ASHEVILLE - Citing a leftward shift and anti-law enforcement stance he finds troubling, Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan says he has officially left the Democratic Party, registering as "unaffiliated."

Duncan, 54, has been sheriff for 12 years and is retiring at the end of November. He said part of his decision to not run again came down to the party he's been a member of most of his life shifting too far to the left.

"If I had to get down to the crux of the issue, there's just an anti-law enforcement sentiment in the Democratic Party right now," Duncan said. "For somebody who works in the profession, I think a lot of it is based on a false narrative — not that there’s not wrongs to be righted and issues that happen that need to be corrected with law enforcement — but it’s almost like everybody gets painted with that same brush, even though they’re trying their best to do a good job for the community."

Duncan said it's "very demoralizing" for local police officers to work under those conditions.

"I just didn't want to be part of that — didn't want my name attached to that," Duncan said.

A new sheriff will be elected in November and take office Dec. 3. The candidates are Democrat Quentin Miller, Republican Shad Higgins and Libertarian Tracey DeBruhl.

Duncan, who said he registered as a Democrat when he became old enough to vote, said he will make not endorse a candidate, as he does not want "to pre-load" the transition with potential conflict.

RELATED: Boyle column: Will Van Duncan really leave the Democratic Party?

MORE: Buncombe sheriff Q&A: Each candidate explains why he is most qualified

Buncombe County Democrats respond

Jeff Rose, chairman of the Buncombe County Democratic Party, said Friday he was sad to hear of Duncan's move, but he also believes Duncan is conflating national events and stories with the local party, which has not seen an extreme leftward shift. It's "unfortunate," Rose said, that Duncan "is using that as a gauge of where we are locally."

"A lot of people involved in the party here are the same people who were working to elect him and have been very proud to have him as our sheriff the last 12 years," Rose said. "I just have not seen that real hard leftward push that he mentioned in the local Democratic party here. We’re the same Democratic party we have been.”

Duncan specifically cited as a final straw for him the comments this week from former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder who said, in reference to hardball Republican tactics, "When they go low, we kick them. That’s what this new Democratic Party is about."

That was too "over the top" for him, Duncan said. He understands the local Democratic Party may be upset with him, but Duncan feels it's the party who's drifted too far from his ideals.

See also: Buncombe Sheriff Van Duncan to retire after 3 terms

Duncan prefers moderate candidates

"To the people in the party who supported me, I understand some of them are upset with me and feel I have turned my back on the party," Duncan said. "But I’ll be honest with you — I feel like it’s more the case that the party has driven to a point so far left I can't, as a person responsible for community safety, just as the next sheriff will be, I just can’t agree with the party anymore."

Duncan said his shift is "not in any way an endorsement of the negativity of the right," either. He has in the past voted for some Republicans, and he will continue to judge candidates on their individual merit, voting his conscience rather than party affiliation.

He's looking for candidates who "speak with some calm" and "have somewhat of a moderate platform," and are willing to listen to both sides and be inclusive, Duncan said.

“I don’t expect we’re ever going to always agree in politics," Duncan said. "But the person I’m looking to vote for will be the person who sets back and listens to all sides and comes across with a reasonable response, not one that’s designed to invoke anger on the other side. I don’t ever see myself voting for that kind of politician.”

Rose said he is sad to see Duncan leave the party, but he doesn't think it will be a major blow for local Democrats, which maintain strong majorities on Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, as well as holding local state house offices.

See also: Lawsuit in inmate death alleges 'wanton, reckless disregard' for safety

The local Democratic Party is not running socialists for office, Rose maintains, nor taking a militant anti-police stance. Some policing reforms make sense, but the Democrats locally are not espousing extremist suggestions, he said.

"I really don’t see that," Rose said. "I think what happens is people look at everyone on 'the left,' and they kind of look at that and say, 'That's all of the Democratic Party.' There are groups that are left of the Democratic Party that express anti-law enforcement (ideas), but it's really not the Democratic Party locally that talks about that."