Big name endorsements shape El Paso County sheriff race in 2024 election

There's going to be a new sheriff in town.

When El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles announced that he was retiring at the end of the year, it opened up a competition to be the next sheriff between five candidates in the Democratic primary and one on the Republican side.

The race features a showdown between local Democrat factions, with candidates emerging from within the top leadership ranks of the Sheriff's Office facing contenders who say it's time for a change.

More: Texas election 2024: Details about primary election in El Paso

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office has had remarkable stability, with only three sheriffs in the last 40 years.

The new sheriff picked by voters this year will be only the second elected sheriff in El Paso County since Leo Samaniego first won in 1984.

After Samaniego died in office in 2007, Samaniego's second-in-command, Jimmy Apodaca, was appointed sheriff for the remainder of Samaniego's term. Wiles, who was formerly the El Paso police chief, has been sheriff since 2009.

Primary Election Day is on Super Tuesday, March 5. Early voting has already begun and runs through March 1.

In the general election on Nov. 5, the winner of the Democratic primary will face retired FBI Special Agent Minerva Torres Shelton, who is running as the only Republican candidate in the sheriff's race.

The Democrat candidates are retired sheriff's Assistant Chief Robert "Bobby" Flores, sheriff's Cmdr. Ryan Urrutia, Constable Oscar Ugarte, retired sheriff's Sgt. Michael P. Gonzales and retired police officer Raul Mendiola.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office is tasked with public safety in the unincorporated areas of the county and running the county jail system made up of the Downtown jail and the Jail Annex on the far East Side. El Paso's sheriff can also be an important voice on law enforcement issues along the Texas-Mexico border.

More: Who's on the ballot? Meet the candidates running in the El Paso 2024 primary election

Big-time endorsements

The divisions in El Paso party politics are noticeable in the sheriff's election this year.

Sheriff Wiles endorsed Urrutia as his successor. Flores has the support of former U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes and what some would describe as some members of the old-school Democrats while Ugarte is promoted by current U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, Beto O'Rourke and others in the "progressive" wing of local Democrats.

Sheriff Wiles endorse Ryan Urrutia

Wiles introduced Urrutia at his election campaign kickoff rally in March 2023, with Wiles warning against voting for someone without experience and saying that Urrutia has the background to be the next sheriff.

Urrutia is commander of the patrol division of the Sheriff's Office and oversees the Emergency Response Team (formerly SWAT), the Crisis Management Team that deals with persons in mental health emergencies and the School Resource Officer (SRO) program that has deputies on school campuses. In the last few years, Urrutia has had an increasingly visible role at the Sheriff's Office.

"Quite frankly, we don't need another district attorney office mess, right? We need experience," Wiles told the crowd at Urrutia's rally, referencing the resignation of former El Paso District Attorney Yvonne Rosales amid allegations of incompetency.

Silvestre Reyes supports Robert 'Bobby' Flores

Flores is also banking on his experience of 33 years in the Sheriff's Office. He retired in July after rising in the ranks from detention officer through various supervisor roles to assistant chief in charge of the Jail Annex.

"I have dedicated my entire adult life to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office," Flores stated in a candidate questionnaire.

The gang-influenced killing of an inmate at the Jail Annex in November is a sign that there's room for improvement at the Sheriff's Office, Flores has said.

A Flores campaign mailer lists support from former Congressman Silvestre Reyes, County Commissioner and former El Paso Police Chief Carlos Leon, former El Paso Mayor John Cook and well-known defense lawyer Joe Spencer.

Beto O'Rourke, Veronica Escobar back Oscar Ugarte

Constable Ugarte has said he wants to bring "a new generation of leadership with fresh perspectives" to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. His proposals include creating a Civilian Social Services Unit to help provide community resources to residents.

Since 2016, Ugarte has been constable for Precinct 1, which covers parts of West, Central and Northeast El Paso. He was previously a Socorro police officer, a court bailiff and a deputy constable.

"It is a crowded race for sheriff," U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar said on an Instagram video for Ugarte's campaign. "I had the privilege of working with Oscar as a constable when I served in county government and have found him to be a thoughtful, progressive law enforcement leader. I am so excited to endorse him and support him and work on his behalf."

Ugarte is also endorsed by O'Rourke, state Reps. Joe Moody and Lina Ortega, and County Commissioner David Stout.

Community campaigns

Gonzales doesn't have big-name endorsements. The retired sheriff's sergeant and current police officer with the El Paso Independent School District is campaigning focusing on community and civic ties, including being a youth baseball and softball coach.

"We have enough resources in El Paso County where we can work together through a 'whole' community approach to make positive change where others have failed to do," Gonzales said on a candidate questionnaire.

Mendiola, a retired El Paso and San Antonio police officer, previously ran for sheriff in 2020, finishing in third place with 10% of the vote. He didn't respond to an El Paso Times questionnaire this year. During his 2020 campaign, Mendiola stated his desire was to serve county residents with "honesty, integrity and dedication."

SB 4 rift forms between Democrat, GOP candidates

There are already differences between the Democrat candidates and Torres Shelton, the lone Republican, over Senate Bill 4, the new Texas law allowing local police to arrest and jail people for crossing the border illegally.

The Democrat candidates for sheriff said that deputies should not be involved in immigration enforcement because it is a federal matter. Deputies are already busy with their regular duties and the new law could put a costly strain on local law enforcement and county jails on the Texas border, they said.

More: Proposed Texas SB 4 law to arrest, deport migrants could impact El Paso jail, community

Torres Shelton in a candidate questionnaire said she favors deputies enforcing SB 4 as long as the law is applied fairly and without discrimination. Torres Shelton was born in California to Mexican field workers and as a young girl lived in Mexico before her family returned to the United States.

Under Senate Bill 4, a magistrate judge could order persons accused of illegally crossing the border to return to Mexico or face prosecution, with possible penalties ranging from a Class A misdemeanor to a second-degree felony.

"I'm running for sheriff of El Paso County with a steadfast commitment to transparency and accountability in law enforcement," Torres Shelton stated. "The sheriff must represent the people's interests without interference from external sources, including elected officials endorsing candidates."

If elected, Torres Shelton would be the first woman sheriff in the history of El Paso County.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso sheriff election: candidates vie to fill Richard Wiles' shoes