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Former Jacksonville Sheriff Tops 7-Way Republican Primary For Congress

Cyd Hoskinson
/
WJCT

Former Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford is one step closer to taking his law-and-order message to Washington.

Rutherford handily beat six Republican challengers for Florida’s 4th Congressional District Tuesday with 39 percent of the vote.

When asked what drove him to run for retiring Congressman Ander Crenshaw’s seat, Rutherford said he wants to make the U.S. a safer place.

“For the last two decades I’ve watched as the drugs and violence have poured across our southern border which is no longer sovereign," he said. "And I’ve seen the death and destruction that’s brought to our communities and to our individual families. That’s why I’m in the fight. I want to do something about those issues that I think truly affect not only NE Florida but the entire country.”

Rutherford will face Democrat David Bruderly and unaffiliated candidate Gary Koniz in the November general election.

Reporter Cyd Hoskinson can be reached at choskinson@wjct.org, 904-358-6351 or on Twitter at @cydwjctnews

Cyd Hoskinson began working at WJCT on Valentine’s Day 2011.