Elections
Harrison's first campaign for Wake County sheriff in 1998 against long-time incumbent John Baker was unsuccessful. Baker, nicknamed "Big John," was an iconic Raleigh political figure and former defensive lineman in the NFL. Baker was first elected sheriff in 1978, becoming the first Black sheriff in North Carolina since the Reconstruction era. Harrison sought a rematch in 2002 and won.
The two men faced off again for a third time in 2006 which resulted in Harrison winning convincingly, but not without controversy. His 2006 re-election was mired in controversy as it was released that Donnie Harrison had an affair with a Garner optometrist's wife. Harrison's campaign adviser stated, "There's no denying there was an affair, but the marriage was doomed before the affair happened. Then suddenly, six days before the election, this appears? That says there's got to be a lot of political motivation behind this."
In 2008, Harrison helped dedicate the Wake Country Public Safety Center after Baker, who had died in 2007, to honor his long service as sheriff.
Read more about this topic: Donnie Harrison
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