Bipartisan Group of 91 Georgia Sheriffs stand behind Ken Hodges for Attorney General

Sheriff Harold Lancaster, Bleckley County (D)
Sheriff John Cary Bittick, Monroe County (D)
Sheriff Darren Mitchum, Twiggs County (D),
Sheriff Mike Jolley, Harris County (R),
Sheriff Wiley Griffin, Decatur County (D),
Sheriff Pete Smith, Sumter County (R)


Claiming law and order trumps politics, Republicans and Democrats joining bi-partisan effort to elect race’s only law enforcement candidate

In an unprecedented show of support for a non-incumbent candidate, yesterday 91 Georgia Sheriffs, Republicans and Democrats, endorsed Ken Hodges for Attorney General today (list below). They join a growing number of law enforcement officials across Georgia, including prosecutors. More Sheriffs are expected to endorse Ken publically in the coming weeks.

Georgia’s Attorney General is the state’s chief prosecutor and law enforcement officer. Ken Hodges, a prosecutor for fifteen years and the only law enforcement candidate in the race, is the most qualified to be Attorney General.

Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley, (R) said “Supporting Ken Hodges is not about the letter he has after his name on the ballot. I don’t care if he is a Republican or a Democrat; he has the kind of values that cross over party lines. Who doesn’t want an Attorney General who has been tested as a prosecutor and we can say for sure, ‘This man is fair to all, no one is above the law, and he does not sway with the political winds.’ That is the kind of man I want as Georgia’s next chief law enforcement officer.”

Monroe County Sheriff John Cary Bittick (D) said, “I have known Ken Hodges for many years. I have the upmost respect for him personally and for his ability in the courtroom. As an elected Sheriff, his pro-law enforcement stance resonates with me, as well as his background prosecuting officers and other public officials who have broken the law and don’t deserve the badge. I think Ken Hodges is the best man for Attorney General.”

Ken prosecuted former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey who was convicted of murdering his successor, Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown. It was a difficult time for DeKalb County citizens, recalled current DeKalb County Sheriff Thomas Brown (D), “Restoring trust in the Sheriff’s office, and law enforcement in general, was critical after such an unspeakable crime. Ken Hodges played an integral role in helping DeKalb County citizens heal, by finding justice for us with the conviction of Sidney Dorsey. For Ken, clearly, no one is above the law.”

Sumter County Sheriff Pete Smith (R) said, “I have observed Ken’s work ethic and ability, both in the courtroom and as an administrator, over the years. I really do believe if every voter looks at Ken’s record, and how he has taken on cases that others simply don’t or won’t, the voters of Georgia will realize they are getting a true public servant, who puts the interests of the citizens above his own.”
“I am humbled to have the support of law enforcement officials from every region of the state,” said Ken Hodges. “I have spent my career working hand in hand with sheriffs, police officers and prosecutors to fight crime, keep our communities safe and uphold the law. If elected, I will bring this experience to the Attorney General’s office to ensure that enforcing the law is my office’s top priority.”
For a complete list of the Georgia Sheriffs publically endorsing Ken Hodges for Attorney General, see below or you can click (here).

Ken Hodges was the first District Attorney in the state to take on predatory lenders and recover damages for them, shut them down, seize their assets and kick them out of Georgia. He prosecuted corrupt public officials, including his former assistant chief of police and more than a dozen police officers. As D.A. in Albany, Ken brought the conviction rate of child predators from below 50% to nearly 100%.
Ken has served as President of the District Attorneys Association, Chairman of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council, and was named District Attorney of the Year in 2002.
Ken Hodges was the District Attorney in Dougherty County for 12 years. To learn more about Ken, please visit his website www.kenhodges.com

