Harris' leadership against Edwards' tax proposals drew the fire of an irate long-term Rapides Parish [[Sheriff]] William Earl Hilton, a Democrat born October 12, 1945, who was reelected with 75 percent of the vote in the 2015 nonpartisan blanket primary against three Republican challengers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns (Rapides Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> Hilton referred to the possibility that ten thousand state prisoners could be released if the cuts required by the recently-approved state should become a reality. Hilton placed responsibility on Harris: "Lance has got it in his craw that this is what we're gonna do, and it's my way or no way. It's my way or the highway." Harris called Hilton's outburst more of "the worst political scare tactics I've seen."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/06/08/fed-up-rapides-sheriff-says-hell-return-state-inmates-if-cuts-come/685005002/|title='Fed up': Rapides sheriff says he'll return state inmates if cuts come|author=Melissa Gregory|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=June 8, 2018|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> | Harris' leadership against Edwards' tax proposals drew the fire of an irate long-term Rapides Parish [[Sheriff]] William Earl Hilton, a Democrat born October 12, 1945, who was reelected with 75 percent of the vote in the 2015 nonpartisan blanket primary against three Republican challengers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns (Rapides Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> Hilton referred to the possibility that ten thousand state prisoners could be released if the cuts required by the recently-approved state should become a reality. Hilton placed responsibility on Harris: "Lance has got it in his craw that this is what we're gonna do, and it's my way or no way. It's my way or the highway." Harris called Hilton's outburst more of "the worst political scare tactics I've seen."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/06/08/fed-up-rapides-sheriff-says-hell-return-state-inmates-if-cuts-come/685005002/|title='Fed up': Rapides sheriff says he'll return state inmates if cuts come|author=Melissa Gregory|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=June 8, 2018|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> |