I am honored to be Whiteside County’s Democratic Nominee for the Office of Whiteside County Sheriff.
Our Sheriff’s Office and our County are facing serious issues. Serious issues require serious leadership. As this County’s next Sheriff, I will work, tirelessly, to tackle head-on the challenges that we face.
My campaign has several priorities.
- Our schools must be safe. Our children deserve nothing less. As Sheriff, I will develop a School Safety task force, comprised of teachers, administrators, Law Enforcement officers, and parents. We will work, together, to ensure that no child is ever unsafe while attending a school in our County.
- Our elderly must be safe. They, too, deserve nothing less. As Sheriff, I will use an Elder Abuse task force, focused on the special needs of the elderly, to protect them from exploitation and abuse.
- Our streets and businesses must be safe. Violence and drugs have for too long plagued us, with challenges that will only be met by thinking outside of the box. This means applying new ideas about ways to combat drug use. It means having absolutely no tolerance for acts of violence.
I will build upon the many great programs of Sheriff Wilhelmi. Though we were once political opponents, Sheriff Wilhelmi and I now work very closely together. Sheriff Wilhelmi is an example of everything that is right about public service. The very day after the election eight years ago, we set our political differences aside. We began working, together, for the benefit of our community.
I am thankful to have the nomination of the Democratic Party along with the endorsement of the Republican Sheriff. But I am even more grateful for the powerful statement that makes. Our Sheriff has placed a higher value on ability and experience, than he has on party politics. In this, he has provided a shining example of commitment to public service. I thank him for his leadership, and I commit myself to follow in his example.
That starts right now. The Republican Party has just endured a vigorous race between four candidates for the Republican nomination for Whiteside County Sheriff. I congratulate Kris Schmidt on earning the Republican nomination. I look forward to a positive, respectful, and vigorous discussion of our different plans for the future of the Sheriff’s Office.
Although Kris will now move on to face me in the General Election, three other Republican candidates, along with their friends, families, and supporters, are left disappointed. I wish to address them directly. Tim Fisher, Mike Lewis, and Clark Mortensen, each one of you, together with your friends, families, and supporters, have contributed greatly to the public discussion of what the future of our Sheriff’s Office should look like. I have listened carefully to your thoughtful plans. I intend to embrace your positive ideas as we move forward from here.
Those who supported you will be welcomed, with open arms, by my campaign. After all, public service must always come before party politics.
So let’s move on from here to the General Election together, united as one, in the important cause of making our County safe for all of its citizens.