SMYTH COUNTY, Va. — A county sheriff in Virginia has had enough of the Democratic Party. Smyth County Sheriff Chip Shuler dumped his political affiliation due to a “relentless attack on law enforcement by Democrats in Richmond and Washington,” Fox News reported.
“My deputies work hard to serve and protect the citizens of Smyth County. As sheriff, it has been difficult to watch my deputies try to move forward during this unprecedented assault on our profession,” Shuler said in a statement, according to WJHL. We (law enforcement) remain an honorable profession and should not be judged by the bad acts of a few. I have always been a conservative throughout my law enforcement career of 38 years.”
Shuler was elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 as a Democrat. However, he filed a Republican Party membership application last month, which was unanimously approved by the Smyth County Republican Committee.
“I congratulate Sheriff Shuler on taking this bold move to leave the Democratic Party and join the Republican Party,” Smyth County Republican Party chairman Adam Tolbert told WJHL. “We are thrilled to have him as a member of the Republican Party in Smyth County.”
According to Fox News, Shuler joins fellow Virginia Sheriffs John McClanahan of Buchanan County and Brian Hieatt of Tazewell County who both decided to step away from the Democrats in 2020.
In other states, Westmoreland County (Pennsylvania) Sheriff James Albert and Buncombe County (North Carolina) Sheriff Van Duncan also left the Dems in 2020 for similar reasons, Law Officer reported.
“As a lifelong public servant and member of law enforcement, I have not left the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party has left me,” Albert said when making his decision.
