The municipal primary election will be held Tuesday, May 16.
Each of the GOP candidates for Lebanon County Commissioner have said at one time or another that they wanted this campaign to be a positive one, but with one week to go until the municipal primary election, rhetoric in the race has ramped up.
Read More: Rhetoric heats up in GOP commissioner primary as party & PAC ads draw scrutiny
LebTown asked each candidate how the overall campaign and their personal efforts have helped realize that goal so far. Read their responses below.
Bill Bering
Do you feel that the overall campaign by all Republican candidates seeking the commissioner office has, to date, been generally a positive one? Please explain why or why not.
Our campaign has been and will continue to be positive and is focused on promoting our vision for a better and more prosperous Lebanon County now and in the future.
What actions have you and/or your individual campaign committee taken to make the overall campaign in general a positive one?
Our message to the voters is a positive one, discussing my experience and focusing on a vision for Lebanon County that makes our community an even greater place to live, work, and raise a family. I will never and have never personally attacked my opponents, nor would I ever.
With the election one week away, what is your hope for the final stretch regarding the tone of the overall campaign, as well as what comes after May 16?
Elections are choices, and I will continue to convey my passion and vision for promoting the Phillips-Bering plans for fiscal responsibility, safe and secure elections, a business-friendly agenda, and preserving our great farmland.
Mike Kuhn
Do you feel that the overall campaign by all Republican candidates seeking the commissioner office has, to date, been generally a positive one? Please explain why or why not.
The in-person exchanges have been professional, but some within our party have resorted to negative mail pieces using Photoshop tricks and deceptive storylines to paint an untrue story. When Republicans use Republican dollars to attack fellow officeholders, we’re hurting each other and the party.
What actions have you and/or your individual campaign committee taken to make the overall campaign in general a positive one?
Our campaign will not spend a single dollar attacking opponents personally or even taking issue with their public record, or defend anyone who uses negative tactics on our behalf. We’ll continue to run a clean, transparent campaign that gives voters a reason to vote for me—not against fellow Republicans.
With the election one week away, what is your hope for the final stretch regarding the tone of the overall campaign, as well as what comes after May 16?
We’re staying the course—talking about the kind of professional experience to make government leaner, less expensive, and more efficient. We’ll do our best to point out inaccuracies or distortions, but we’re not going to spend a minute denigrating any other candidate with whom I’ll have to work.
Bob Phillips
Do you feel that the overall campaign by all Republican candidates seeking the commissioner office has, to date, been generally a positive one? Please explain why or why not.
Yes, generally positive.
What actions have you and/or your individual campaign committee taken to make the overall campaign in general a positive one?
To focus on qualifications, record, and reasons for running for County Commissioner.
With the election one week away, what is your hope for the final stretch regarding the tone of the overall campaign, as well as what comes after May 16?
After May 16, I look forward to running in the fall with Bill Bering.
Sharon Zook
Do you feel that the overall campaign by all Republican candidates seeking the commissioner office has, to date, been generally a positive one? Please explain why or why not.
My campaign demonstrates positive campaigning – professional ethics, compliance with policies and procedures, and promoting the qualifications I bring to the office. The party backed campaign was overall negative – disseminating false & misleading information multiple times, hiding in bushes, mailing non-professional flyers, and engaging in various actions without proper authorization… all of which would disqualify applicants from consideration for any administrative or executive level private sector job.
What actions have you and/or your individual campaign committee taken to make the overall campaign in general a positive one?
I bring my professional leadership from business and community organizations to the campaign trail…it’s who I am. I engage with others who hold to similar standards… all of which yield positive results while campaigning and beyond.
With the election one week away, what is your hope for the final stretch regarding the tone of the overall campaign, as well as what comes after May 16?
My hope is that the people will choose new leadership on May 16 that demonstrates integrity, transparency, and a commitment to excellence, which I demonstrated throughout this campaign…otherwise there will be more drama, bad marketing, and hostile competitive behavior.
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