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RINGGOLD, Ga. — One candidate drives a pickup truck. The other drives a Volvo.

One enjoys “piddlin’” with tractors and the other likes scuba diving and hiking.

One is 65 years old and flirts with waitresses at the Courthouse Grille; the other is 40, constantly wears a Bluetooth earpiece and checks her Blackberry at Panera Bread.

The Catoosa County Commission runoff race between incumbent Bobby Winters and challenger Stephanie Dickert represents more than a clash of campaign issues and slogans.

A retired construction worker who runs a flea market, Winters said he represents the voice of longtime residents and campaigns on his experience. Dickert, 40, who works at a CPA office in Hixson, said she embodies the new generation of Catoosa County residents.

When asked about their goals if they win the runoff, Winters talks about preserving, while Dickert uses the word “enhance.”

“I’ve seen a lot of changes and hopefully I can be a part of keeping Catoosa County clean and something we can be proud of,” said Winters in an interview earlier this week.

“(The county) has its own history and its own charm and I don’t think that’s something that needs to change, but I think we need to enhance what we have,” Dickert said in a separate interview.

“I see myself being able to come in (to the commission) with a new set of eyes,” she said.

In the Republican primary, Winters did well in the Lakeview precincts, which are typically older neighborhoods, while Dickert took more votes in the Boynton area, which has more young families.

Dickert, who moved to Catoosa County for the first time in 1986 and moved back in 2002, has an accounting degree from Dalton State College and Chattanooga State Community College. At the CPA firm, she teaches small business owners how to use accounting software. She enjoys listening to audiobooks on her iPod, taking her Greater Swiss Mountain dogs to dog shows and has run much of her campaign through Facebook.

Born in Catoosa County, Winters left Ringgold High School in 1960 when he was 15 to go to work on a dairy and farming corn. He has campaigned heavily on his experience in the construction business.

“Everything we do (on the commission) is about construction,” he said.

If he’s not working on a tractor or hawking his wares at a flea market, he enjoys watching episodes of “NCIS” on television.

But campaigning has cut into free time for both candidates.

Dickert said she has spoken to many residents who moved to Catoosa County from metro areas — usually Atlanta — and want to be able to shop, work and play locally without going to Chattanooga.

She said she would love to move her own office from Hixson to Catoosa County once the right type of office buildings are built.

Winters said he’s heard more about jobs and tax burdens from his constituents.

“We need jobs right here. Local jobs. Good jobs,” he said.

Commissioner Jim Cutler, who moved to Catoosa County in 2001 and was elected in 2008, said he’s seen similar divergent demands from county residents.

New residents typically want growth and want the county to spend money on recreational opportunities and quality-of-life improvements, while many longtime residents usually want taxes kept low, rural life preserved and see recreation as an expense the county may not need.

The two will be on the ballot on Aug. 10.

Georgia Sen. Jeff Mullis hosted a meet-and-greet for Catoosa County Commission candidate Stephanie Dickert last week, a move that incumbent Bobby Winters described as a “stabbing me in the back.”

“I don’t know why Sen. Mullis is doing anything like this,” Winters said Monday. “He needs to stay out of county government, and some others of them need to stay out of this commissioners’ race. They’re just playing games.”

Winters and Dickert will face each other Aug. 10 in a runoff for the District 2 County Commission seat. In the Republican primary on July 20, Winters got 507 votes to Dickert’s 297. Mark Lindsay took 222 votes and did not qualify for the runoff.

Throughout the campaigns, Dickert has focused on quality-of-life issues and growth, while Winters has touted his construction experience and pledged to keep taxes low.

Last week, Dickert sent out a statement announcing a “greet and meet” hosted by Mullis, R-Chickamauga, at the Hampton Inn in Ringgold on July 29.

In an e-mailed statement Monday, Dickert described Mullis as a “good friend” of her and her husband.

“I appreciate his support and everyone else who is supporting me,” she said.

Attempts to reach Mullis were unsuccessful Monday.

Winters said Mullis and others were “stacking the deck against me” and said he would discuss more after the runoff election.

