Johnson County elects Byron Roberson, its first Democratic sheriff in nearly a century
Johnson County voters chose Byron Roberson as their next sheriff in a close race Tuesday, electing a Democrat to lead the department for the first time in nearly a century and after heavy scrutiny of Sheriff Calvin Hayden's leadership.
Roberson won 51% of the vote over Republican candidate Doug Bedford, a former undersheriff who knocked Hayden out of the race in the August primary . The historic win marks new ground for Democrats and further cements Johnson County's evolving identity as a party stronghold in Kansas.
"It feels great," Roberson told The Star of his Tuesday night win. "That's about the best word for it. It was a long, long haul from November of '23 until now, but all of our hard work and the team's dedication to getting the 'W' paid off."
As the next sheriff, Roberson said he intends to make good on his campaign promises and earn the support of the more than 157,000 Johnson Countians who picked Bedford for the job.
"Because the sheriff is for everyone. Not just one party," he said.
Roberson's leadership of the sheriff's office will continue a decades-long law enforcement career. He joined the Prairie Village police force in 1995, rising through the ranks with responsibilities to include officer and patrol division commander, before becoming the chief in 2021.
On the campaign trail, Roberson, who will also become the county's first Black sheriff, cast himself as the best choice to take over an office that has received negative feedback from residents and county leaders in the wake of Hayden's leadership.
Hayden, a Republican first elected sheriff in 2016, angered moderates with a long-running investigation of voter fraud that used time and resources of deputies and helped fuel election conspiracy theories.
The investigation, prompted by President Joe Biden's 2020 win in Johnson County, resulted in no criminal charges. Hayden abruptly put the probe on pause this summer , a few weeks before his loss at the polls.
Hayden also faced criticism this year for dropping the Johnson County Mental Health Center to contract with private jail health care provider VitalCore Strategies, a decision described as a financial one that met opposition from some county leaders.
Those factors harmed Hayden's reputation among fellow Republicans and became campaign issues of high focus. Bedford, who appealed to the more moderate wing of the party, defeated Hayden in the primary with 56% of the vote.
Roberson entered the contest with a background in many ways similar to Bedford, his political opponent on Election Day. Both candidates touted their administrative roles, as well as previous military experience.
But a key difference came with the precise type of experience each would bring and the visions for the future.
As Bedford promoted his direct background with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Roberson said his time leading a smaller police force would offer a needed new perspective that would enhance collaboration across area law enforcement agencies.
On the issue of mental health, Roberson also campaigned with a deeply personal experience of the role law enforcement plays. In 2010, as an officer, Roberson shot and killed Susan Stuckey, a 47-year-old mentally ill woman who had clashed with police and said she wanted police to kill her.
Prosecutors cleared Roberson in the shooting and a federal lawsuit over the death was settled out of court. As a candidate for sheriff, Roberson called mental health "crucially important to me" and "not just a campaign slogan."
In the leadup to Election Day, Democrats held a favorable view of Roberson's prospects, pointing to energy among voters with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket. And despite the tradition of GOP sheriffs, Johnson County has trended toward Democrats over the past 12 years, helping to elect Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids.
In 2012, Republicans outnumbered Democrats two to one. But like many suburban communities around the nation, Johnson County has witnessed a political transformation.
Johnson County voters registered as Republicans still exceed Democrats, though the gap is closing. As of September, 41% of voters were Republican, compared to 32.4% for Democrats. About 25% of voters are unaffiliated with either major political party.
Fewer than 4,000 ballots put Roberson over Bedford in Tuesday's tight contest. In all, Roberson won 161,035 votes to Bedford's 157,335, according to unofficial county election results.
Reached by phone on Tuesday, Bedford congratulated his political opponent on his victory. He said he offered to provide any helpful advice to Roberson when the new sheriff settles in.
"It was a hard fought campaign. It was a hard fought primary. But unfortunately, we came up a little bit short," Bedford said, adding: "We came up a little bit short, but we're still proud of the team that we had and proud of everything that we did."
