Sheriff Candidate Hoverman Goes Off Deep End

It appears that Allen County Sheriff candidate Steve Hoverman has turned down a debate with his opponent Sam Crish several local  clubs. The reason being given is that Steve doesn’t needed to attend the debate because “he doesn’t have an opponent.”

He has made an issue of Sam Crish’s residency. An issue that is not an issue in the Board of Elections and an issue which never received a complaint. The campaign in this independent race by two replublicans has really called into question the idea that most Republicans in this county will run a clean campaign. Crish has run a clean campaign based on his positions. Crish’s opponent seems to have fallen off the sanity zone and appears to have completely lost it. It’s a major disappointment to see this happen.

This is politics at it’s ugliest and lowest we have seen in the area for awhile. So while we don’t often take sides in a local race between two fellow Republicans this leaves us no choice. We endorse Sam Crish wholeheartely because he is running his campaign like the office should be run.

Just when you thought Hoverman was doing this based on some “principle” then you find this flip flop ready comment at the very end of the article. “I’m pretty much set at this point,” Hoverman said. “I’m not saying it’s not an option down the road. It depends what happens between now and then.” Wow… and this guy wants to lead the Sheriff’s Department. Sad but true, Hoverman has lost touch with reality on this one. Unfortunately it appears that this is the only issue he can run a campaign on. Probably doesn’t see a drug/gang problem in Allen County either.

LIMA - Sheriff candidate Steve Hoverman has decided to withdraw from debates hosted by two community organizations, he said Wednesday.

Hoverman had been invited by the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce and the Lima Exchange Club to participate in joint appearances with his opponent Sam Crish.

“Actually it is. There’s a reason for it,” Hoverman said. “My opponent’s not qualified to stand there and debate with me because he doesn’t live in the county. So, therefore I don’t want to be a part of it. I want to stand for the law and stand for what’s right. The biggest reason why is because it adds credence to his credentials and qualifications, which he doesn’t have.”

Jack Somerville, president of the Exchange Club, said his club has held debates for years.

“Then I get a letter from Hoverman saying that he’s not going to speak because of Sam Crish’s credentials,” Somerville said. “This is rather disappointing to me because everything was set up  and  the publicity was out. We were disappointed because we had special guests invited,” said Somerville.