County clerk hopefuls campaigning hard

~ The primary race for Cape Girardeau County presiding commissioner has been more low-key.

On a hot afternoon last week, Paul Sander went door to door in a Jackson neighborhood that didn't exist just a few years ago.

"Hi, I'm Paul Sander and I've had the part-time job as mayor of Jackson," he says as each door is opened. "Now I'm running for the full-time job as county clerk."

The visits to his hometown streets are the final push of a campaign that begain in February to become the Republican nominee for county clerk. And it's a sign that after 13 years as mayor and seven more years on the board of aldermen, Sander is leaving nothing to chance in his contest with political newcomer Kara Clark.

Clark, sales director at the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors bureau, is also running hard. Hours of door-to-door campaigning were followed last week by additional hours greeting voters during the Jackson Homecomers festival.

"I've seen so many people I haven't seen for years," Clark says in a lull between handshakes.

The winner will take the place of Rodney Miller, a Democrat retiring after 28 years in office. No Democrat has filed for the post.

The race is one of two contested Republican primaries for county office on the Aug. 8 ballot. The other pits incumbent Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones against former National Guard sergeant Thomas Farrow. The winner faces Vincent Farrow, Thomas Farrow's cousin, in November.

Sander and Clark, both county natives, are relying on their experience and high-profile supporters to persuade voters.

Clark's experience is in private industry. She left Cape Girardeau to work for Southwest Airlines for 11 years, finishing as director of airline operations in Baltimore.

Sander emphasizes his public experience. After 20 years in office, he says he has insight into employee issues, bidding and managing tax dollars.

He also takes credit for helping end competition between Jackson and Cape Girardeau.

The experiences of both fit the clerk's duties. While most residents deal with the clerk only at election time, the office also handles county insurance policies, payroll and benefit programs, bid purchases and record keeping.

Clark has the support of several current county officeholders, including Sheriff John Jordan, Collector Diane Diebold and Treasurer Roger Hudson. Sander has the support of Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson, former mayor Al Spradling III and former county auditor Weldon Macke.

Voters interviewed after meeting one or the other of the candidates say they liked what they saw.

Jim Taylor, retired for four years from Procter & Gamble, says he'll vote for Sander because "he has a good reputation as a mayor of Jackson and you have to take that into account."

Stacey Stirts, who was already supporting Clark and put up a yard sign, says meeting the candidate reinforced her decision. "I was very impressed by her," Stirts says. "I'm glad I saw her."

While the clerk's race is drawing the energy and money of Republican activists, the primary between Jones and Farrow has been much quieter.

Farrow works at Tower Rock and Stone in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., a second-shift job he took recently after retiring from the Missouri National Guard. Farrow was in the Guard for 36 years, including 29 years on full-time duty.

Farrow has no yard signs and plans only a limited advertising campaign out of his own pocket.

Dissatisfaction with county efforts on roads helped push Farrow into the race. "I'm running against Gerald Jones because we are not doing what is right for our community," he says.

Propositiong 1, the half-cent sales tax for county roads and law enforcement on the primary ballot, isn't the answer, Farrow says.

"If I was dissatisfied with what I have seen in my community for 12 years of Gerald Jones in charge, why would I vote for his tax today?" Farrow says. "I ain't voting for it. I am not convinced it is proper for our community."

Jones put up signs promoting his re-election last week. This will be his last race, he says. "I'm going to take my campaign signs and burn them so I am not tempted," he said.

In 12 years on the commission, Jones said, he's kept the county's finances in good order, participated in forging better relationships between governments in the county and helped promote industrial expansion.

Jones said he'd like voters to give him four more years to finish projects such as the East Main Street interchange on Interstate 55 and implementing Proposition 1 if voters give their approval.

"I really do like this job," he said. "It is a lot of fun, but of course there are some headaches."

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126