Episode Details

Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

The race to lead the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office was set in motion when former Sheriff Chuck Wright resigned in May 2025, after taking leave in April. Governor McMaster appointed Jeffery Stephens as interim sheriff in the interim. With Wright’s departure, nine Republican candidates filed to run in the special election, with the primary set for Tuesday, August 5, 2025, early voting through August 1, and a likely runoff on August 19 if no candidate secures a majority. The special general election will follow on November 4.

🧾 Candidate Breakdown

1. Nick Duncan
   A career lawman who left the Sheriff’s Office in 2023 after a previous Republican primary run in 2024. Duncan is pitching a platform centered on restoring trust, transparency, and “honesty” to the office. He’s also at the center of controversy—claims suggest a “hit list” within the office targeting associates, but state investigators found no wrongdoing tied to those allegations (https://www.foxcarolina.com).
2. Andy Clark
   A recent retiree from Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (retired January 2025), Clark emphasizes experience and stability. In one-on-one interviews he outlined plans for immediate reforms, though specific policy proposals weren’t deeply detailed in the initial coverage (https://www.foxcarolina.com).
3. Randy Hollifield
   A veteran law enforcement officer within the Sheriff’s Office. His framing: leadership built on being “Firm, Fair and Consistent.” Hollifield speaks directly to deputies encouraging them to maintain professionalism despite internal turmoil, pledging continuity with accountability (https://www.foxcarolina.com).
4. Ric Stephens
   A unique profile: local and federal law enforcement, including work with the Secret Service task force and United Nations, as well as an advanced degree in Forensics. He says he wouldn’t remove current staff—his focus is to tackle three priorities fast: Drugs, Traffic, and Crime. He stresses global experience adapted to local results (https://www.foxcarolina.com).
5. Bill Rhyne
   Retired state trooper with prior tenure in Spartanburg Sheriff’s Office. Rhyne hits the pitch that “this isn’t politics, it’s people.” His focus is community safety, deputies’ respect and morale, and a county‑wide Sheriff’s Office “that truly serves every corner” (https://www.foxcarolina.com).
6. Adam Crisp
   Former deputy at the Sheriff’s Office, Crisp positions himself as a reform candidate. His message: restore accountability and deliver tangible outcomes—not empty rhetoric. He defines the campaign as service‑oriented and addresses a public distrust gap in leadership (https://www.foxcarolina.com, https://www.foxcarolina.com).
7. Rusty Clevenger
   Serving Spartanburg County as Coroner since 2009, he brings decades of experience in investigations. Clevenger want