Sheriffs for Hodges:
1) Richard R. Foskey – Bacon County (D)
2) Dana Mead – Baker County (D)
3) William C. Massee, Jr. – Baldwin County (D)
4) Bobby L. McLemore – Ben Hill County (D)
5) Jerry Modena – Bibb County (D)
6) Harold Lancaster – Bleckley County (D)
7) Robert C. Thomas – Brantley County (D)
8) Mike Dewey – Brooks County (D)
9) Gregory T. Coursey – Burke County (D)
10) Gene Pope – Butts County (R)
11) Josh Hilton – Calhoun County (D)
12) Tommy Gregory – Camden County (R)
13) Phil Summers – Catoosa County (D)
14) Glynn Cooper - Chattahoochee County (D)
15) John W. Everett – Chattooga County (D)
16) Ira Edwards, Jr. – Clarke County (D)
17) Kemuel “Kem” Kimbrough, Sr. – Clayton County (D)
18) Winston C. Peterson – Clinch County (D)
19) Al Whittington – Colquitt County (R)
20) Johnny Daughtrey – Cook County (D)
21) Lewis S. Walker - Crawford County (D)
22) Donnie R. Haralson – Crisp County (D)
23) Patrick Cannon – Dade County (R)
24) Billy Carlisle – Dawson County (R)
25) Thomas E. Brown – DeKalb County (D)
26) Wiley Griffin – Decatur County (D)
27) Jeff Hinson – Dodge County (R)
28) Kevin R. Sproul – Dougherty County (D)
29) Jimmie. R. Murkerson – Early County (D)
30) Randy Courson – Echols County (D)
31) Jimmy McDuffie – Effingham County (R)
32) Barry L. Haston – Elbert County (D)
33) J. Tyson Stephens – Emanuel County (D)
34) Randall H. Tippins – Evans County (D)
35) Theodore Jackson – Fulton County (D)
36) Dean Couch – Glascock County (D)
37) Harry C. Young – Grady County (D)
38) Chris Houston – Greene County (R)
39) Tomyln T. Primus – Hancock County (D)
40) Mike Jolley – Harris County (R)
41) Ross Henry – Heard County (D)
42) Donnie Youghn – Irwin County (D)
43) Charles Roper – Jasper County (D)
44) Richard Deas – Jeff Davis County (D)
45) Gary Hutchins – Jefferson County (D)
46) Robert Oglesby – Jenkins County (D)
47) R.N. “Butch” Reece – Jones County (D)
48) Nick Norton – Lanier County (D)
49) Cecil Nobles – Long County (D)
50) Chris Pine – Lowndes County (D)
51) Reggie D. Rachals – Lee County (R)
52) Charles M. Cannon – Macon County (D)
53) Horace Snider – Marion County (D)
54) Logan Marshall – McDuffie County - President of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association (D)
55) Steve Whitlock – Meriwether County (D)
56) H. E. “Buddy” Glass – Miller County (D)
57) Clarance Sanders – Montgomery County (D)
58) John Cary Bittick – Monroe County (D)
59) Ezell Brown – Newton County (D)
60) Scott R. Berry – Oconee County (R)
61) Terry W. Deese – Peach County (D)
62) Howard R. Sills – Putnam County (I)
63) Jimmy Thomas – Pike County (R)
64) Billy Cape – Pulaski County (D)
65) Steve Newton – Quitman County (D)
66) Gary Yochum, Sr. – Randolph County (D)
67) Ronald Strength – Richmond County (D)
68) Shane Tondee – Schley County (D)
69) Mike Kile – Screven County (D)
70) Heath Elliot – Seminole County (D)
71) James “Dee” Stewart – Spalding County (R)
72) Randy Shirley – Stephens County (R)
73) Larry Jones – Stewart County (D)
74) Pete Smith – Sumter County (R)
75) Marc Richards – Taliaferro County (D)
76) Herman Howard – Talbot County (D)
77) Quinton Rush – Tattnall County (D)
78) Jeff Watson – Taylor County (D)
79) Johnny O. Smith – Telfair County (D)
80) John Bowens – Terrell County (D)
81) Roy Wiley, Sr. – Turner County (R)
82) Darren Mitchum – Twiggs County (D)
83) Scott D. Stephens – Union County (D)
84) Steve Wilson – Walker County (D)
85) Thomas H. Smith – Washington County (D)
86) Randy Dely – Webster County (D)
87) James Peacock – Wheeler County (D)
88) Neal Walden – White County (R)
89) Stacy C. Bloodsworth – Wilcox County (D)
90) Mark A. Moore – Wilkes County (D)
91) Freddie Tompkins – Worth County (D)