In the end it wasn’t even close.
Incumbent Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds won the 2010 Summit County Republican Party nominating convention – defeating South Summit resident Kris Hendricksen in the sheriff race. Edmunds received more than 68 percent of the delegate votes at Wednesday’s convention.
Edmunds needed 60 percent of the 93 votes to defeat Hendricksen at the convention, become the Republican nominee for sheriff and avoid an intra-party primary election this summer.
“It’s always humbling when the delegates make you the nominee for the party,” Edmunds said. Delegates voted for Edmunds 64-29. Edmunds is now slated to take on Francis Democrat Dax Shane in the general election Nov. 2.
“We’re going to look forward to a vigorous general election,” Edmunds said in an interview after the convention. “My campaign mantra is: Continued Forward Progression. And we’re going to continue to talk about that.”
Republican Summit County Attorney David Brickey, who is unopposed this year in his bid for a third term, endorsed Edmunds Wednesday night.
“I think the delegates made the right choice,” Brickey said. “[Edmunds] will be the sheriff come November.”
Hendricksen is a former Sheriff’s Office deputy who resigned from the department about 18 months ago.
“The people spoke. This is part of the political process,” Hendricksen said in an interview after the convention. “[Edmunds] has played the game before. He knows what he’s doing.”
Hendricksen Wednesday night did not endorse Edmunds or Shane in the general election.
“I think it is going to be a very close race,” Hendricksen said. “[Shane] has got some very good ideas. He is young and aggressive.”
When reached Thursday morning Shane said the convention results did not disappoint him.
“I spoke with Edmunds last night and congratulated him. I am going to let him regroup because it has kind of been tough on him as well as Hendricksen over the last couple weeks. I’m not looking to stir things up with him at this point,” Shane said. “We have until November. We have a long time.”