Putnam Republican Committee Backs Sheriff Smith
Sheriff Don Smith’s re-election bid received a boost Tuesday night, as the incumbent earned the backing of the Putnam County Republican Committee.
Smith topped former MTA Police chief Kevin McConville by a comfortable margin, according to Putnam Republican Chairman Jim DiBella.
“He won by a pretty good margin,” DiBella said. “It wasn’t close.”
Former NYPD captain Andrew DeStefano finished a distant third, he added.
The race looks headed towards a primary battle, which would take place Sept. 10, assuming more than one candidate is able to gather the signatures needed to be on the ballot.
The sheriff, first elected in 2001, is seeking his fourth term in office. Last week, McConville received the backing of the Conservative Party. In 2009, Smith narrowly defeated former Southeast judge Jim Borkowski in the Republican primary before topping McConville, running as a Democrat, in the general election.
Editor’s Note: Sheriff Don Smith was first elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 and 2009. This information was incorrect in a previous version of this post.
