Current sheriff endorses sheriff candidate

MARQUETTE — While elections are still almost a year away, one U.P. county’s sheriff race is already building up steam.

Sheriff Mike Lovelace announced his endorsement of Undersheriff Michael Klein in the race to be the next Marquette County Sheriff. Lovelace cited many of the qualifications that inspired him to choose Klein as undersheriff as reasons for the endorsement.

“It’s important for everyone to know that when I chose my undersheriff, I had to choose someone that wanted to be sheriff,” Lovelace said. “If you take that position, you can’t just want to be the undersheriff, because the undersheriff is the sheriff when I’m not available, or if something devastating should happen to me, the undersheriff immediately assumes my duties.”

Klein is one of two members of the department who have announced their candidacy so far. Lowell Larson announced his bid to become sheriff on Friday.

“Mr. Larson is a supervisor within our department. He’s a hard-working good guy, but Mike has the command experience — 20 years of it,” said Lovelace.

The candidates will go head to head in the primary election on August 2nd.