Pepper goes on the offensive

Even before all of the votes were counted from Tuesday night's election, David Pepper's campaign issued a release attacking his opponent's "failed leadership."

Pepper spent much of Tuesday night drinking diet Cokes at Arnold's Bar, refusing to go to the Board of Elections before he was extremely confident that he had defeated Stephanie Dumas, his opponent in the primary to become the Democratic nominee for Hamilton County Commission. He crushed Dumas, 21,283-9,333, or 70 percent to 30 percent.

The Enquirer spoke to Pepper in the entrance of the Board of Elections at about 11:10 p.m. Tuesday. One hundred percent of the votes weren't tallied until about 1:45 a.m. this morning.

Pepper's first official release as the Democratic nominee to take on incumbent Republican Commissioner Phil Heimlich was e-mailed at 12:29 a.m. from Pepper campaign worker Anne Sesler.

The release noted the three main topics Pepper has raised -- and will continue to raise -- in attacking Heimlich.

Here is Pepper's release.

For Immediate Release For More Information May 2, 2006 Jeff Cramerding, 621-1150 or 703-5127 or Anne Sesler, 608-2498
DAVID PEPPER ADVANCES IN THE RACE FOR HAMILTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER Next Stop: Ending the Failed Leadership of Phil Heimlich

David Pepper will now have the opportunity to face off with an incumbent Hamilton County commissioner after an impressive win in the Democratic Primary Election.

According to unofficial election results, Pepper prevailed over fellow democrat and former Forest Park Mayor Stephanie Dumas by a 70% to 30% vote.

"On issue after issue, after witnessing failure after failure, the voters are crying out for a change of direction in the County," Pepper said. "This November, we will provide that change and start a new direction for Hamilton County."

Pepper congratulated his primary opponent, Stephanie Dumas, for waging a "serious and thoughtful campaign. She has and will continue to be a wonderful public servant."

Pepper's win means he will take on Commissioner Phil Heimlich in November. As the President of the County Commission, Heimlich has presided over a series of public debacles, including Jail

Overcrowding, the Banks Project, and Drake Hospital. Under Heimlich's watch:

• over 8,000 prisoners have been released early from prison due to his failure to add permanent jailspace; police officials attribute much of the recent wave of violent crime to this unresolved crisis;

• the Banks Project remains a mud pit even though millions have been spent on lawyer's fees, and despite being the County's fixation for the past year. Amid this all-consuming focus on the river, other "quality of life" priorities across the entire County seem to have been forgotten.

• and Heimlich's much heralded "deal" over Drake Hospital collapsed when it was revealed that the county and the proposed buyer were tens of millions of dollars apart.

With such results, citizens continue to move out of the County at about 8,000 people per year, one of the highest rates in the country. And from the jail to the Banks, millions of dollars are being wasted due to Heimlich's failed initiatives and mismanagement.

"On project after project, Phil Heimlich has declared mission accomplished when in reality nothing's been accomplished but delay and waste," Pepper said. "In order to reverse the downward spiral in Hamilton County, we need to replace this failed leadership with new, optimistic and competent leadership. Leadership that solves the challenges we face efficiently and competently, and builds a long-term vision of a growing, prosperous region," Pepper said.

In his bid to unseat Heimlich, Pepper has already been endorsed by an impressive slate of bipartisan elected officials, including: County Commissioner Todd Portune, former County Commissioner (Republican) John Dowlin, Mayor Mark Mallory, and Democrat and Republican elected officials from Cincinnati and across the County.