State Rep. Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, said he has asked the Tennessee attorney general whether he would have to vacate his General Assembly seat to be the Republican nominee for sheriff.
“The real campaigning won’t start until after May anyway,” he said. “I’d really prefer to serve out the session this year.”
State law states that no member of the General Assembly may be nominated or commissioned for sheriff.
Rep. Dean argued that the law is antiquated and stems from the time that the governor had to commission sheriffs.
“Naturally, we don’t do it that way now,” he said.
Rep. Dean said he expects an opinion by the Hamilton County Republican Party’s March 27 nominating convention.
Sharon Curtis-Flair, a spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office, said commenting on the request would violate attorney-client privilege and could not say if Rep. Dean entered a request.
Rep. Dean said he would step down from his office if the attorney general finds he must do so. If he resigns, the Hamilton County Commission would select his replacement, according to state law.
He is one of five possible Republican nominees for the sheriff’s office. The others are Chattanooga police Lt. Tim Carroll, former Red Bank Police Chief Ronnie Dodd, Hamilton County Chief Ranger Fred Fuson and former Hamilton County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jim Hammond.
The sheriff’s seat came open after the Feb. 6 resignation of former Sheriff Billy Long, who is facing federal gun, drug, money laundering and extortion charges.
Hamilton County Republicans met Monday night to select delegates for their nominating convention at the East Ridge Convention Center. Officials estimated about 300 delegates would vote for the nominee.
The party also plans to hold a forum for candidates March 24 at 7 p.m. at Westview Elementary School.
The Hamilton County Democratic Party on Saturday picked County Commissioner Greg Beck as its nominee for sheriff.
Mr. Beck said he has not decided whether to step down from his County Commission seat but said he would not have a problem with doing so.
“I haven’t thought about it seriously yet,” he said. “I’m talking to my team.”
Jim Winters, who also sought the Democratic nomination, said he plans to run as an independent.
“I have been told repeatedly that an independent has never won an election in Hamilton County,” he said. “I would like to be the one that breaks this cycle.”
WHAT’S NEXT
The election for sheriff is Aug. 7. Candidates must file paperwork with the Hamilton County Election Commission by April 3.
