Press "Enter" to skip to content

Roorda ups ante in JeffCo executive race on heels of Revis win

Former state Rep. Jeff Roorda is hoping the tide may be turning in Jefferson County after a formerly red seat in the county went blue.


Democratic candidate Mike Revis won an upset victory in a deep red House Seat in District 97 in northwest Jefferson County. The seat had been in Republican hands for seven years and was won by Donald Trump by 28 points in 2016.

Jeff Roorda upped the ante in his bid to become the next county executive in Jefferson County, donating an additional $10,000 to his previous $25,000. His likely general election opponent, Dennis Gannon, also placed $30,000 of his own funds into his campaign. 

Roorda told the Missouri Times that he was prepared to use all of the money that he made from the sales of his popular book “The War On Police” to win the race.

“I won’t be out-spent, I won’t be out-worked, and I won’t be out-done in the media,” Roorda said.

Roorda has gained a national spotlight multiple times as police spokesman defending law enforcement since Ferguson in his capacity as business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers Association. Roorda is a regular on CNN and Fox News Network while maintaining a consistent presence on local media. 

Roorda said Gannon is a serious candidate with a respectable résumé, but that he won’t underestimate him.

“I’m not going to play any opponent cheap,” Roorda said. “I raised nearly $1 million in my state senate race and I’ll put up similarly impressive numbers this time. But I like my chances. Voters in Jefferson County came back to the middle last night, which is right where to find me politically. I’d rather be the guy in this race with the political momentum, the fundraising track record, and the unlimited access to free media than the other guy.”

Gannon is a political newcomer, but has received the full endorsement of former state Rep. John McCaherty, who lent his support to Gannon upon exiting the race.