Incumbent wins 7th term in tough race

Huffman narrowly beats 30-year veteran of Hickory police force

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

A six-term GOP incumbent and one of the state's longest-serving sheriffs won again Tuesday, securing another four years as Catawba County sheriff by narrowly defeating a formidable Democratic challenger.

David Huffman will return for another term as sheriff after a slim win Tuesday over Steve Hunt, a retired 30-year veteran of the Hickory Police Department.


With all 40 precincts reporting, Huffman won the race with 51 percent, or 17,179 votes, to Hunt's 49 percent, or 16,698 votes. About 35 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots, which officials at the Board of Elections said was higher than expected.
"It was probably one of the best races I've had in many years," Huffman said. "(Hunt) is top notch and was a class act from the start to the finish."

While Huffman enjoyed the advantage of being an incumbent, he has faced a couple of bitter races in recent years.

A messy, but close, 2002 battle for a seat in the 10th congressional district against Patrick McHenry left him disenchanted with politics, he told the Observer in September.

An expensive and equally bitter primary in May against Mike Ledford ended with Huffman receiving only 140 more votes than his opponent and with only $359 in his campaign fund.

Hunt, a newcomer to politics, ran on a platform that called for a new direction and encouraged voters to help revitalize the Sheriff's Office.

Huffman responded by saying his office has continually adapted to new trends in crime and that his long tenure hasn't left law enforcement stale. He pointed to an array of programs geared toward helping the elderly and handicapped and highlighted OffenderWatch, which monitors sex offenders.

Throughout the campaign, Huffman also touted his connections in Washington, noting that his tenure as sheriff has left him with a long list of links to the federal government that he said has helped him secure millions of dollars in grants.

Hunt, who teaches criminal justice at the Catawba Valley Community College, focused on accreditation.

He also said he wanted to build a multilingual staff, emphasize advocacy projects and encourage law enforcement to train residents to recognize and help decrease crime.

Huffman has run the Catawba County Sheriff's Office since 1982 when he beat a 24-year veteran sheriff with nearly 51 percent of the vote and has vowed this term will be his last.


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