The Dallas County sheriff’s race is not over yet — but former deputy Dewayne Sanders is now one step closer to making history.
) - The Dallas County sheriff’s race is not over yet — but former deputy Dewayne Sanders is now one step closer to making history.
Current Sheriff Mike Granthum is retiring, leaving the seat open after this term. Sanders defeated Willie Calhoun Jr. in Tuesday’s Democratic primary election, according to official election results reported Tuesday night. The victory positions Sanders as the Democratic nominee heading into the November general election.
However, Sanders says the campaign is continuing because two independent candidates are expected to challenge him in the fall election.
“We’re going to continue to work hard,” Sanders said after the results came in. “We’re going to continue to get out there and campaign. ” Sanders told WSFA he plans to take a short break before returning to the campaign trail to meet with voters across Dallas County.
“We’re going to get out there and continue to work hard,” he said. “Start knocking on some more doors and talking to the community and trying to get their support. ” The longtime law enforcement officer says his campaign has centered around public safety and community relationships from the very beginning.
“The campaign was all about the community of Dallas County,” Sanders said. “Working hard to continue to keep the community safe, be in a strong relationship with the community. ” Sanders brings 28 years of law enforcement experience to the race. He says he has worked at all levels within the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and believes that experience has helped him connect with voters.
“With 28 years of experience in law enforcement, like I said before, work at all levels of Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, I’m familiar with the community,” Sanders said. “I’m looking to build a good relationship with the community. ” If elected in November, Sanders says one of his priorities would be increasing patrol presence throughout the county.
“We’re going to have more deputies and we’re going to try to patrol the county more,” he said. “I want to be a sheriff for all citizens of Dallas County. ” While many supporters have pointed to the historic significance of Sanders potentially becoming the first Black sheriff in Dallas County history, Sanders says that was never his primary motivation for running.
“Actually, that never crossed my mind when I started out running for sheriff,” Sanders said. “I was running for sheriff for Dallas County — the people of Dallas County — to make the county safer. ”“It would be great to make history,” he said.
“History is going to be made automatic regardless. So I’m more focused on the citizens of Dallas County. ”“Shock. Emotion,” he said.
“I knew how hard we fought during the campaign trail, but it was shock and emotion. ” He says supporters gathered throughout the night waiting for vote totals to come in and celebrated together as the numbers continued moving in his favor. Sanders is expected to face independent candidates Lee Green and Scott Swanson in the November general election. If elected, Sanders says he would officially take office in January.
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