Jerry McDermott
{{short description|High Sheriff of Norfolk County, Massachusetts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jerry McDermott
| image = Jerry McDermott in December 2018.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2018
| office1 = Sheriff of Norfolk County, Massachusetts
| term_start1 = December 24, 2018
| term_end1 = January 6, 2021
| predecessor1 = Michael G. Bellotti
| successor1 = Patrick W. McDermott
|appointed1 = Charlie Baker
| office2 = Chief of Staff of the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance, Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
| term_start2 = March 2018
| term_end2 = March 2019
| predecessor2 = David Abdoo
| successor2 = Matthew Cocciardi
| office3 = Member of the
Boston City Council
from the 9th District
| term_start3 = 2002
| term_end3 = 2008
| predecessor3 = Brian Honan
| successor3 = Mark Ciommo
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts
| birthname =
| nationality =
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| residence = Westwood, Massachusetts
| party = Republican (2013-present)
Democratic (until 2010)
| profession = Politician
| education = University of Massachusetts Boston
| religion =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Jerome P. “Jerry” McDermott is an American politician who served as the 22nd High Sheriff of Norfolk County from 2018 through 2021, as well as a member of the Boston City Council from 2002 through 2008.
He was appointed sheriff by Governor Baker in December 2018 after the resignation of Michael G. Bellotti, but failed in his 2020 attempt to win election to a full term.
Early life
McDermott grew up in the Allston-Brighton region of Boston, where he was involved in groups such as the Ward 22 Democratic Committee and the Oak Square YMCA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=138065|title=Our Campaigns - Candidate - Jerry McDermott|access-date=January 19, 2019}}
Political career
=Early career=
McDermott's career began as a legislative aide to Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II, and subsequently Boston City Council President Bruce Bolling.
=Boston City Council=
McDermott served on the Boston City Council. He also served as the executive director of South Shore Habitat for Humanity.
In 2006, as a councilor, McDermott proposed that the Boston Citgo sign be removed in response to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's insults toward U.S. President George W. Bush. McDermott also suggested draping an American flag or Boston Red Sox banner over the sign until Chávez was out of office. McDermott was the Chairman of the Post Audit & Oversight Committee when he called for transparency and hearings on a controversial land deal between the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and the Islamic Society of Boston (ISB). Councilor McDermott is probably best remembered for his advocacy for school children in the wake of the Archdiocese of Boston's Clergy Sexual Abuse scandal and the aftermath that caused schools to be closed.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}
=Subsequent politics=
While serving on the city council, McDermott had been a registered as a Democrat, but unenrolled from the party in 2010. He registered as a Republican in 2013.
McDermott served as State Director for Senator Scott Brown and worked in community relations and economic development for Eversource. In March 2018 he was appointed as chief of staff in the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance in the administration of Governor Charlie Baker.
=Sheriff of Norfolk County=
McDermott was appointed sheriff of Norfolk County, Massachusetts by Governor Baker in December 2018 after the resignation of Michael G. Bellotti. He ran for a full term in a November 2020 special election, and was defeated by Patrick McDermott (no relation) by 60%-40%.{{Cite web|title=2020 MA Sheriff Norfolk Election Results - The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/elections/2020/massachusetts/sheriff/norfolk/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=BostonGlobe.com|language=en-US}} Massachusetts Majority PAC, a Super PAC with close ties to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, had spent $167,148 on his behalf. This made him the biggest beneficiary of the super PAC's spending.{{Cite web|first=Bruce|last=Mohl|date=2020-10-28|title=Baker PAC spends more backing GOP candidates|url=https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/baker-pac-spends-more-backing-gop-candidates/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=CommonWealth Magazine|language=en-US}}
Personal life
McDermott lives in Westwood, Massachusetts.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
|title=2022 Republican primary election for Sheriff of Norfolk County{{cite web | url=https://electionstats.state.ma.us/elections/view/140072/| title=PD43+ » 2020 Norfolk County Sheriff Republican Primary }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party=Republican Party (United States)
|candidate=Jerry P. McDermott
|votes=24,412
|percentage=98.0}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 490
|percentage = 2.0}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes=24,902
|percentage=100.0}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 General election for Sheriff of Norfolk County{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-massachusetts.html |title=Massachusetts Election Results 2022 - The New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=2022-11-08 |access-date=2023-03-01}}{{cite web | url=https://www.masslive.com/politics/2022/11/2022-massachusetts-election-see-all-race-results.html | title=2022 Massachusetts election: See all race results | date=8 November 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://electionstats.state.ma.us/elections/view/140825/| title=PD43+ » 2020 Norfolk County Sheriff General Election}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party=Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate=Patrick W. McDermott
|votes=225,092
|percentage=60.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party=Republican Party (United States)
|candidate=Jerry P. McDermott
|votes=146,714
|percentage=39.4}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 580
|percentage = 0.2}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes=372,386
|percentage=100.0}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist| refs=
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{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDermott, Jerry}}
Category:People from Westwood, Massachusetts
Category:High sheriffs of Norfolk County
Category:Boston City Council members
Category:Massachusetts Republicans
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:University of Massachusetts Boston alumni
{{Massachusetts-politician-stub}}