alone gives him 15-20 extra points. Incumbency is powerful, but Bridgeman has not leveraged that in fund-raising and trails both other candidates in dollars. Bridgeman’s base appears to be rather solid in Jackson and Banks counties, although Sikes may draw away some votes that would have otherwise gone to him. In Barrow County, Bridgeman was blasted by some last year when he fired several employees in the Barrow DA’s office after he was appointed to the position. Still, some Barrow County observers say he’s stronger there than expected and will do well in the balloting. As the incumbent, you’d expect Bridgeman to at least make a runoff where he’d face either Sikes or Smith in August. If that happens, Bridgeman’s lack of fund-raising may come back to haunt him.

Jackson BOC Chairman

Another three-man race that could land in a runoff.

Tony Beatty has perhaps the highest name recognition, but that isn’t a guarantee of success. He trails both other candidates in fund-raising, paying for most of his own campaign out-of-pocket. Unless he has very deep pockets, that is a disadvantage and could hamper him in a runoff. In addition, Beatty will have to shake off the stigma of having been on the BOC under the controversial “Fletcher Administration.” Although Beatty did go against the others on that board on some issues, just having been in the same room with such a controversial group raises doubts. Beatty’s biggest advantage is that he may become the alternative candidate if voters don’t like what they see in the other two. In addition, his deep roots in the county probably boost his votes 5-8 points just because of family and friends. His goal next week is to make a runoff, then pray for additional funding to finance an August showdown.

Hunter Bicknell is generally viewed as the frontrunner in the race, in part because of his tenure as chairman of the county water authority and the name recognition that creates. Bicknell is by far the leader in fund-raising, a resource that might serve him well in a runoff. On the other hand, Bicknell has gotten a lot of his funding from developers and real estate people, an issue which has dogged his campaign because of the public’s disdain for “developers.” In this election, however, that may not make as much difference since the housing crash has pulled development issues off the front burner. There’s not much development to worry about right now. Bicknell seems to have a grasp on the county’s inner workings and financial operations, but is rather cautious and moderate in his views. If voters are looking for a firebrand, Bicknell isn’t in that category.

Ron Johnson has perhaps worked the hardest of any of the candidates in this election. That’s due, in large part, because he’s new to the county and isn’t as well known as either of his opponents. Johnson trails Bicknell in fund-raising, but is ahead of Beatty. Of the three candidates, Johnson is the most “populist” sounding on the campaign trail. He’s targeted older citizens to cultivate a base of support, especially those upset about high property taxes. It’s a smart move since older voters tend to turn out more on election day than younger voters. Still, Johnson is viewed by some as a polarizing force and wonder how he would lead in a county where there’s already a lot of polarized political rhetoric. If Bicknell is the frontrunner, as many believe, then that leaves Beatty and Johnson running against each other to make a runoff. That could be close.

Sheriff

Challenger Jim Keinard appears to be on a futile quest to unseat incumbent Sheriff Stan Evans. Keinard’s main campaign theme has been to rip Evans over having not been tough enough in the Tim Madison mess. But in reality, Evans was one of the few local leaders who stood up and called for a state investigation into Madison; most other leaders ran for cover after the news articles broke. Evans didn’t run away and in fact, had long been a critic of Madison. Why Keinard believes otherwise isn’t clear. Evans will win this election.

Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.