The sheriff is an idiot since the new sheriff could go after him once in office. That sheriff is probably a crook and could easily find himself in jail.
wrongful termination suit should suffice.
Obviously something is going on down there giving the sitting sheriff lost to this guy by 3 to 1 in the primary....
Pretty much standard practice actually. In our little town Police Dept., one of the road policemen ran against the Chief, and when he lost the Chief demoted him from road cop to dispatch. Was actually the best thing that happened to him as he quit and then secured a better job earning more money.