Worcester County Sheriff Evangelidis Kicks Off 2022 Campaign

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis publicly announced his 2022 election campaign Sunday after an event in Worcester last month featuring local elected officials, including Gov. Charlie Baker.

Evangelidis, a former Holden Republican lawmaker, is seeking his third six-year term in 2022. Paxton Democrat David Fontaine has filed to run against Evangelidis in the November election.

The June 23 campaign kickoff was held at the Wachusett Country Club in Worcester, according to a campaign news release. Backing Evangelidis at the event were local elected officials including Worcester At-Large Councilor Donna Colorio, Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale, and police chiefs from Gardner and Fitchburg.

As sheriff, Evangelidis oversees the county jail in West Boylston and civil processing in lawsuits. In a news release, Evangelidis said he's running to continue a variety of programs based at the jail, including an organic farm where inmates work, a program that pairs inmates with shelter dogs and substance abuse programs. The sheriff's office also frequently holds public outreach events, including picnics in local communities and a winter coat drive.

"The Worcester County Sheriff's Office is proud to serve as home to the most advanced and comprehensive mental health and clinical treatment facility at a correctional setting in the Commonwealth," Evangelidis said in a news release. "Both our inmates as well as the public at large benefit because we are able to provide effective services that in turn give individuals the best chance to stop the vicious cycle of crime and addiction."

Evangelidis is entering his reelection bid with one of the largest campaign accounts in regional Massachusetts politics. At the end of June, he had more than $423,000 in his campaign account after raising more than $60,000 in June alone. Among countywide candidates in the state, Evangelidis is second only to Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey in total cash on hand.

The sheriff's top donors include some of the leading business owners and politicians from Worcester County and beyond: Wachusett Brewing cofounder Edward LaFortune, Resinate CEO Peter DeCaro, Riverdale Mills CEO James Knott Jr., Bellingham state Rep. Michael Soter, Yatco President Hassan Yatim and Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce President Jeannie Hebert all donated between $500 and $1,000 each in June, according to state records.

Fontaine had about $135 in his campaign account in June after spending about $800, according to campaign finance records.