Whitehorn Refuses Debate Before Caddo Parish Sheriff Election

Another unprecedented event has taken place in the ongoing race to be the next Sheriff in Caddo Parish. There will be a new election held for the position on March 23, 2024, after courts vacated the results of last year's election between John Nickelson and Henry Whitehorn.

That ruling to vacate the results made its way all the way to the Louisiana Supreme Court, where they refused to hear the case, allowing the lower courts rulings to remain in place.

Now, Henry Whitehorn has informed KTBS that he is refusing to participate in their pre-election debate, or any forums, with Nickelson.

KTBS reports that Whitehorn told them:

"It is impossible to have a serious conversation with someone who has zero law enforcement experience."

Which is the opposite approach Whitehorn took before the November 2023 election, where he participated in numerous forums with Nickelson. He even participated in a forum that was broadcast on KTBS.

Its likely that Whitehorn's refusal has less to do with Nickelson's perceived qualifications, and more to do with the case Nickelson brought against the results of the 2023 election.

In that November election, Whitehorn was declared the winner by a single vote. Obviously election results this close require a recount. In an amazing coincidence, the recount showed Whitehorn won by a single vote again, even after 6 new votes were found.

But after that, and examination of the votes found numerous illegal votes had been cast.

Due to the discovery of these illegal votes, the case was taken to court, where former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice E. Joseph Bleich voided the results of the November election. The judge said that with at least 11 votes proven to be illegal, there was no way to know the true results of the November election. In the case, they found two individuals who cast multiple votes, five votes submitted through absentee measures that did not comply with laws, and four votes cast by unqualified voters.

That ruling was appealed all the way up to the Louisiana Supreme Court, and was upheld along the way, hence the new election. That new election will be held on March 23rd, 2024.