BULLETIN: Skip DeWitt to Run for Sheriff as Republican in 2014
Robert “Skip” DeWitt, who lost the Democratic primary for Cecil County Sheriff in 2010, will run again for Sheriff in 2014—but this time as a Republican.
In an interview with Cecil Times, DeWitt said he had changed his political party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in the past week and on Monday evening attended his first-ever GOP event, a meeting of the Cecil County Republican Club.
Incumbent Republican Sheriff Barry Janney has said he will not run again in 2014 and DeWitt said he had discussed his plans with Janney after the November 2010 general election. DeWitt endorsed Janney for the general election after DeWitt lost his bid in the Democratic primary to Chris Sutton. Sutton lost to Janney in the November general election.
“I’m a card-carrying Republican now,” DeWitt said. “I don’t consider the Democrats to be conservative,” he said, and “I really like what the Republicans stand for.”
DeWitt’s late father was a Democrat who served as county sheriff for many years and was widely popular with local citizens of both political parties.
DeWitt’s party shift could create an intriguing political scenario for the always hotly contested Cecil County Sheriff’s slot.
Republican Janney faced multiple opponents in the GOP primary but won a comfortable margin for re-nomination and solidly defeated Democrat Sutton in the November election. Sutton had previously lost to Janney four years ago.
Sutton has not formally announced his plans, if any, for the 2014 election. But he and his supporters bitterly opposed DeWitt, who was a late entrant into the Democratic primary in the last election.
Cecil Times has called Sutton for comment and will file an updated report upon his response.
Stay tuned to the Cecil Times for more on this developing news story.
