Cochise County Republican Chair Judy Smith has reaffirmed the party's unwavering support for Sheriff Mark Dannels, countering claims from a recent article that suggested Republicans had turned their backs on Dannels over his endorsement of candidate Jacob Kartchner, an Independent, for the Board of Supervisors in District 3.
During an interview with Sierra Vista LIVE, Smith clarified that the Cochise County Republican Committee (CCRC) board had never discussed taking any action against Sheriff Dannels, including censure or barring him from identifying as a Republican on the November ballot. "I want to make it absolutely clear that these conversations have not taken place in any meeting, and no one from the board has brought up any of these ideas," Smith stated. "The CCRC fully backs Sheriff Dannels, and that has never changed. We fully support him."
Smith expressed her respect for Sheriff Dannels' decision to endorse any candidate, regardless of party affiliation, emphasizing that Kartchner switched his political affiliation to Independent well before the primary. Her statement sought to dispel any misconceptions created by the recent article, which she described as "misinformed" and "instigated by a few disgruntled so-called Republicans wishing to do harm to the CCRC."
Smith also criticized the headline, "Republicans turn on Sheriff Dannels," misleading. "The Republican Party HAS NOT NOW OR EVER 'turned on Sheriff Dannels,'" she emphasized. She noted that in her interview prior to the article being published, she made it clear several times that no such actions had been discussed.
Referring to another remark that suggested Sheriff Dannels could face censure, Smith dismissed it as simply untrue. These measures are technically things that the committee could do, she explained, but they have never been under consideration by the CCRC board. In her statement, Smith accused the reporter's source of attempting to create discord within the party.
Smith assured party members that the CCRC is focused on moving forward and continuing to support all Republican candidates. "We have worked hard over the past two years to keep your CCRC alive and moving forward. We will continue to defend your Republican home," she concluded, pledging to address the situation.
Jacob Kartchner (Kartchner for BOS District 3)
We also spoke with Jacob Kartchner who said he is glad to hear of the CCRC’s continued support for the Sheriff, emphasizing his core belief of values over party affiliation. Kartchner is a fifth-generation resident of resident of Cochise County, with family ranchers dating back over 100 years ago. He recently retired from the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department. He spent the last ten years of his career working on the Ranch Patrol unit and Southern Arizona Border Region Enforcement (SABRE) team. He received endorsements from both Sheriff Dannels and the Cochise County Deputy Sheriffs Association.
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