Skip Alexander: a new name in the race for sheriff

Phil Redmond may have won the Republican nomination for Iredell County sheriff in the May 4 primary, but the election results couldn’t have possibly left the incumbent feeling overly confident.

After all, more voters in his own party voted against him than for him.

Mooresville resident Robert E. “Skip” Alexander plans to tap into that momentum, joining Redmond and Democratic challenger Bill Stamey on the Nov. 2 ballot as an unaffiliated candidate for Iredell sheriff. The Iredell County Board of Elections on Thursday verified “well above the 4,037 signatures of Iredell County voters required” for Alexander’s name to be included on the general-election ballot.

“Unfortunately, the May 4 primary found 87 percent of Iredell’s voters uninvolved,” states a press release issued by Alexander’s campaign late last week. But of the voters who turned out, “51 percent of Republican voters voted against Sheriff Redmond,” the release points out.

“Two days after the May primary,” it continues, “a Statesville Record & Landmark editorial acknowledged ‘…this election has highlighted several areas where a large number of people feel Redmond and his department could improve. What is perceived as poor inter-agency cooperation and unfair treatment of certain deputies…’

“These observations,” Alexander’s campaign states, “fit squarely with a January 4, 1995 front page R&L report, following Phil Redmond’s first election, that ‘…14 sheriff’s department employees were not resworn after the November election.’ A 14 year veteran deputy was given just three days notice of his termination.”

Alexander’s campaign contends that “such a history may explain why many current and former Sheriff’s Office employees hesitate to express their concerns publicly.”

What Alexander’s campaign didn’t mention in its release was Redmond’s more recent firings of four part-time/reserve deputies who supported a different candidate for sheriff in the May 4 primary. In addition to firing those employees and dropping their law-enforcement certifications, Redmond dropped the certifications of five other inactive officers. All nine had supported Republican challenger Mark Nicholson in the primary. (For more, visit http://thegattonreport.blogspot.com/2010/06/sheriff-on-collision-course-with.html)

Alexander, according to his campaign press release, “was encouraged to run for sheriff by citizens concerned about matters within the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office and its relationships with other first responder organizations.”

The press release states that Alexander “is continuing his one-to-one contacts with Iredell voters, and will do this as Sheriff, regularly interacting with residents, schools, and organizations throughout the county.” Alexander will also “focus credit for achievements upon all enforcement and corrections personnel, not upon his own re-election.”

Being an unaffiliated candidate, Alexander has had to work harder to join the sheriff’s race than the candidates who vied in the May 4 primary. He also was not able to participate in a candidates’ forum that preceded the primary, which means he’ll have to play catch up with Redmond and Stamey.

Like the other candidates in the primary, Alexander agrees that drugs are “the foremost crime problem in Iredell County - in our communities and in our schools.” He says “to best target illegal drugs and other crime problems, it is essential that all levels of law enforcement – municipal, county, state, and federal – have strong, cooperative relationships and joint efforts.” Alexander, according to his press release, also "supports the right of honest, law-abiding citizens to possess firearms for sport and self-protection."

Alexander says his focus and vision as sheriff would include:

• A visible sheriff, in uniform, a role model professionally and personally
• Aggressive, county-wide response to drugs, gangs, violent crime, DWIs
• Strengthening relationships with police, fire, medics, SBI, federal agencies
• Leadership by example and encouragement, not politics or intimidation

Alexander “believes that a law enforcement leader, acting with fairness, openness, and honesty, serves best by equipping, advocating for, and encouraging all of his personnel.” His hope “is that Iredell will be a great place to live and work, and that the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office will be a great place to serve and grow as a law enforcement or corrections professional.”

Alexander – whose father served 39 years with the N.C. State Highway Patrol – served almost 24 years as an FBI Special Agent in four states and at FBI headquarters as an investigator, negotiator, legal advisor, and supervisor. At age 54, he completed Basic Law Enforcement Training. He has served alongside corrections personnel while teaching Bible studies at Mecklenburg’s Jail Central, and he has also served as a reserve deputy in the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office. As a youth, Alexander served as a Red Cross instructor and Civil Air Patrol Cadet. His passion for volunteering has followed him into adulthood, serving his church, nonprofit boards, EMT squad, Peace Officers for Christ, and Boy Scouts.

He and his wife, Amanda, have twin sons, David and Matt, 22, and have served as foster parents to 19 children. For more information on Alexander, visit www.Alexander4Sheriff.com.

So what are your thoughts on Alexander joining the race for sheriff? Even before he officially joined, people were already abuzz about what impact a third candidate would have on the race. Many people have expressed doubt that an unaffiliated candidate stands a chance at all. Some believe that Alexander may simply take votes away from Stamey, who already faces an uphill climb since he is a Democratic challenger in an overwhelmingly conservative county. Still others believe Alexander’s involvement is the perfect example of what the democratic process is all about – and the additional competition will force a healthier race and give options to voters.

Another observation: Mooresville’s voter turnout in the May 4 primary was nothing short of shameful. What impact, if any, will Alexander’s candidacy have on southern Iredell County voters since he is a Mooresville resident?