Governor Greg Abbott announced Monday that he has picked up endorsements from a dozen Democratic sheriffs spanning South Texas and the border region, a list that includes a lawman currently facing federal fraud charges. The endorsements cover sheriffs from Brooks, Brewster, Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Presidio, Val Verde, Webb, Zapata and Zavala counties.
Abbott's campaign said the governor was honored by the show of bipartisan support. “I am honored to have the support of these 12 Democrat sheriffs,” Abbott said in a statement posted to his campaign website. As KTSM 9 News first reported, the dozen sheriffs join the governor's coalition heading into his reelection push.
The list, published by the campaign, names Brooks County Sheriff Urbino “Benny” Martinez, Brewster County Sheriff Ronnie Dodson, Culberson County Sheriff Oscar E. Carillo, Dimmit County Sheriff Chris Castaneda, Duval County Sheriff Romeo Ramirez, Jim Hogg County Sheriff Erasmo “Kiko” Alarcon Jr., Kenedy County Sheriff Ramon Salinas III, Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez, Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez, Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar, Zapata County Sheriff Ramon Montes and Zavala County Sheriff Eusevio Salinas — all identified by the campaign as Democrats.
Abbott Frames Endorsements Around Border Security and Public Safety
In his statement, Abbott praised the sheriffs' role in day-to-day law enforcement. “Texas sheriffs are on the front lines every day, upholding the rule of law and keeping our communities safe,” the governor said, according to the campaign's release. He added that the sheriffs' oath commits them to protect every Texan regardless of political party, and said he and the sheriffs would continue working to keep Texans safe, support law enforcement officers and keep violent criminals behind bars.
Martinez, the Brooks County sheriff, offered his own rationale for crossing party lines to back the governor. “During the border crisis, Governor Abbott supported Texas sheriffs and provided the resources needed to protect our communities,” Martinez said in the statement carried on gregabbott.com. The campaign did not publish comparable statements from the other eleven sheriffs on the list.
One Endorser Is Fighting a Federal Indictment
Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar's name on the list stands out given his separate legal troubles. Cuellar appeared before a federal judge for allegedly using public funds to run a for-profit disinfecting business during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Texas Tribune. He has pleaded not guilty and was released on bond, the Tribune reported.
Federal prosecutors allege that Cuellar, along with another defendant identified as Gutierrez and former assistant chief Ricardo Rodriguez, used Webb County Sheriff's Office staff and resources to operate the disinfecting business, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas. The indictment does not appear to have altered Cuellar's standing on Abbott's endorsement list.
Part of a Broader Law Enforcement Push
The Democratic sheriffs' endorsements come amid a wider effort by Abbott to court law enforcement support ahead of his reelection bid. Earlier this month, the governor hosted a roundtable in Tyler with a little over 20 other law enforcement officers from surrounding counties, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph. That gathering was billed as a chance to discuss local needs and how Abbott plans to address them if reelected.
Abbott has also leaned on endorsements from statewide law enforcement organizations. The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas joined other groups in backing the governor for reelection, with CLEAT Executive Director Robert Leonard saying the organization's 28,000 members appreciate Abbott's leadership, according to the campaign's own release. Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn joined Abbott at that earlier endorsement event.
KTSM reported that it had reached out to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office for comment on the latest round of endorsements. It is not clear whether all 12 sheriffs on the list are seeking reelection themselves or whether their endorsements of Abbott were coordinated as a joint announcement.
