U.S. Senate candidate Gary Black won the endorsements of one-third of Georgia’s 159 sheriffs, giving the Republican an important network of local law enforcement support as he competes to challenge Democrat Raphael Warnock next year.
Black announced the 60 endorsements days after he told the Georgia Sheriffs Association he would fight “anti-cop rhetoric” in Washington: “I may not wear a gun or badge, but it’s going to be my job to make sure you can use both when necessary.”
The endorsements are the latest sign that the state’s Republican establishment is growing tired of waiting on Herschel Walker to decide on a run -- or unconvinced he would be a strong candidate even with Donald Trump’s support. The former football great, who has lived in Texas for decades, has repeatedly said he’s in no hurry to join the race.
They also give Black, a three-term agriculture commissioner, a chance to highlight a theme that Republicans have quickly turned into a 2022 campaign mainstay: A call for law-and-order and increased police funding to halt the comeback attempt by resurgent Democrats.
The 60 sheriffs represent swathes of rural Georgia, though several from larger counties are on the list, including Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb.
Black can also claim bipartisan support, since at least six of the sheriffs are Democrats: Mike Dewey of Brooks County, Doug Hanks of Cook County, Wiley Griffin of Decatur County, Robert Oglesby of Jenkins County, Nick Norton of Lanier County and Craig Nobles of Long County.
Black is the best known of three Republicans in the race, a group that also includes military veterans Kelvin King and Latham Saddler. The commissioner previously won former Gov. Nathan Deal’s endorsement, though many other Republican leaders are staying on the sidelines.
The uncertainty underscores how unsettled the field remains, as senior Republicans worry that Walker’s long history of erratic and violent behavior, his no-shows on the campaign trail and his long-standing residency in Texas could weaken his bid.
Black last week became the first GOP candidate to publicly criticize Walker, calling on the Texan to move to Georgia, “register and vote in some elections and learn what Georgians have on their minds” before entering the race.
Here’s a list of Black’s endorsements:
Appling County
Sheriff Mark Melton
Bacon County
Sheriff Andy Batten
Banks County
Sheriff Carlton Speed
Barrow County
Sheriff Jud Smith
Berrien County
Sheriff Ray Paulk
Bleckley County
Sheriff Kris Coody
Brooks County
Sheriff Mike Dewey
Bulloch County
Sheriff Noel Brown
Camden County
Sheriff Jim Proctor
Candler County
Sheriff John Miles
Catoosa County
Sheriff Gary Sisk
Clinch County
Sheriff Stephen Tinsley
Colquitt County
Sheriff Rod Howell
Cook County
Sheriff Doug Hanks
Coweta County
Sheriff Lenn Wood
Crisp County
Sheriff Billy Hanock
Decatur County
Sheriff Wiley Griffin
Echols County
Sheriff Randy Courson
Emanuel County
Sheriff Jeffrey Brewer
Fannin County
Sheriff Dane Kirby
Fayette County
Sheriff Barry Babb
Floyd County
Sheriff Dave Roberson
Gilmer County
Sheriff Stacy Nicholson
Glascock County
Sheriff Jeremy Kelley
Glynn County
Sheriff Neal Jump
Grady County
Sheriff Harry Young
Habersham County
Sheriff Joey Terrell
Hall County
Sheriff Gerald Couch
Haralson County
Sheriff Stacy Williams
Hart County
Sheriff Mike Cleveland
Houston County
Sheriff Cullen Talton
Jackson County
Sheriff Janis Mangum
Jeff Davis County
Sheriff Preston Bohannon
Jenkins County
Sheriff Robert Oglesby
Jones County
Sheriff Butch Reece
Lamar County
Sheriff Brad White
Lanier County
Sheriff Nick Norton
Laurens County
Sheriff Larry Dean
Long County
Sheriff Craig Nobles
Lowndes County
Sheriff Ashley Paulk
Lumpkin County
Sheriff Stacy Jarrard
Madison County
Sheriff Michael Moore
Murray County
Sheriff Jimmy Davenport
Oconee County
Sheriff James Hale
Oglethorpe County
Sheriff David Gabriel
Pierce County
Sheriff Ramsey Bennett
Putnam County
Sheriff Howard Sills
Schley County
Sheriff Shane Tondee
Seminole County
Sheriff Heath Elliott
Tattnall County
Sheriff Kyle Sapp
Taylor County
Sheriff Jeff Watson
Tift County
Sheriff Gene Scarbrough
Toombs County
Sheriff Junior Kight
Turner County
Sheriff Andy Hester
Twiggs County
Sheriff Darren Mitchum
Upson County
Sheriff Dan Kilgore
Walton County
Sheriff Joe Chapman
Wayne County
Sheriff Chuck Moseley
White County
Sheriff Rick Kelley
Worth County
Sheriff Don Whitaker
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