Atlantic County Democrats landed a recruit in this year’s race for sheriff, which could be the premier countywide race in New Jersey in 2026.
Sean Riggin, the director of public safety in Atlantic City, served as chief of police in Pleasantville for six years. He will enter the Atlantic County Democratic Convention in March with the recommendation of the party’s candidate recruitment committee.
“I’ve spent my 25-year law enforcement career working directly with residents to make our communities safer,” Riggin said in a release. “Public safety starts with listening, showing up, and building real relationships. That’s how we made progress in Pleasantville, and that’s the kind of leadership I want to bring to the sheriff’s office.”
GOP Sheriff Joseph “Tokyo Joe” O’Donoghue, who beat a Democratic incumbent in 2023, is expected to seek re-election. O’Donoghue ousted two-term Sheriff Eric Scheffler by a six-point margin in a rematch of their 53%-47% race in 2020.
Republicans hold an 8-1 majority on the Board of Commissioners, as well as the county executive, surrogacy, county clerkship, and shrievalty. But Democrats are targeting the county after Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s 3-point victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli in last year’s gubernatorial race. Atlantic Democrats also saw success in an Assembly race when Assemblywoman Maureen Rowan (D-Atlantic City) defeated former Assemblywoman Claire Swift (R-Margate).
Last year, Democrat Sherri Parmenter came within three points of unseating veteran Surrogate James Curcio, and Republican Art Schenker won an open at-large county commissioner race by just 271 votes countywide and a margin of less than three-tenths of one percent.
Riggin is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Sarajevo, Bosnia, in 1996 under Operation Joint Endeavor. He lives in Hamilton Township.
