Dave “Hutch” Hutchinson defeated pro-Trump, anti-immigrant three-time incumbent Rich Stanek to be elected sheriff of Hennepin County, Minnesota in a stunning upset.
— Hutch (@davehutch2018) November 7, 2018
Hutchinson won by more than 2,300 votes but Stanek has so far refused to concede, releasing this statement: “On behalf of Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, we thank everyone who voted in the Hennepin County Sheriff Election and to all the many volunteers who have supported this effort for the past several months. Yesterday’s election results were extremely close. The information we have shows that this race is too close to call, and that the results are not yet official. At this time the Sheriff Stanek Volunteer Committee will await the Hennepin County Canvassing Board meeting scheduled for next Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. before making further comment.”
The HuffPost reported: ‘Hutchinson’s campaign had adopted a progressive approach to race, focusing on increasing transparency within Minnesota’s law enforcement and embracing immigrant communities throughout the state. During the campaign, he pledged to end the sheriff’s office’s current relationship with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and said deputies would no longer ask individuals whom they come into contact with about their immigration status. “He’s married to an immigrant. This is personal for him,” Zoss said. “When he says he wants all people to feel safe to approach the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, he 100 percent means it.”’
