No New Sheriff In Town, Coppinger Will Return In Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, MA — Kevin Coppinger will remain as the Essex County sheriff after he held off a challenge by Virginia Leigh in Tuesday's Democratic primary.

There was no candidate running on the Republican side.

With 99.22 percent of precincts reporting Wednesday night, Coppinger had 44,104 votes (52.6 percent), while Leigh had 39,821 votes (47.1 percent), according to the Associated Press.

"Thank you to Essex County voters and to everyone who made my re-election possible," Coppinger said in a statement on social media. "I sincerely appreciate your efforts on my behalf during the campaign. Looking forward to continuing the innovative work we have started in the sheriff's department."

Coppinger has served as the Essex County sheriff since 2017. He previously was the chief of police in Lynn from 2009 to 2017.

Coppinger ran on his record of having taken the politics out of the Essex County Sheriff's Department, saying he had not accepted campaign donations from employees and that hiring and promotions have been based on merit.

Leigh was looking to bring a clinical approach to the office. She is a clinical social worker with over 12 years of experience working in community health centers, detention centers and schools.