DORDEA ANNOUNCES HE IS RUNNING FOR STARK CO. SHERIFF. THOUGH HE FACES A GOP PRIMARY CONTEST, SCPR PREDICTS A DORDEA McDONALD FACE-OFF IN NOVEMBER, 2012 IF McDONALD'S HEALTH PERMITS

Though the Stark County Board of Elections website does not indicate that Larry Dordea has pulled petitions preparatory to running for Stark County sheriff, Dordea told the SCPR yesterday that he is in fact circulating petitions and that he will be running in the March 6, 2012 primary.

In 2008, when Dordea ran he was the lone candidate.

But this time around it appears at the very minimum he will be facing retired (as of January 5, 2011) sheriff's department Captain Gary J. Shankle who headed up the patrol division and the investigations unit.  Currently he is a ranger with the Stark County Parks.

To the SCPR, Shankle is the only threat to Dordea's having a second crack at whomever the Democrats put up.

If his health allows, that person will be Chief Deputy Mike McDonald (the jail division).  It is likely that Arnold, Smith and Zink have pulled petitions on news of McDonald's health problems and in pulling petitions for one of two eventualities:

• McDonald decides to withdrawal his filing prior to the filing deadline of December 7th and they would then be ready to go, or
• McDonald keeps his filing in place but later on (within the time the Stark County Party Democratic can replace a candidate) decides that his health will not allow him to continue and consequently Arnold, Smith and Zink can then say that they should be prime considerations to replace McDonald if it comes to such

McDonald is undergoing treatment for cancer and appears optimistic that he will be in condition to run.

There is no doubt with the SCPR that McDonald, if he actually runs, will win a Democratic primary hands down.

On the Republican side, while neither man will criticize the other when The Report spoke with both; it is apparent to yours truly that there is at least a chill between the two.

Dordea is clear that Shankle did not support him as the Republican nominee in 2008.  Shankle refuses to say to The Report whether or not he supported Dordea saying that he does not reveal to anyone how he voted.

Shankle said that he had been thinking about running for several months prior to pulling petitions and that he has been urged by a number of deputies currently on staff at the sheriff's department to run.

The SCPR does not see former Canal Fulton Mayor John Grogan (an lieutenant with the Summit County sheriff's department) and Beach City Police Chief Jim Wood as being factors in the Republican primary should they carry through in filing their petitions.

Dordea says he welcomes all comers in the Republican side of the race but is confident that he will be facing Mike McDonald come November, 2012.