Sunday, June 13, 2010
Rosson Announces Bid As Write In Candidate
County Executive Paul Rosson announced Sunday that he has decided to seek reelection to the office he has held for the past four years through a write-in campaign.
Rosson had sought election as the Democrat candidate for County Executive during the May 4 Lawrence County Democrat Primary, however he was defeated by candidate J. Mack Chandler with a vote of 1,840 to 2,346.
Likewise, Lawrence County Trustee Cindy Benefield was defeated by opponent Kylie Weathers with a vote of 1,987 to 2,278. Shortly afterwards, Lawrence County Administrator of Elections June Davis received notification from the Tennessee Election Commission that the defeated incumbents would be allowed to mount a write-in campaign, should they wish.
Anyone wishing to do so, Davis said, must obtain a certificate of write-in through the election commission by the deadline of noon on Wednesday, June 16, 2010.
Rosson issued a press release regarding his decision. In it he said the following,
“I made the decision after being overwhelmed by requests from citizens to offer myself as a write-in candidate. I have been very humbled by the outpouring of requests about a write-in campaign. In the weeks since the primary election, it has become apparent that many of our citizens do not feel they have an adequate choice for County Executive in August. It has also become apparent that the county’s future is very much at stake.
“Therefore, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw my endorsement of the May primary winner. This is not something I take lightly, but based on many factors, I have reached a decision which I believe is in the best interest of our county
“I am proud to offer myself as a write-in candidate and look forward to talking with as many citizens as possible over the next eight weeks about ways that our county can continue on its path to success.
“There are many good things happening in Lawrence County and I feel that we are on the verge of becoming even better. The most important task facing our county at this time is finding more jobs for our citizens. We are currently working on several projects, including a European auto parts manufacturer who would bring several hundred jobs to Lawrence County. It is vital that the team which has been put in place over the last few years stay intact so that our county can succeed on the job recruitment front. Now is not the time to allow hard feelings, grudges and those with axes to grind to hamper our county from economic development in the next four years. We cannot afford to stand still or move backward over the next four years because the future of our county’s economy is at stake.
“The review period for the recent state mandated reappraisal process is in its final stages. I will support the certified tax rate, which will lower the property tax rate by approximately 30 cents, after that process is complete. Our county’s financial standing is solid, which is evidenced by the bond rating upgrade earlier this year. During the next four years, I hope to continue working to strengthen our county’s financial standing while aggressively paying off debt.
“During the primary campaign, there was misleading information put out by our opponents. Over the next eight weeks, I plan to address these issues with facts. If you would like to discuss any issues facing our county, please contact me at 629-4126.
“Because I am a write-in candidate, my name will not appear on the election ballot on August 5. To cast a write-in vote, you will need to push the button beside the “write-in” choice under the County Executive heading and then type “Paul Rosson” into the election machine. Once you are finished with your other election choices, press the Cast Vote button as always. Election workers will be able to provide assistance in understanding this process.
“In closing, I want to offer myself as the clear and positive choice for County Executive in this important election. I humbly ask for your prayers and support as I re-enter this campaign and ask for the write-in votes of you, your friends and family members.”
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