Donesia Gause

Dateline Carson – To an objective observer of today’s race for city clerk of Carson, it would hardly seem like a consolation prize if one of the two contestants, Mayor Jim Dear, finishes second.

He would return to the mayor’s chair he dearly loves for the final two years of his term.

That would mean Donesia Gause, the incumbent, also would go back to her job, to which she was appointed three years ago.

On Closing Day, Ms. Gause, a thorough-going professional record keeper, and Mr. Dear, a one of a kind fireball, played to form.

Sometimes an interviewer needs to scootch closer to copy down soft-spoken Ms. Gause’s responses.

“I feel great,” she said this afternoon, and her camp believes she has reason to anticipate a sweet victory.

Ms. Gause and Mr. Dear are farther apart than the North and South Poles, not to mention residents of Warsaw.

Jim Dear

So sour are the feelings between them that last month she may have busted a state law when she declined to file a list of her individual donors by a deadline. Ms. Gause said she feared Mr. Dear would retaliate against city officials who donated to her campaign.

Mr. Dear was unrelenting for his part on Closing Day.

He fumed this afternoon about “the blatant and unfair (charges of) racism perpetrated by my opponent.”

Whom does he think will be crowned tonight?

“I have no idea,” Mr. Dear said.

Will it be close?

“No idea.”