PALATKA, Fla. – Putnam County Sheriff Homer "Gator" DeLoach, whose election last fall was mired for months in a lengthy legal challenge, plans to switch his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican going forward.
DeLoach, a self-described lifelong blue dog Democrat, said the decision is a personal choice that reflects where his values reside, namely his pro-life stance and the Second Amendment.
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"My focus as sheriff is never going to be on partisan politics, but making sure the people of Putnam County are safe," he said Thursday.
DeLoach said the change should come as no surprise to those who know him well, and noted that it had nothing to do with speculation that he lacked the desired support of Democrats.
"I don't think I stand to gain anything on this from either side," he said.
The news comes after a judge in May dismissed an election contest lawsuit filed by Republican Jonathan Kinney, who contended that ballots cast by dead people, felons and non-residents undermined the legitimacy of DeLoach's election.
Lawyers for DeLoach and the canvassing board maintained that there was no way of knowing the 32 questionable ballots tilted the outcome of the race, or if they even factored in that race at all, due to Florida's secret ballot. Only one felon deposed by Kinney said he voted for DeLoach.
That case went to trial April 12 following five months of legal back and forth. Kinney, who unofficial returns had ahead on election night, lost the race by 16 votes after multiple recounts that ensued because the race was initially too close to call.
Kinney sued weeks after the election because the lead seesawed from him to DeLoach before the recount began. Elections officials said the lead appeared to do a 180-degree turn because nearly 430 votes were tallied but not reported on election night.