By Robin Ford Wallace

In his concluding remarks at Tuesday night’s debate of candidates for Dade County sheriff, candidate Ray Cross thanked attendees for giving up their evening for what he termed “dull political debates.”

Actually, it was not all that dull.  Though the event, hosted by American Legion Post 106 and moderated by Post member Tom Black, was so governed as to create something that was more civil than it was debate – the five candidates were not pitted against each other but arranged in a panel and asked to answer the same question in turn, as in The Dating Game – the night definitely had its moments.

And it was Cross himself who provided the real show-stopper.  Answering the final question – “If elected, what would be your top priority as sheriff?” – Cross seemed to be promising to die in a bloody stand against the federal government, if he had to, as he defended Dade’s rights to bear arms.

 “I think the biggest goal I’ll have as sheriff will be to uphold the Constitution of the United States,” said Cross. “The Constitution contains words in order to protect you from foreign and domestic enemies, people outside and inside the county.”

“The sheriff is the only one that can stop the federal government from coming into this county,” he went on. “As sheriff, I’ll protect you if it’s the last thing I do.  The federal government will not come into this county and take your guns away or any other rights you have.” 

Candidate Nathan Baker said there wouldn’t be one top priority but several, among them young people. “It’s the youth,” he said. “It’s the future of tomorrow is our youth, making sure that we take care of them the way we need to in our schools.”

Candidate Tim McDonald said the top priority was to run a proactive sheriff’s department. Incumbent Sheriff Patrick Cannon, standing on his record of the past eight years, said, “The biggest priority is to continue as we’re doing.”

And candidate Philip Street, standing on his record of the 20 years he was Dade’s sheriff before Cannon edged him out in the 2004 primary, fell back on the job description:  “To preserve and protect the citizens of Dade County.”

Street is fairly safe from being edged out in the 2012 primary:  Cannon, who in 2004 ran as a Democrat, has since joined the South’s stampede rightward and now must compete against McDonald, Baker and Cross on July 31 for the Republican nomination.  Street, meanwhile, as the only Democrat in the race faces no competition until November.

Legion Commander Bill Lockhart supplied the Sentinel an attendance number for the debate of 144.  He did not say how that stacked up against the Post’s other attractions, such as weekend Bingo or the popular Thursday night “rasslin’,” but there was no argument that the house was packed.

The Legion will continue these debates for the next few Tuesdays, with all beginning at 6:30 p.m..  Next week will feature candidates for Dade County Probate Court Judge and Superior Court Clerk; June 12, school board candidates; June 19, candidates for all other county offices, opposed and unopposed; and June 26, candidates for state offices.

The Sentinel will run a more complete story on Tuesday night’s debate later.