Dar Leaf, Michigan’s ‘constitutional’ pro-militia sheriff, vies for re-election

Barry county sheriff known for election denialism has fought government overreach' for 20 years. Now he faces a new threat - local opposition

This article was produced as a collaboration between Bolts and the Guardian.

On a sunny afternoon in July, a crowd of roughly 100 gathered to listen to their local sheriff campaign for re-election in south-western Michigan. A self-described constitutional sheriff" with longstanding ties to militia groups, Dar Leaf has made a national name for himself in far-right circles with his fruitless investigation to uncover evidence for Donald Trump's lies that the 2020 election was stolen.