Advertisement NH Primary Source: Cheshire County Sheriff Rivera endorses Buttigieg for president Share Shares Copy Link Copy

(New Hampshire Primary Source is a regular feature of WMUR.com on Thursday mornings, with frequent updates throughout the week.)>> Download the FREE WMUR appSHERIFF ENDORSEMENT. Four-term Cheshire County Sheriff Eli Rivera has endorsed Mayor Pete Buttigieg for president.Rivera early Friday cited Buttigieg’s national service and Medicare For All Who Want It plans and said the South Bend, Indiana, mayor has shown an ability to unite the country and effectively address the mental health care and substance misuse crises. Rivera is the first Democrat to be elected sheriff in Cheshire County since the position became an elected post in 1879. He was elected to his first term in 2012.A veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve and Coast Guard, Rivera is a retired Keene Police lieutenant. “Our country may be in a crisis, but Pete Buttigieg gives me hope. He is bringing people together from every walk of life to solve our most significant challenges with bold new ideas. “When politicians in Washington seem more interested in fighting each other, Pete is uniting us,” Rivera said in a statement.“I’m proud to support Pete Buttigieg for president of the United States. With Pete, we have a chance to unite our country around our shared values and work together to overcome our most significant challenges. I want to look back and remember this election as the time we all came together to heal our country before it was too late.”Rivera has been awarded the Keene Police Chief’s Commendation and the New Hampshire Congressional Police Commendation. He has also been a long-time volunteer with local organizations, including Project Graduation, Keene Kiwanis, Keene Community Kitchen and Special Olympics.Rivera has also served on the Keene School Board and as a member of the New Hampshire Department of Education’s Commission on Higher Education. He currently serves on the Monadnock United Way board of directors and is a member of the New Hampshire Governor’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion.Rivera is making the announcement in an op-ed in the Keene Sentinel. In the op-ed, Rivera points out that he is the only Hispanic sheriff in the state.