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Hannon won't endorse either friend Senator apologizes for flap in commissioner race By ALBERTO ENRIQUEZ Caught between two good friends in a hotly contested Jackson County commissioner's race, State Sen. Lenn Hannon agreed to take the heat Monday for a misunderstanding with candidates Ric Holt and Cleve Wright. "I'll take the blame," Hannon said. "I gave Mr. Holt the impression I was endorsing him. ... I owe both candidates a strenuous apology." For the record, Hannon says both Holt, a fellow Republican, and Wright, a Democrat, are longtime friends and supporters. He is not endorsing either. The endorsement became an issue last week after Holt accused Wright of shading the truth in published endorsements by Sherry Lindbloom. Those ads featured the name Lindbloom prominently, and Holt charged that Wright was leading the public to conclude that her husband, Ken Lindbloom, a stockbroker, radio host and Medford School Board member, also endorsed him. Ken Lindbloom also has said he wishes to remain neutral in the race -- and said as much on his radio program last week. Wright stands by his original ads, noting that they pictured only Sherry Lindbloom, and did not say Ken shared in her endorsement. Following that flap, Wright confronted Holt last week over ads that claim Hannon's endorsement. Holt said he was floored by the complaint because he posed for a campaign advertisement with Hannon as recently as Sept. 29. "The picture wasn't for my scrapbook," Holt said Monday. "I've been trying to reach Lenn since last Friday." Holt said he held back ads already prepared with photos of Phoenix Mayor Larry Parducci, retired orchardist Pete Naumes and Hannon. However, he has left in place ads listing Hannon's name among supporters, which are running in the Mail Tribune, Ashland Daily Tidings and Senior Views. Hannon said he supported Holt in the Republican primary, and posed for the picture, but never made it clear that his endorsement didn't extend to the general election. Wright said he sought Hannon's endorsement, but Hannon told him two or three months ago that he was endorsing neither candidate. "Whoever wins, one is going to lose and say it was my fault," Hannon said. "But I don't have that much power. It's too bad that the campaign is getting off-track on personalities, rather than issues. God knows, there are plenty of issues to deal with." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA