"NOT A DIME'S WORTH OF DIFFERENCE?"

DISCUSSION: THE REP'S CAMPBELL ENDORSEMENT IS ABOUT AS GOOD AS THE EDITORIAL BOARD CAN DO - BUT IT IS STILL LACKING?

For The Repository, the editorial endorsement writing doesn't get much better than what the writer did today in the newspaper's endorsement of Rick Campbell for the office of Stark County Recorder.

But it is deficient in several respects.

First and foremost, the editors fail to take full advantage of its "right-on" analysis of Campbell's cutting edge online accomplishment of citizen access to the recorder stored public records.

This is odd as The Rep folks say they are for more public access. When they have the attention of readers (and certainly all of Stark County's elected officials), they drop the ball.

If the editors were more global in their thinking processes, they would posit the Campbell accomplishment as a challenge to all other Stark County officeholders to, in the words of "the good book;" go and do likewise.

Second, is there anything to critique Rick Campbell on?

Of course.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) can think of one biggy right off the top of the head.

Campbell is a "card-carrying" member of the Stark County Democratic Party political machine put together by Chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr., Campbell's mother-in-law and former Stark County commissioner Gayle Jackson, and Randy Gonzalez (Jackson Township fiscal officer and a Phil Giavasis employee at the Canton Municipal Court Clerk of Courts office) among others which (the machine) uses to staff government offices with machine loyal employees.

To be fair, Republicans have done this themselves. Does anyone forget how Jane Vignos (retiring county commissioner) and Janet Creighton used the auditor's office (now it's Democrat Kim Perez's turn) to house loyalist Stark County Republicans who just happen to be first-in-line when it comes to staffing party political campaigns?

The point. If Campbell was all he could be, he would break this vicious cycle of political parties using the public payroll to warehouse "so-so" workers (not necessarily very best you can get - though one could get lucky), who become the vanguard of political campaigns.

The Report agrees with The Rep editors that Campbell stands out as a county official. But the question remains.

Doesn't a first-rate editorial board use the endorsement process to challenge endorseea to be even better and, what's more, - when performing at a high level - as a model for their peers?

DISCUSSION: HARMON (THE LION) VERSUS SECREST (THE LAMB): STARK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RACE?

As of mid-June, Tom Harmon comes as close as you can get (except for the unopposed candidates) as you can come to as a "unbeatable candidate" in the November 4th elections.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) tabs Harmon as the most powerful politician in Stark County politics.

He rivals, (and, in the opinion of The Report trumps - when he needs to) Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. as a power center in Stark County Democratic Party politics.

Harmon schmoozes with and has the ear of power brokers in both Stark County political parties. He has the ear of the "captains of industry" and business and has a solid relationship with organized labor. He dominated all his races for Canton City Municipal Court over his years in that office. For the foregoing reasons, The Report tabs him as the "lion" in this race.

His opponent, Travis Secrest, is indeed the "sacrificial lamb" offered up by Stark Republicans. Secrest will learn a lot in this campaign an could develop in to a formidable Republican standard bearer in future elections. But not in 2008.

Secrest's issues as articulated on his website bespeaks of a thoughtful candidate:








Harmon's vision for himself was spelled out in a Repository report (June 14, 2007) on his selection as a replacement for a resigned Stark County commissioner as being:











Undoubtedly, Secrest sees that Harmon has not made sufficient progress on public safety, economic development and government efficiencies, and, he may be right.

Unfortunately, Secrest's campaign will not be heard by Stark County voters. He will, in the end, be the sacrificial lamb of this campaign season barring catastrophic events overtaking the Harmon campaign.

Agree or disagree?