Stumbo to seek third term
David Stumbo
David Stumbo will seek a third term as 8th Circuit Solicitor, the chief prosecutor for Laurens, Abbeville, Greenwood and Newberry counties.
Stumbo announced his intention to seek re-election in an email Tuesday morning.
“We have come a long way in the past seven years to change the culture of this office and strengthen relationships in the law enforcement community, but there is still much work yet to be done,” he said. “I look forward to leading from the front as your solicitor to help keep your families safe.”
His announcement came 12 days ahead of the opening of the official filing period for candidates in this November’s General Election.
Stumbo was first elected to the post in 2012, defeating incumbent Jerry Peace in the GOP Primary and then winning the General Election.
He said he made a commitment in 2012 to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with law enforcement and fight in the courtrooms of the 8th Circuit.
Stumbo heralded the 2015 creation of a Domestic Violence Task Force, which brought together law enforcement agencies and community partners across the circuit to combat domestic violence. He also said his office has expanded diversion programs for some non-violent offenders in order to create innovative ways of bringing those people “back into the community.”
During his tenure, Stumbo and his staff have prosecuted “more than 40 major crimes, including capital murders, child abuse, domestic violence, DUI, property crimes and other violent criminals.”
In Laurens County, the solicitor’s office scored notable convictions by trial in the 2003 murder of James Bolt at the Laurens VFW Post. Brenda Roberts was convicted of accessory to murder after the fact in 2017. That trial was followed in 2018 by the trial and conviction of A.J. Bowers for murder in the then 15-year-old cold case.
