Bucking party lines, former Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder, a Democrat, has endorsed Republican candidate Justin Hoyal for the job.
Winder, who stepped down mid-term in June 2017 to fill the top law enforcement job in Moab, has been critical of his replacement, Sheriff Rosie Rivera, in the past. But until now, he has declined to endorse her opponent in November’s election.
In a prepared statement provided to The Deseret News on Tuesday, Winder called Hoyal a “dedicated public servant” and said he’s “the right guy for this job.”
"Everybody wants community policing,” Winder said.