Deschutes Democrats Revoke Sheriff Endorsement | Bend News

Bend News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 16, 2026 · 1m

The Deschutes Democrats faced a fiery internal battle over their sheriff candidate, James “Mac” McLaughlin, after the party’s executive committee revoked its endorsement amid an ongoing investigation into harassment and misconduct allegations. Though initial rank-and-file votes narrowly favored McLaughlin, the final decision sided with the committee to distance the party from potential reputational damage. Supporters argued the move was necessary to protect the party’s image, while others defended McLaughlin’s right to presumption of innocence and called for more thorough vetting processes…