Primary election preview: Smith County sheriff’s race features familiar matchup
Early voting continues through March 1. Election Day is Tuesday, March 5.
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - In a familiar matchup, retired game warden Chris Green is challenging Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith in the March Republican primary. With no Democratic candidate running for the position, the Republican primary will determine the race’s ultimate winner.
Green is hoping the third time’s the charm after losing to Smith in 2012 and 2016. Green’s experience includes two decades as a Texas Game Warden, with another decade as a special game warden reserve. Among the reasons he’s running for sheriff is what he calls “excessive spending.”
“We can’t afford this administration anymore,” Green said. “We’ve got a crazy high budget, a top-heavy administration and we’ve got a lot of issues in the jail. Not only the employee retention but our jail deaths and some of our pending lawsuits.”
Green said he’s also concerned about the number of fleet accidents involving sheriff’s office vehicles and is worried about the situation at the border and how it could impact Smith County. If elected, he’s interested in forming a posse made up of hunters, veterans, and ex-law enforcement officers.
“A trained posse,” he said. “Not a militia with a bunch of guns and craziness going on but a trained posse to help in the event that we do have an event that we’re not prepared for.”
The incumbent in the race, Larry Smith, first became sheriff in 2013 and is seeking a fourth term in office.
“I’m running again because I love law enforcement,” Smith said. “I’m in my 48th year of law enforcement. I love what I do. I love being able to help people. And I love what we built the sheriff’s office into and want to see it continue as it is. And at some point, hand it off to someone who can keep it in the same shape.”
Smith, a New Diana High School graduate, started his law enforcement career in the 1970s at the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office. He went on to serve with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. His work included responding to the siege at Waco and the Pentagon after the Sept. 11 attacks. He also investigated the East Texas church fires of 2010.
“God has put me on the path to do some things that I never dreamed I’d be able to be involved in. And I just listened to him and let him form my path and try to follow it as best I can,” Smith said.
Since taking office over a decade ago, Smith said he’s made several changes at the department.
“The first thing is putting more law enforcement on the streets of Smith County. Improving the response time to the priority one/priority two calls to within about 15 minutes. The criminal investigation we have being able to finally get this sheriff’s office to the point where I could hire quality people.”
Smith also highlighted the work he’s done to tackle the corruption that was “within the department” when he first arrived - pointing out he arrested his first deputy just two days into his first term.
“It makes no difference if you’re a citizen out here on the street or if you work for me, you’re going to follow the law,” Smith said.
Along with serving as Smith County sheriff, Smith is also the current president of the Texas Sheriffs’ Association.
Early voting continues through March 1. Election Day is Tuesday, March 5.
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