CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Chesapeake Sheriff Dave Rosado announced his resignation from the Republican Party Tuesday, after losing the Republican primary earlier this month.
More than 12,000 votes were cast for the position, but due to the fact there were no Democratic or Independent nominees, voters who received a Democratic ballot had no say in Chesapeake’s next sheriff.
“I’m not conceding. I’m not stepping aside. And I’m not going to pretend that what just
happened in Chesapeake was fair,” Rosado said.
In his statement, Rosado believes that the election was based off who they could control, not the most qualified candidate.
“That is not a fair process. It’s a power grab. It’s a coronation. And the people of
Chesapeake deserve better,” Rosado said. “They didn’t want the most qualified candidate. They wanted someone they could control. I wasn’t that, and I never will be.”
Rosado is now launching a write-in campaign, “Write in “Dave Rosado” to keep our sheriff,” with the goal to give all Chesapeake voters a voice in November’s election.
“This wasn’t about the people – it was about the power brokers. I will not stand by while the
voices of Chesapeake are silenced,” he said. “In the coming days and weeks, I will be
sharing more about what happened behind the scenes, exposing what others won’t say and
laying out our plan to win this campaign – and keep our Sheriff’s Office focused on service,
not politics.”
A copy of Rosado’s resignation letter is provided below:
In a Facebook post Tuesday evening Wallace Chadwick, who won the June primary, issued a statement in response to Rosado’s actions.
Dave Rosado made the informed decision to enter an open Republican primary — a fair process — where he outspent us 5 to 1, yet still lost by 17 points. Now, unhappy with the results, he is violating his oath and launching a write-in campaign.
We won decisively and fairly in June because Chesapeake is ready for change. Voters are tired of an interim Sheriff who has wasted thousands of taxpayer dollars plastering his name and face on everything — and continues to make the office about himself while failing to do the job he is sworn to do. That’s why this desperate, last-ditch effort to cling to his title will fail.
The Office of the Sheriff doesn’t receive a coronation handed down from the former Sheriff and it doesn’t belong to any one person — it belongs to YOU, the people. As Sheriff, I will keep the focus where it belongs: serving the citizens of Chesapeake. In November, just as they did in June, voters will send another clear message — change is coming. The Sheriff’s Office will return to its true mission: protecting and serving the people, not being used as a political tool or a vehicle for anyone’s personal ego.
I’m proud to have earned this nomination in a hard-fought primary and will work even harder to win by even larger margins in November to begin serving all people of Chesapeake — regardless of party or creed. Together, we’ll restore integrity and purpose, building the best Sheriff’s Office in the Commonwealth, working 24/7 on your behalf.