Padilla, Barta agree to keep sheriff race clean

By ALICIA HENRIKSON

The Capital-Journal

In most political races, people can arguably tell the difference between the Republican and Democratic candidates.

However, there is at least one race in Shawnee County where the difference may not be so readily apparent.

Since August, Sheriff Dick Barta, Republican, and Topeka police Capt. Mike Padilla, Democrat, have been hiking the campaign trail, each working for enough votes to put them into office as Shawnee County sheriff. The race has been fairly low-key and remains clean and cordial.

"After the primary was over, I went to visit him (Barta)," Padilla said. " I think we both want a clean race that we could walk away from no matter how it turned out and feel good about it."

Barta said negative campaigning isn't something he could do. Hence, neither candidate has brought it to the trail.

Dislike of negative campaigning, though, isn't the only thing the two have in common.

Both Barta and Padilla have about 30 years experience in law enforcement. Each has a family. If voted into office, Barta and Padilla have one very obvious similarity --- they both want to help decrease crime.

The two even have the same idea of what a sheriff should be. When asked, both said they thought the position of sheriff is an administrative one. Barta and Padilla also agreed that the sheriff should act as a liaison between the office and other law enforcement agencies and the community.

Padilla said he would argue, though, that there is a definite difference. He said that while both have 30 years of experience, it is a different type of experience. Barta was with the Kansas Highway Patrol where he worked in almost every position and retired from the force as a major. Padilla has worked at the Topeka Police Department in a number of positions. He said he has been in charge of grants and worked as a detective investigating rapes and homicides.

"I've been working in this community for 30 years," Padilla said. "People know me, and I've been a part of groups and organizations outside of law enforcement."

Barta, however, said he feels he is qualified for the position, and 250 heads of Republican precincts also must feel he is qualified, because it was that group who recommended him to Gov. Bill Graves. Barta was chosen to complete the unfinished four-year term of Dave Meneley, who was ousted as sheriff by a two-judge panel Feb. 24. Meneley was ousted after the judges ruled he perjured himself in hearings related to the theft of drug evidence from the department.

Barta's job with the highway patrol has caused him to move, but he said he and his family readily adapted to each new home and got involved with church and community groups.

"My kids always did some sports, so I would help with coaching," Barta said.

The two candidates said they are newcomers to the world of politics and are law enforcement officers first, not politicians.

However, Barta and Padilla said they agree that working and campaigning are both full-time jobs.

"I see why some guys on the force in the past have taken a leave of absence (to campaign) because it is tough to balance both," Padilla said.

Barta said he has found the campaign experience to be "humbling" and is still a bit uncomfortable dealing with the political side of the race.

"Overall though, campaigning has been a great experience," he said. "I've met some really good, positive people."

Alicia Henrikson can be reached at

(785) 295-1192 or ahenrikson@cjonline.com.

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