APNewsBreak: GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul wins over sheriffs after initial suspicions

Paul wins over once shaky Ky. sheriff endorsement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A rural Kentucky sheriff who said Rand Paul’s campaign wrongly listed him as a supporter is now lining up behind the Senate candidate after a phone conversation about combating illegal drugs.

Clay County Sheriff Kevin Johnson said Friday night that he switched from being neutral to a Paul supporter after the Republican candidate promised not to seek spending cuts for drug task forces.

Johnson said Paul reached out to him after the sheriff insisted twice to The Associated Press that he had not endorsed Paul, at that time disputing campaign statements that listed him among sheriffs supporting Paul.

Johnson said Paul is scheduled to talk to area law enforcement officials later this month about drug enforcement.

Paul’s Democratic opponent, Jack Conway, has been portraying Paul as soft on drug and crime issues.