DISCUSSION: HAS LARRY DORDEA MADE AN ERROR IN CAMPAIGN JUDGMENT?

Larry Dordea, candidate for Stark County sheriff is a novice at running for political office.

One of the temptations for political neophytes is to latch on to seasoned politicians; especially when you know that early in the campaign you know your political party (the Republicans, in this case) have a poll showing you behind the sitting sheriff 75% to 25%.

As troubling as those number may have been, they were early numbers and have more to do with name recognition than anything else.

Now that Dordea has been running a vigorous campaign for a number of months, the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has to believe that the numbers have narrowed significantly.

By associating with John Hagan, Dordea may be stunting his ability to get closer to his opponent Swanson.

The Report did a piece some time ago suggesting that Hagan and his Democratic opponent Pete Ferguson may be the laziest candidates running for countywide office in the November election. The Report did not invent this notion, it came from an elected countywide official and has been confirmed in an offhand way by a high Stark County Republican Party insider.

Another thing that may hurt Dordea in connecting with Hagan in his effort to attract independents and disaffected Democrats (disaffected with Swanson), is that Hagan is widely known by political insiders to be a Republican Party hack.

The Report realizes that both Dordea and Hagan are Alliance area politicians. But why would Dordea allow geographical affinity to hurt his chances to become county sheriff?

The Report can readily see why Hagan likes the Alliance alliance. It gives him more credibility than he can garner on his own. Dordea does have significant independent voter support and even some Democrats going his way. Hagan does not. Hagan has never had to run in an area dominated by Democrats and Democrat leaning independents. He has only run in the Republican gerrymandered 50th House district.

Question: Is this Dordea's political naiveness coming to the fore? Will being an inexperienced politician be the difference between him and Swanson?