HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — Jeffrey R. Gahler has won the Republican nomination for Harford County’s Sheriff, and will face off with Terrence Rogers in November.
Gahler is running for re-election to a fourth term, first elected in 2014, and has served as Harford County’s Sheriff for more than a decade.
“We have been able to realize record declines in both violent and property crimes year after year,” said Gahler, “It is my desire to continue to build on our successes and continued public safety efforts as your candidate for Sheriff in 2026.”
According to his campaign website, he led efforts to expand the School Resource Deputy (SRO) program into more secondary and elementary schools in Harford County, and fought against attempts by Maryland’s legislature to remove SROs from schools.
Gahler had long supported keeping the 287(g) program active, citing its history in Harford County, before Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill into law in February 2026, banning the immigration enforcement agreements statewide.
Now, Gahler will face off with Terrence Rogers, the only Democrat running for sheriff in the 2026 election.
Rogers is a veteran, former law enforcement officer, and pastor.
According to his campaign website, he is running on a platform of “servant leadership,” saying he views himself as a servant, not a politician.
Rogers laid out his vision for Harford County as the following:
Public Safety over Politics: The Sheriff’s Office should not be a political battlefield. It should be a public safety institution.
Protection without Partiality: Public safety is not exclusive to those in the community; it must also extend to those in custody. Proper treatment preserves public trust.
Prevention through Proactive Partnerships: We cannot politic or arrest our way to safety, but it is only achieved through proactive partnerships with businesses, nonprofit and community organizations across our county.
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