Surry Sheriff’s race
Published 8:11 pm Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Editor, Smithfield Times
From highly questionable resumes to military uniform wearing to holdovers from past lackluster administrations, this year’s Surry County sheriff’s election has produced a comedic Washington style campaign race. The irrelevant current county records some of these candidates have is illustrated in their campaign literature.
Family trees and decade old career catalogues highlight their political jargon. One candidate proudly poses in a US Navy uniform on his campaign sign, which is clearly in violation of US Navy Retired Uniform Regulation Chapter 6 Section 10 Article 61002. That regulation prohibits the wearing or using the US Navy uniform for any type of political gain.
Then there’s the issue of another candidate’s questionable involvement in a motorcyclist death while on duty as a patrol officer.
Clearly everyone who is qualified has the “right” to run for office, but that does not qualify them as the “right” person for office. Hopefully voters will seriously look at what’s behind the sign and under the hat of these candidates. My initial support of Carlos Turner during his press release remains solidified for the office of Surry County Sheriff. I look forward to his advertised Meet the Candidate event on Aug. 21. His campaign platform is exactly what Surry County needs.
I encourage voters to support the candidate who isn’t inundating us with family trees and playing on our love for our military to get a vote. Let’s do right by Surry this election year; let’s support and vote Carlos Turner as the next Sheriff of Surry County.
Raynard Shears
Elberon