“I appreciate Jeff Mullis, but I do not appreciate the things like this and stabbing me in the back,” Winters said.

Catoosa County Commissioner Ken Marks said Mullis has given fundraisers for him in the past and called the senator’s support a “biggie.”

“In my opinion, it makes me look good to have a state senator on my side,” Marks said. “It sure don’t hurt as popular as Jeff is.”

Winters said he hoped voters would see past the “games” and look at his experience and record.

An election Tuesday, Aug. 10, will determine the winner of the Catoosa County commissioner district 2 seat.

Incumbent Bobby Winters faces Stephanie Dickert in a runoff of the Republican primary held July 20.

District 2 includes the Boynton, Duncan Park and Westside precincts in the north central part of the county.

Since no opposing party challengers qualified to run, the winner will not need to campaign for a November general election.

Winters garnered 507 votes in the primary, but not the “50 percent plus one” required to win over Dickert, with 297 votes, and Mark Lindsay, with 222 votes.

As the runner-up Dickert qualifies for the runoff, while Lindsay’s campaign came to an end.

In the week following the primary, Dickert sent Winters a letter challenging him to a debate.

“I think the voters deserve to hear both of us talk unfiltered about the issues facing Catoosa County,” the letter reads.

Dickert said as of Tuesday, Aug. 3, she has not received a reply, but even with just a week until the election, says she is still game. “I think we can and should make the time for this.”

Winters did not return a call seeking comment.

In the meantime Dickert said she and her staff continue a rigorous campaign, including a meet-and-greet event hosted last week by Republican state Sen. Jeff Mullis.

Being that she would need to bring in most of the Lindsay supporters to beat Winters, Dickert said she hopes to get even more voters out for the runoff.

“We have knocked on over 1,800 doors, and we’ll continue until they start counting the votes next Tuesday,” she said.

Thursday, August 5, 2010
By:Andy Johns (Contact)

The challenger for a Catoosa County Commission seat sent a letter to the incumbent requesting a debate, but the incumbent said the request is just “more bull.” “What have I got to debate?” Commissioner Bobby Winters asked Wednesday. “She can’t tell me nothing about this county and neither can the Chamber of Commerce.” Stephanie Dickert, a board member for the Catoosa County Chamber, is facing Winters in the Republican primary runoff Tuesday for the District 2 commission seat. Dickert sent Winters a letter on July 28 asking for a debate. “I think the voters deserve to hear both of us talk unfiltered about the issues that are facing Catoosa County,” Dickert wrote. She said she has not had a response. Winters said he had gotten the letter, but had no intention of responding. He said he’s lived in Catoosa County for nearly 66 years and, with his eight years of experience on the commission, doesn’t need to attend debates or forums. “I ain’t got nothing to say to them,” Winters said. “The people appreciate what I do.” Dickert criticized Winters for not appearing at a Chamber-sponsored debate on June 24 before the primary. “Mr. Winters was not there,” she said. “The voters have not heard the two of us debate the issues.” Mr. Winters said that on the day of the debate, he was at a state park near Crossville, Tenn., taking “a day’s rest just to get away.” Mark Lindsay, who finished third in the GOP primary, threw his support behind Dickert on Tuesday

He said he acted in part because of Winters’ comments in a Times Free Press article criticizing state Sen. Jeff Mullis’ support of Dickert. Lindsay said he is close friends with Mullis. Lindsay said Winters has no room to talk because the commissioner had helped host an event for Jim Pope, who ran against Mullis in the July 20 primary. Winters said Wednesday he allowed Pope’s supporters to use the concession stand that’s part of his Hitching Post Flea Market for a campaign event, but would have let Mullis or anyone else use it as well. Lindsay said the three GOP candidates were invited to speak to the Catoosa County Republican Party on June 26 before the primary but Winters did not show up to speak alongside Lindsay and Dickert. “I think that it’s important for people to know that he will not debate anyone,” Lindsay said. “It’s always ‘poor pitiful me’, but he has the same opportunity as everyone else.” Winters said he chose not to appear then and has chosen not to debate Dickert. “That kind of stuff don’t turn me on,” he said. “Helping people does.”