Dubois County residents discuss their voting plans

The most hotly contested races in Dubois County, Ind., are those for sheriff and auditor, and conversations with officials, business owners and voters in the county show that these candidates face a mixed political mood in this year's elections.\nA large German Catholic population, workers in rural industries like farming and scores of churches make up the backbone of Dubois County. Pro-life billboards dot the countryside, and the county consistently votes for Republican presidential candidates, according to city records. \nMost of the local elected officials, however, are Democrats, with several running in uncontested races. \nSteve Haag, an owner of one of the antique shops that line Huntingburg's Fourth Street, is conservative and complains about taxes and welfare, saying, "The best thing that could have happened to New Orleans is (Hurricane) Katrina," Haag said. \nWhile Haag would typically vote Republican, he expresses an attitude that could spell danger this fall for Republican incumbents such as 9th District Congressman Mike Sodrel.\n"When you go to vote, you're basically voting against someone," he said, "because it's been so long since there was someone worth voting for."\nTaxes, for instance, are a major headache for Dubois County's small-business owners. But their ire is directed at Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who recently supported legislation changing the way property values are assessed, increasing the tax burden on property owners. \nKeith Fritz, who owns a furniture manufacturing shop in Jasper, calls himself a "small-business fiscal conservative" but says Republicans have "betrayed their values."\n"I think it's time to give the Democrats a chance and see if they can do better," he said.\nThat kind of outright endorsement is hardly the norm here. More typical is a wait-and-see approach. \n"I haven't decided yet," said Melanie Wilkey, co-owner of Fourth Street Java in Huntingburg, Ind. "I'm still weighing my options." \nWilkey said this is the first time she has registered to vote, even though she has been eligible for some time. \n"I'm more aware now, and it's more important to me," she said.\nThe war in Iraq may present the most difficulty for candidates -- such as those for county sheriff, Republican Forrest Kieser and Democrat Terry Tanner -- trying to mold their messages to the concerns of their constituents. When the body of a soldier from Dubois County was returned from Iraq, people lined the streets and courthouse square of Jasper in support, but support for the troops does not automatically translate into support for the war or Republican candidates. \n"I'm concerned about our people over there, and I support their efforts," said Jasper City Hall receptionist Karen Sermersheim, who plans to vote for 9th District Democratic challenger Baron Hill in November.