After Woodford County Sheriff Matt Smith announced Tuesday that he won't run for reelection next year, Deputy Sheriff Dennis Tipsword had a decision to make.
Should the Republican state representative end his own reelection campaign in the 105th House District, or run for sheriff?
His heart provided the answer. Tipsword announced Tuesday he's running for sheriff, with Smith's endorsement. Smith called Tipsword the most qualified candidate for the job.
"While it's been a high honor to serve the people in the 105th District in every way, my heart is in law enforcement," said Tipsword. "With Sheriff Smith's decision to not seek reelection, I'm compelled to step up and run for sheriff next year."
Tipsword is in his 31st year in law enforcement and 18th year in the Woodford County Sheriff's Office. He's been deputy sheriff for 11 years.
He announced his reelection campaign for state representative in early July on the assumption that Smith would run for sheriff again.
Tipsword was first elected to the House seat in 2022, running unopposed. He defeated Democrat Morgan Phillips in his reelection last year. He said he'll continue to serve as state representative through the end of 2026, when his term expires.
The Metamora resident said he believes he's accomplished something during his time in Springfield representing the 105th District. It's a heavily Republican district that includes parts of Woodford, Peoria, McLean, Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall and Putnam counties.
"I feel I've injected a lot more insight regarding law enforcement issues into the House of Representatives, particularly regarding the real world consequences of the SAFE-T Act, which passed into law just before I became a state representative," he said.
Tipsword and his wife Betsy have three grown children and eight grandchildren, with one more on the way. All live in Woodford County, where Tipsword was born and raised.
Smith, a Republican, has served three terms as sheriff since he was first elected in 2014. He began his employment in the Woodford County Sheriff's Office as a part-time dispatcher in 1984, returning after a stint as a Eureka police officer from 1998-2002.
