(ANGOLA) - Former Steuben County Prosecutor Mike Hess is endorsing Tracy Quinn in the Republican primary race for Steuben County Prosecutor.
The endorsement, announced Friday, gives Quinn the backing of a longtime local prosecutor who previously served both as an elected prosecutor and deputy prosecutor in Steuben County before moving into law instruction.
Hess said Quinn has demonstrated the judgment needed for the office.
"A prosecuting attorney has a duty to seek justice," Hess said in the campaign release. "Tracy Quinn has demonstrated, as a deputy prosecutor, the ability to do that and to make the tough decisions every day."
He added that Quinn has the experience the county needs and said he trusts her to uphold the law, support victims and seek justice with honesty and professionalism.
Quinn is currently a Steuben County deputy prosecuting attorney with more than 25 years of legal experience.
She is seeking the Republican nomination in the May 5 primary.
Quinn called Hess's endorsement an honor, saying his decades of service set a standard she is committed to uphold if elected.
The Steuben County prosecutor race is one of several closely watched local contests heading into the spring primary.