Citing success in the fight against drug trafficking and a 24 percent decrease in opioid-related overdoses, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis announced his bid for re-election.

Lewis, who was first elected sheriff in 2006 following a career as a state trooper, said he wants to continue serving citizens.

“When we began this journey 11 years ago, we had a simple goal, to make Wicomico County the best place to live for our hard-working citizens, and the worst place to live for those criminals preying on our citizens, especially our youth. Together, we have made incredible progress, but work and challenges remain. I'm committed to the citizens and success of Wicomico County, and that is why I am seeking re-election,” Lewis said.

He predicted the 2018 legislative session, which begins in January, will be “a vigorous one.”

“I promise to remain on the frontline on issues affecting the decriminalization of both heroin and cocaine as proposed in the 2017 legislative session, when these bills were introduced and defeated in Annapolis.

“I wish to remain as a member of the Maryland Sheriff’s Legislative Committee while remaining adamantly opposed to any further decriminalization of marijuana, cocaine or heroin,” Lewis said.

The sheriff is a Republican. He is married and has two children, was a member of the Correctional Training Commission in 2012 and the Police Training Commission in 2012 and 2013.

He was a state trooper with the Maryland State Police from 1984 to 2006, president of the Maryland Sheriffs' Association in 2012 and 2013, member of the Eastern Shore Police Association and International Association of Chiefs of Police, instructor in the Maryland Police Training Commission and master instructor in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In his three previous elections, Lewis was the top vote-getter across all ballots and is one of the most widely supported candidates in Wicomico’s political history.