Candidate Suspends Campaign For Johnston County Sheriff

Benson resident Terry Hake Jr. who announced on April 16th he would run as an independent candidate for Johnston County Sheriff in November has suspended his campaign.

Because Hake did not file for office during the filing period this Spring, he was required to gather 4,900 signatures of registered voters in Johnston County to submit to the Board of Elections Office prior to 5pm today (May 8th) to have his name on the November ballot.  Hake said he had 4,200 signatures as of Monday but realized gathering 700 signatures in one day would be unrealistic.

Hake said he contacted Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell and his challenger Bill Burgess on Monday afternoon letting them know he was dropping out of the race.

“I called both candidates and wished them both the best of luck,” Hake told WTSB News on Tuesday. “I told them whoever wins I would like to share my ideas.”

“The sheriff’s office is not about me, it is about the citizens and the safety of their children and themselves. If they want to use my ideas that is great. It is never about politics, it is about being a lawman first.

Hake would not say which candidate he was supporting in the Republican Primary today.  “I ain’t going to say which way I am leaning. It is the people’s choice.”

Even though he was not successful in his bid for Johnston County Sheriff in 2018, Hake said he would be on the ballot in 2022.

Hake said 7 people have approached him about conducting fundraisers. He said he would kick off his first fundraising campaign for the 2022 election in Jan. 2019.

Hake has 28 years in law enforcement. He currently serves as a Captain in the Wake County Sheriff’s Office.

He is married to Kimberly Hake. Terry has an adult daughter Kristyn Hake, 26, who attends N.C. State University; a son, Cody Hake, 24, who is in the Marine Corps Reserves and is seeking his engineering degree. Terry has two step-daughters, Kailey Knight, 17, who will be attending Liberty University next year and Amber Knight, 13, who will be attending West Johnston High next year.  They attend Shiloh Baptist Church.