A television commercial cuts into the evening news in central Illinois.

Another political ad. Another attack in the race for sheriff.

Across Sangamon County, Illinois, residents say the ads have become impossible to miss.

What began as a routine sheriff’s race has quickly turned into one of the most contentious political contests in central Illinois. Heavy advertising, rising political spending, and growing voter frustration have transformed a normally quiet local election into a bitter public fight.

THE BADGE, THE BALLOT, AND THE FIGHT FOR SANGAMON COUNTY

How attack ads, political money, and party influence reshaped a sheriff’s race in Illinois

Sangamon County Illinois sheriff race between Paula Crouch and David Timm draws controversy over campaign ads, political spending, and questions about leadership of the sheriff’s department.

By Staff Writer | FactsFirstUS.com
March 7, 2026

Reporting based on public records, campaign finance disclosures, Freedom of Information Act materials, and reporting from local news organizations.

Editor’s Note

FactsFirstUS.com does not typically report on local political campaigns. Our editorial focus is generally reserved for statewide and national issues. However, over the past several weeks we have received an unusually large number of requests from readers across Illinois asking us to examine one particular race: the Republican primary for sheriff in Sangamon County.

What began as a routine local election has quickly become something else entirely. Negative mailers, expensive television advertisements, allegations of misconduct, and questions about legal compliance inside the sheriff’s office have turned a traditionally low-profile race into one of the most contentious political battles in the region.

For many voters in a county that includes the state capital of Springfield, the tone of this campaign has raised uncomfortable questions not only about the candidates, but about the political forces surrounding the office of sheriff.

In Sangamon County, where the state capital of Springfield sits at the center of regional politics, the sheriff’s race has suddenly become hard to ignore.

Residents say they see the campaign everywhere. Political mailers appear in their mailboxes. Television ads interrupt the evening news. Campaign messages run repeatedly during local broadcasts.

What is usually a low-key election has turned into a steady drumbeat of political advertising.

At the center of the race is David Timm, a retired deputy who spent twenty-five years with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. He is challenging Sheriff Paula Crouch, the current incumbent, in the March 17 Republican primary.

For many voters, the volume of advertising has been striking.

Several residents who contacted FactsFirstUS said the steady stream of mailers combined with television ads running across the Springfield media market makes the race feel less like a local contest and more like a major political campaign.

Campaign finance filings reviewed by FactsFirstUS suggest party organizations and political allies supporting Crouch have invested heavily in the race as the primary approaches.

Many of the attack mailers circulating across the county were distributed by the Sangamon County Republican Central Committee, which has formally endorsed the incumbent sheriff.

For longtime residents, that level of political intensity feels unusual.

Sheriff’s races in Sangamon County have traditionally focused on practical issues such as patrol coverage, jail operations, and public safety. This year, the campaign has taken on a far sharper political tone.

Local resident Jimmy Hayes said that shift became clear when he opened his mailbox and found one of the flyers criticizing Timm.

“They are spending a large amount of money to try and get you to think David is a horrible person,” Hayes said.
“If he was such a bad employee, why did another sheriff have him training new deputies and field training officers?”

For many voters, the negativity has become frustrating.

Instead of hearing about policies or plans for the department, they say the campaign often feels dominated by attacks.

And the race is unfolding at a time when the sheriff’s office is already under intense public scrutiny.

The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office is not a small department. It employs more than 200 people, including patrol deputies, correctional officers, jail staff, and court security personnel.

Its annual operating budget exceeds 22.7 million dollars, and the sheriff who leads the department earns 175,460 dollars each year.

But the campaign is taking place against the backdrop of a tragedy that brought national attention to the department.

In July 2024, deputy Sean Grayson fatally shot Sonya Massey inside her home in Woodside Township.

The shooting sparked national outrage and renewed scrutiny of hiring decisions within the department. Grayson was later charged with murder and other criminal offenses.

The controversy eventually contributed to the resignation of then-Sheriff Jack Campbell, who stepped down amid growing criticism over his role in hiring Grayson.

Two months later, the Sangamon County Board appointed Paula Crouch, a retired Springfield police lieutenant, to complete the remainder of Campbell’s term.

The appointment placed Crouch in an unusual position. She entered the next election as the sitting sheriff, even though she had never previously faced voters in a countywide race.

Former Sheriff Jack Campbell has not issued a formal public endorsement in the current campaign. However, his public statements have suggested continued support for Crouch.

On February 9, Campbell posted a message on Facebook encouraging supporters to attend a campaign fundraiser.

“Come out and support my friend Paula!” he wrote.

The post linked directly to an announcement from the Paula Crouch for Sheriff campaign, promoting a fundraiser scheduled at Dublin Pub in Springfield.

For many voters following the race, moments like that highlight how relationships inside the sheriff’s office and local political circles continue to shape the campaign.

Inside the department itself, the race has also become personal.

