by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
With the primary just a few days away, it’s likely most people going to the polls Tuesday are showing up because of one major race — the mayoral election — while forgetting that another big office is on the ballot.
Though the candidates running for sheriff — John Rutherford, David Anderson and Lem Sharp — may have had the benefit of avoiding any true mudslinging, it may have also played a major role in media apathy and a perceived lack of coverage.
“I’m not really surprised,” said Anderson. “I understand that the mayor’s race is a big deal and that it’s unique to have seven strong candidates. Plus, there’s the war.”
Sharp, who has been after the office for over 24 years, said he’s disappointed with the way it’s been handled by television, radio and print outlets.
“It’s wrong,” said Sharp. “I believe the sheriff to be the most important elected official in any city. If you can’t provide adequate law enforcement and a sense of safety to the community, then you have nothing.”
Rutherford, the consistent leader in the polls, said without media publicity “it’s been more difficult to get the message out.”
“One of our main goals has been to build a consensus from the very beginning,” said Rutherford, who has received endorsements from everyone from Mayor John Delaney to the Fraternal Order of Police and several past presidents of the Jacksonville Bar Association. “I believe we’ve done that through grassroots campaigning, but it was more difficult without very much coverage. Luckily, I’ve been very active in the community for a long time with a lot of different groups and that’s allowed the people to get to know who John Rutherford is.”
While Rutherford didn’t speculate why the race has, for the most part, remained under the public radar, Sharp offered one explanation.
“The only thing that I can think of,” he said, “is that they believe that it is a cut and dried election for [Rutherford]. That’s not fair to David Anderson or myself. I don’t have the kind of money that he has to pay for radio and television ads, but if I did I’d compete toe to toe. Jacksonville is my life and this job means very much to me. Rutherford has an advantage.”
Anderson agreed.
“Without that financial backing, I’ve had to plug away much harder,” he said. “But everyone running for office has been very friendly and they have given plenty of advice.”
And as far as the lack of candidate snipping is concerned, Rutherford, Sharp and Anderson agreed that it is a fortunate and welcome change to what many have come to expect.
“When you run for office, you really do put yourself out there and I understand that,” said Rutherford. “But all I can say is that there isn’t anything in my past that I believe would jeopardize my chances in this election. My opponents for the office are good men, too. There has been no need to get nasty. That’s not me at all.”
“Maybe someone could have said that I’ve run for this office several times before and done something with that,” said Sharp. “But that’s not a crime. I’m dedicated to winning and just want the opportunity to show the people what I can do. If someone can’t understand that, then they have the problem.”
Anderson said he made it very clear from the beginning that he wasn’t going to stray from the issues of the campaign.
“I talked to the other gentlemen and said that I wasn’t going to do that,” he said. “I set the tone that my campaign was going to be based on integrity and they did the same. I know them and I respect them. I believe that I’d make a better sheriff, but I’m sure they feel the same way as me.”
But would the voters have rather watched a more sensational race?
“I don’t think so,” said Rutherford. “I really believe the people are more interested in what our visions are and where we want to take the agency. That’s the most important thing.”