Oglesby, Mathias Hold Lead In Worcester County

SNOW HILL — Republican candidate for State’s Attorney, Beau Oglesby still holds the lead over democratic incumbent Joel Todd, after provisional ballot were counted in Worcester County today.

Although, Oglesby received 75 votes to Todd’s 86, he still maintains the lead with 10,505 votes, while Todd holds 10,409; a margin of 96.

In the State Senate race, Jim Mathias gained 97 votes and Michael James gained 67; leaving Mathias in the lead by a margin of 494 votes.

Two additional absentee counts have yet to take place to count an additional 171 ballots. The first will be held on Friday, followed by the final count on Nov. 22.

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Press Conference Held Concerning Mailed Election Flyers

Worcester County Times
By Jennifer Shutt

BERLIN — Worcester Republicans say they’re upset with State’s Attorney Joel Todd for sending out campaign materials falsely implying he’d gotten endorsements from key figures in their party.
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Lee McClaflin, chairman of the Worcester County Republican Central Committee, held a press conference Wednesday to draw attention to recent election mailers, sent by Todd’s campaign, which showed him pictured with several people under the heading “Community Leaders Support Joel Todd.”

Many of the people on the mailers were not aware they were on it, McClaflin said, and do not endorse Todd as a candidate for re-election. Todd, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican candidate Beau Oglesby.

“We are not saying, because they didn’t want to be on campaign materials, that they do not support Todd; nor are we saying that means they endorse Beau Olgesby,” said McClaflin. “We are saying it was unethical to use names and pictures in a political mailer without their permission.”

Anita Todd, Joel Todd’s wife and his campaign manager, said she is responsible for the mailer. Joel Todd never saw or approved a final draft of the flyer, she said in an interview.

“I screwed up, and should not have had those four photos under the word ‘support,’” says Anita Todd. “There was no malicious intent, no intent to misrepresent.”

Four different versions of the mailers were sent out to different parts of the county. Several prominent people from each region are featured on the mailers, including Pines police chief David Massey, Worcester County Sheriff Charles Martin, Circuit Court Clerk Stephen Hales, County Commissioner Louise Gulyas, County Commissioner Bud Church and Pocomoke City police chief J.D. Ervin.

"I don’t endorse anybody but myself,” said Gulyas, in an interview. “It’s over and done with, and it really doesn’t bother me.”

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News You Might Be Able To Use For Election Day

OCEAN CITY -- Candidates for Worcester County's sheriff and state's attorney had a chance to spar before voters this week, one of the last chances to make their views and policy positions known before Election Day.

At the forum featuring 18 candidates and incumbents, State's Attorney Joel Todd defended himself from questions about photos that appeared on campaign mailers sent to voters county-wide.

"How do you ethically justify using pictures and names as if they support you in your political mailers without that person's knowledge or without their consent?" asked Lee McClafflin, chairman of the Worcester County Republican Central Committee.

"Somehow, in the haste to get that to the press, the wrong draft was sent to the printer. It was an honest mistake, nothing more," said Todd.

Todd, a Democrat, also said there were several people pictured on the mailer who did endorse him. The photo caption was supposed to say "Joel Todd with community leaders" but appeared as "community leaders support Joel Todd," he said.

Todd and Republican opponent Beau Oglesby, Deputy State's Attorney for Caroline County, traded barbs for an audience of about 50 at American Legion Post 166.

Todd, 55, touted his prosecution of three dozen murder trials and 25 years experience."Change for the sake of change is not good," he said. "The question is, how do you tell whether it's time for a change or not? I would indicate to look at the record."

Oglesby said his 14 years of experience as a prosecutor in Caroline, Dorchester and Wicomico counties has taught him the ways a state's attorney's job should, and should not, be done.

"Just because someone has done something for a very long time does not mean that it's being done the best way, and it does not means it's being done by the best person," Oglesby said. "I have a more well-rounded perspective of looking at the office."

Oglesby, 41, also touted endorsements from several Lower Shore fraternal orders of police.

"I promise you, my endorsements are genuine, and there are people who stand behind them," he said. "I suggest to you those endorsements speak volumes."

Candidates for Worcester County Sheriff also spoke. Sheriff Chuck Martin will not be seeking re-election.

Democratic candidate Bobby Brittingham, 52, a retired Worcester sheriff's deputy, said he wanted to be "proactive, not reactive" in the office.

He said he would make the issue of bullying in schools a priority for law enforcement, and would work with state and federal agencies to ensure drug dealers aren't living in publicly subsidized housing.

"Our schools and our children are suffering," he said. "They're suffering from bullying by their peers to deal drugs, to commit crimes."

Republican candidate Reggie Mason, 65, now the chief deputy for the Sheriff's Office, said his office recently formed a partnership with law enforcement in Virginia that has already yielded several significant drug busts.

"It's all about teamwork," he said. "It's not about one individual agency. We're going pull together our resources, and we're going to work hard to continue to make Worcester County safe for all."

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