When David Timm announced his candidacy, the response from many current and former deputies was immediate.

Timm spent more than two decades working inside the department. During that time, he helped train new deputies and field training officers.

Those relationships became clear last summer when the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 55, which represents deputies, correctional officers, and court security staff, conducted an internal poll among its members.

The results were decisive.

According to union officials, ninety-two percent of responding members supported Timm over Crouch.

Deputy John McDowell, chair of the union’s legislative committee, said the support reflected years of working alongside him.

“We all worked with him,” McDowell said.
“He trained almost every one of us.”

Union president Travis Koester offered a similar explanation.

“We all know Dave,” Koester said.
“We know how passionately Dave speaks about things.”

The endorsement created a new political dynamic in the race.

Crouch later said she was disappointed the union had not contacted her before making its decision.

“It was a little disheartening but not surprising,” she said.
“My door is always open. It’s a two-way street.”

Political observers say the campaign shifted noticeably after that endorsement and early fundraising reports began circulating.

Sources familiar with the race say Timm’s campaign was raising more money than many political insiders expected.

That development appears to have raised concerns among party leaders that the appointed sheriff could face a serious challenge in the primary.

In the weeks that followed, campaign advertising intensified.

Television ads began appearing more frequently. Additional mailers criticizing Timm’s disciplinary record arrived in homes across the county.

Those advertisements reference several incidents from Timm’s career, including a suspension in 2006 and a termination in 2008 that was later overturned through arbitration.

An arbitrator reinstated Timm in 2009 after determining that termination was excessive under the circumstances.

Despite the attacks, Timm has largely avoided responding with similar criticism toward his opponent.

Instead, his campaign has focused on restoring trust inside the sheriff’s office.

His campaign slogan reads “Trust Restored. Voices Heard.”

“I’m not perfect. I’m not a politician,” Timm said previously.
“But I won’t be controlled by a party.”

Even as the campaign arguments continue, another issue has quietly surfaced that raises questions about internal procedures inside the sheriff’s office.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, records suggest that several employees hired under the current administration may have begun performing official duties before written documentation of their oath of office had been completed.

Under Illinois law, deputies and officers working under a sheriff must take an oath supporting both the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Illinois.

The requirement is outlined in Illinois statute 55 ILCS 5/3-6010.

Records reviewed by union representatives indicate that at least nine employees may have started working before that documentation was completed.

A labor board representative raised concerns about the issue in written communication to the sheriff’s office.

“The absence of this documentation is concerning both with respect to statutory compliance and potential liability,” the letter stated.

County officials responded by saying the officers had been sworn in and completed academy training.

Sheriff Crouch later said the issue had been addressed by administrative staff.

“This was brought to my admin staff yesterday afternoon,” Crouch said.
“It has been addressed.”

Union representatives have continued asking whether employees who worked without documented oaths will now be required to sign them retroactively.

For some observers, the escalating political battle reflects a broader pattern that critics say has long shaped Illinois politics.

Party organizations, donors, and political networks often play an outsized role in determining who ultimately holds local office.

Some residents refer to that influence informally as the “Good Ole Boys Club.”

Sheriff’s departments can be particularly powerful positions within those networks. They control hiring decisions, oversee large budgets, and exercise broad law enforcement authority across entire counties.

As the primary election approaches, many Sangamon County voters say they are simply tired of the negativity.

Instead of political attacks, they want to hear how candidates plan to address staffing shortages, improve training, and rebuild public trust after recent controversies.

One voter summarized the frustration in a message posted online.

“When campaigns start lying to the public instead of talking about policies, that tells you everything you need to know.”

On March 17, Sangamon County voters will choose who will lead one of the region’s most important law enforcement agencies.

But the result may represent something larger than a change in leadership.

It may reveal whether voters are willing to accept politics as usual or whether they expect something different from those entrusted with the badge.

Because in a race built on trust, the final judgment will not come from a television advertisement, a campaign mailer, or a political endorsement.

It will come from the voters.

And in Sangamon County, Illinois, those voters will soon decide what kind of leadership they want guiding their sheriff’s office.

Key Points From This Investigation

• The Sangamon County sheriff’s race between Paula Crouch and David Timm has become one of the most contentious local elections in central Illinois.

• Voters report a steady flood of mailers and television ads, many backed by party organizations supporting the incumbent sheriff.

• The race is unfolding amid continued scrutiny of the sheriff’s office following the 2024 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey and broader questions about leadership and transparency.

Official Sources

Illinois Times reporting on the Sangamon County sheriff’s race
Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/3-6010
Sangamon County Board appointment records
Freedom of Information Act records related to oath of office documentation
Public statements from the David Timm campaign
Public statements from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 55 statements and communications
Court filings related to the Sonya Massey shooting case
Campaign finance disclosures for the 2026 Sangamon County sheriff election
Public campaign advertising and mailers distributed in Sangamon County