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BY BILL DOLAN
bdolan@nwitimes.com
219.662.5328 | Sunday, February 19, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
The 2006 primary season features more collision than a demolition derby on ice.
Fall elections are usually dull affairs in Lake County because the GOP has been unable to field effectual countywide candidates for decades.
That has given rise to the saying the "real" election is the spring primary when rival factions of the Democratic party maneuver to smash their opponents before their own wheels fall off.
The main event features eight men running for sheriff. Two of them are driving campaigns built like armored Humvees.
Incumbent Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez, an East Chicago attorney and former state police trooper, has staked out a position as an anti-politician. He says he's brought about greater cooperation among the county's law enforcement agencies to fight crime more efficiently during his first three years in office.
He claims to have cleansed the office of political hirings and promotions. Dominguez has made a point of not holding political fundraisers or giving out coveted deputy sheriff commissions as political favors.
His chief rival is John Buncich, who served as sheriff from 1994 to 2002 and retained the loyalty of many county police officers. Buncich is being endorsed by a number of community leaders and political figures who have respect for the job he did.
Other candidates include Richard Ligon, a former U.S. postal inspector; John Costello, Ralph Garcia Jr., Ruben Hinojosa, a former Hammond police officer, Roy DelRio, who has run unsuccessfully for other county offices, and Anthony Dominguez.
Sheriff Dominguez claims Anthony Dominguez is a same-name candidate planted to confuse voters. Anthony Dominguez denies this.
Another grudge match involves County Assessor Paul Karras, running for his third four-year term to run the office responsible for setting property values for taxing purposes, and his challenger, Douglas Hensley, a deputy assessor for St. John Township.
The two men first competed against each other in the 1994 Democratic primary for assessor. Karras won, Hensley came in fourth.
Hensley also was a chief deputy under Peter Benjamin, a former county assessor and auditor. Both Benjamin and Hensley feuded with Karras over tax policy. Benjamin served prison time after pleading guilty to federal racketeering charges under a deal in which he was to help uncover public corruption among other county officials.
Karras blames Benjamin and Hensley for instigating a lengthy federal investigation of allegations of illegal tax breaks to county businessmen. Karras said the allegations were baseless and the investigation went nowhere.
County Treasurer John Petalas was sworn into office less than four months ago and will have to hold it against several challengers: Andrew Sylwestrowicz, Kim Jaroszewski and Louis "Luis" Vasquez, Stella Graziano and Joseph "Joe" Garcia Jr.
Petalas was Merrillville clerk-treasurer until his election to county office last fall. Andrew Sylwestrowicz is a former Merrillville town councilman.
There are five contested races for the County Council.
The 6th District seat being vacated by Donald Potrebic is being fought over by several candidates including Ted Bilski, business agent/certified trainer for Teamsters Local 142; Robert Malizzo, a former Hobart mayor and county police officer; and Rick Zormier, a member of the 1987 Hobart High state champion football team and police officer for Hobart.
Others seeking the post are Donald Kopach, Harry Pedroza, Thomas "Tom" Campbell and Steven D. Armenta.
Ernest "Ernie" Dillon, the county Veterans Affairs office director and a former Hammond city councilman is running against Louis Karubas, a three-term Hammond city councilman, for the 1st District seat.
Incumbent Elsie Brown Franklin hopes to hold her 2nd District seat against Cozey E. Weatherspoon. The race resembles a political mutiny. Weatherspoon is a Democratic precinct captain in Gary and Franklin is Gary Democratic city chairman and theoretically Weatherspoon's superior.
Incumbent Thomas O'Donnell is being challenged in the 4th District by David V. Kusiak, who operates a construction company and ran unsuccessfully for the Munster Town Council three years ago.
Christine Cid, who holds the 5th District seat, will face voters for the first time.
She is being challenged by Joel Rodriquez, of East Chicago, who ran unsuccessfully for North Township Board; Robert Farkas; Christine Espinosa; Mike Rodriguez; and Verlie Harris.
Chesterton attorney Larry Chubb will challenge state Sen. Karen Tallian, a Portage lawyer sworn in as the new state senator from District 4 in December. She replaces former senator Rose Ann Antich-Carr. The district encompasses parts of Porter and Lake counties.
Republican Crystal Hall will challenge state Sen. Sue Landske in District 6.
Hammond Democrat Ron Tabaczynski is departing the County Council to challenge for the House District 1 seat held by Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond.
State Rep. Earl Harris will have a rematch in the spring with Drake Morris, a former East Chicago high school basketball star. Harris is seeking his 13th term in the House District 2 seat.
Republicans Eric Hammond and T.J. Wigmore will face off in the primary to oppose state Rep. Robert Kuzman, D-Crown Point, who is unopposed for his party's nomination in District 19. Kuzman has served 10 years in the Legislature
Hammond lawyer Eduardo Fontanez and Merrillville defense lawyer and Public Defender Stanley Jablonski are challenging Lake Superior Judge Jesse Villalpando, of the County Division, who is facing the voters for the first time since his appointment to the bench in 2000.
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