Dear Editor,

Republicans will be showing strength in this year’s May primary and November general elections due to near parity in voter registrations. This is a transformation election and it is important that they choose strong candidates who can come out of the primary election and defeat the historically incumbent Democratic candidate in the general election. This election is about changing the local county government from the “good old boy network” to one that serves citizens with impartial trust, integrity and efficiency. The most important race to watch is for Boyle County judge-executive.

The choice for Republicans in this primary is between two well-established local candidates. They both have strong moral values and have demonstrated service to the community. However, one candidate has signifiant work-related experience/qualifications and the other candidate does not. We all should be alarmed when we hear someone say, “I am voting for them because they are my friend.” I strongly encourage the voters of Boyle County to make their choice of representation based on the work, experience, knowledge and suitability of candidates, as opposed to their familiarity based simply on “friendship.” We make daily choices for the people who provide us all kinds of important services. We wisely do not make those decisions simply based on friendship for the most critical services.

Boyle County has a history of significant financial issues, transparency and questions of adequate service to its citizens. This has been documented by state auditors and other sources. Do we really want our next judge-executive to be audited by their spouse? This is what the Democrats have practiced in our state for almost 100 years. As Republicans, we know better and we should do better. Elections have consequences. It is a choice!

The person who is elected in November will step into an office that will require an individual who is prepared to start providing solutions and not the “talk” we have been getting out of the courthouse for the last eight years. The one candidate who stands out is BG Howard Hunt (Ret.). I know BG Hunt through our shared experiences as members of the uniformed military service. I know what it took for him to achieve the rank of BG. He has the experience, knowledge and tools to reform our local county government. He is my confident choice in this critical election.

Bernie Hunstad

Danville