Val Verde County Sheriff Says He Did Not Endorse Governor Abbott
Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez says he did not endorse Gov. Greg Abbott and never authorized anyone to use his name on an endorsement list.
Photo: Val Verde County
DEL RIO, Texas – Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez says he did not endorse Gov. Greg Abbott. In a statement dated Oct. 20, Martinez said he never authorized anyone to use his name as an endorsement.
He was responding to a KTSM El Paso report titled “Texas Sheriffs Endorse Greg Abbott.” Martinez said the report was making the rounds through text messages and news outlets.
Support for border help is not an endorsement
Martinez said he appreciates the governor’s logistical help and the border law enforcement resources sent to Val Verde County, and he has said so publicly. But he called that “entirely distinct from a political endorsement.”
He said he told the sheriff who submitted the endorsement that he could not back Abbott. Martinez pointed to the people he serves, a mix of Democrats and Republicans. He also said no one from the governor’s office ever contacted him about an endorsement.
“My primary duty and sole commitment as Sheriff are the safety, security, and well-being of every resident in Val Verde County,” Martinez wrote.
He said he will keep working with state officials so his deputies have the tools they need. He also urged Del Rio and Val Verde County residents to vote in the upcoming election.
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