It's unusual for a county Democratic Party unit to endorse in a primary, but Milwaukee County Democrats unanimously endorsed Chris Moews for sheriff at their last meeting.
And no wonder. The incumbent, David Clarke, runs as a Democrat because that's how to get elected in Milwaukee County in a fall election, but in fact is a far-right conservative who hangs out with the Republicans and the Tea Partiers.
So no surprise the Democrats would prefer an actual Democrat.
Moews is a 14-year veteran of police departments in Milwaukee County, and currently serves as the supervising Lieutenant in the Homicide Division of the Milwaukee Police Department on the overnight shift. He previously served as a detective and patrol officer in the MPD, and as a patrol officer in the North Shore.
"The current Sheriff has been a comedy of errors," said Party Chair Sachin Chheda. "Whether he's using the power of his office to pursue personal vendettas against political rivals or simply endangering other officers by ignoring his own rules, he's weakened the Sheriff's Department.
"The last straw for most citizens of the County was when he almost let a drunk driver go and then punished the deputy who took appropriate action," said Chheda. "That's not the kind of leadership Milwaukee County wants. It's time for a change, and Lt. Moews will bring the professionalism and focus on safe communities we need."