Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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John Daley ReportingAaron Kennard, (R) Salt Lake Co. Sheriff: "The sheriff at the time did not hold a candle to me at that time 16 years ago, and my opponent now has none of that."
Jim Winder, (D) Candidate for Sheriff: "When Hayward ran, Kennard was in the exact same spot I am. I am now saying it is time for a change."
Qualifications, education, experience -- those issues all come into play, along with golf, in a Sheriff's race that has echoes of a campaign contest from the past. A little more than a week before Election Day and the candidates for Salt Lake County Sheriff are trading jabs over endorsements, experience and time at golf.
John Daley first reported the concerns over the Sheriff's time on the links -- now, an update as the race heads for the finish line.
It's pretty hard to miss this race if you're driving down the freeway or tuned into the radio. Just like this same race 16 years ago, the competing campaign themes are crystal clear.
In the race for County Sheriff there's definitely a sense of deja vu. Aaron Kennard is a 16-year incumbent running on his experience. His Democratic challenger, Jim Winder, a county deputy, argues it's time for a change in echoes of Kennard's argument back in 1990 when he shocked veteran Sheriff Pete Hayward.
Aaron Kennard, (R) Salt Lake Co. Sheriff: "You cannot hold my opponent to any standard of qualifications, education, experience or training. He has none of that."
Jim Winder, (D) Candidate for Sheriff: "There needs to be rejuvenation. There needs to be new ideas."
Those themes are clear in their ads.
Kennard for Sheriff Ad: "Qualified in the dictionary should use a picture of Sheriff Aaron Kennard. He has done so many things right for Salt Lake County."
Winder for Sheriff Ad: "When President Bush came to town and Salt Lake saw one of the largest protests in its history, what was our county sheriff doing? Whack! Hey, nice shot!"
The twist for 2006 is the question of golf, after the Sheriff's scores posted on a website showed more than a dozen golf games for the Sheriff this summer played during normal work hours. The Sheriff says when he's there he often meets with other police chiefs and lawmakers.
Aaron Kennard, (R) Salt Lake Co. Sheriff: "I can tell you if I'm going to do business with and trust an individual in four hours on a golf course, wherein you will never know what kind of individual an individual would be in a week or two of dealing with them."
Jim Winder, (D) Candidate for Sheriff: "He's a cop and his job is to run the Salt Lake County sheriff's office; and to suggest that he can run his office from the golf course, let's see what the public says about that."
In that race 16 years ago Kennard was down 15 points in a poll just before Election Day and beat Pete Hayward 51 to 49 percent. In the latest poll, taken a month ago, Kennard had a 62 to 32 lead over Winder. Election Day is a week from tomorrow.
