Published: February 03, 2010 01:44 pm      

Dems pick Shreve for sheriff

Longtime local businessman goes up against incumbent Brenner in November

By PAUL LORENZ

paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com

McLEANSBORO — A longtime local businessman in his first run for countywide public office outlasted two other candidates to win the Democratic nomination for Hamilton County sheriff Tuesday.

Kenny Shreve received 411 votes — about 42 percent of the Democratic votes cast in the primary — to earn the spot on the November ballot opposite incumbent Republican Sheriff Greg Brenner.

“My two opponents are both good gentlemen,” Shreve said after the final vote totals were announced Tuesday night at Hamilton County Court House. “Any one of us would make a good sheriff.”

In the only contested primary race for a county office, Shreve outpolled local law enforcement veteran David R. Campbell 411-344 for the Democratic nomination. Jody Benbrook, currently a member of the Cairo Police Department, received 235 votes.

Almost 32 percent of Hamilton County voters cast ballots in the primary. Of the ballots cast, almost 58 percent were Democratic, almost 42 percent Republican.

Brenner, the lone Republican candidate for sheriff, collected 644 votes. By comparison, the three Democratic candidates collected a total of 990 votes.

Five candidates — three Republicans and two Democrats — were on the primary ballot for Hamilton County Board; all five move on to the general election in November since neither party had more than three candidates in the primary.

Three County Board seats are up for election in November.

Willie D. Grubb, one of the Democratic challengers for County Board, was the top overall vote-getter in that race with 789 votes. He was followed by incumbent Republicans John R. Chapman, 511, and Donald E. Mitchell, 489; Republican challenger Joe Bernard, 388; and Democratic challenger Michael Mezo, 340.

Shreve, who ran a Ford car dealership here for 20 years, said he feels he can use that business experience in the operation of the sheriff’s department. He became involved in law enforcement about three years ago and it “piqued his interest,” he said.

In federal and statewide races, Hamilton County’s Democrats narrowly favored Alexi Giannoulias, 337-333, for U.S. senator, but heavily favored Dan Hynes over incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn, 644-351, for governor.

In the crowded field for governor on the Republican side, more than 63 percent of the county’s ballots went to Bill Brady, who made a personal appearance in McLeansboro during the campaign. For U.S. senator, the county’s Republicans favored Mark Steven Kirk over Don Lowery, 268-190.