White County Executive Q14 Candidate Responses

Over the past several weeks, readers have submitted questions they want answered ahead of the 2026 election—and we’ve taken those directly to your County Executive candidates.

Here is your fourteenth question, and answers from those candidates who chose to respond.

Politicians are frequently criticized in a very public way.

KYLE GOFF: Politicians are frequently criticized in a very public way. If you are the subject of public criticism, please share with us how you would respond?

If it is personal criticism, I know that others opinions of me are not my business. I have experienced real tragedies in life and a few negative criticisms do not qualify. All I can do is try to uphold my character and values in each decision and do the right thing at every turn. I will govern for all of white county, despite if an individual supported me or not.

If it is a policy or political criticism, it is crucial to take a step back and look from the other persons perspective. I try to operate under a hypothesis of generosity: what is the most generous assumption you can make about this person's intentions or what this person said? This can help you jump to the best conclusion rather than the worst. Generosity should not be a free pass for people, but when it's connected to a healthy understanding of the other side, it can be effective, liberating, shrink boundaries and increase integrity.

PENNY WHALEY: I would respond in a calm, deliberating and transparent approach to de-escalate tension and address core issues. I would listen to the views of public criticism and owning any valid mistakes quickly to maintain trust. Not everyone is going to agree to every issue all the time.

JOE HALLUMS: I would respectively respond focusing on the factual subject matter and not the individual. I would like this to be a face-to-face meeting or discussion and avoid any social media response.

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