Abbott Rolls Out Democratic Sheriffs on Day One of Early Voting. By Midday, the Campaign's List Went From 12 to 11

Gov. Greg Abbott opened the first day of early voting Monday by touting support from across the aisle: Democratic sheriffs from the South Texas and West Texas border regions.

By midday, the count had changed. The Texas Tribune and Hoodline reported a list of 12 Democratic sheriffs, including Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar, and both quoted Abbott as saying he was honored by the support of "these 12 Democrat sheriffs." The announcement now posted on Abbott’s campaign website names 11 sheriffs, says "11 Democrat sheriffs" in the governor’s quote, and does not include Cuellar. The page’s metadata shows it was published at 9:09 a.m. Central and last updated at 11:45 a.m.

Dock Line found no public explanation from the campaign for the change.

Who is on the list

The 11 sheriffs on the campaign’s current list are:

Brewster County Sheriff Ronnie Dodson; Brooks County Sheriff Urbino "Benny" Martinez; 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; Zapata County Sheriff Ramon Montes; and Zavala County Sheriff Eusevio Salinas.

The Tribune noted that most of these counties are largely Hispanic, that Latino voters swung to the right in the 2024 election and that Democrats have tried to win them back this cycle.

"During the border crisis, Governor Abbott supported Texas sheriffs and provided the resources needed to protect our communities. He worked alongside local law enforcement as we faced unprecedented challenges along the border. Governor Abbott had our backs when we needed him, and I am proud to support his re-election." — Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez, in the campaign’s announcement

Abbott’s own statement said sheriffs "are on the front lines every day, upholding the rule of law and keeping our communities safe," and that their oath is "a commitment to protect every Texan, regardless of political party." The campaign site also lists the Texas Border Sheriff’s Association among the groups endorsing him.

The name that came off

Cuellar, a five-term sheriff and the brother of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, was charged in a federal indictment unsealed in January. Prosecutors accuse him and two of his deputies of running a for-profit disinfecting business, Disinfect Pro Master, during the COVID-19 pandemic using county staff and supplies, according to the Texas Tribune. U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said the business secured a $500,000 contract to clean schools in Laredo and that the three men each came away with about $175,000.

Cuellar pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Eric Reed, told the Tribune at the time that the sheriff "did not know and was not involved." A former assistant chief, Ricardo Rodriguez, previously pleaded guilty. In August, the trial of Cuellar and former assistant chief Alejandro Gutierrez was pushed from October 2026 to February 2027 on an unopposed motion, KGNS reported.

An indictment is an accusation, not a verdict, and Cuellar is presumed innocent. But a campaign that runs on the rule of law is wise to be careful about whose names it puts beside its own. If that is why the list changed, it was the right call. Voters would still be well served by hearing it said plainly.

Why it matters in this race

The Tribune described the race against Democrat Gina Hinojosa as the most competitive re-election bid of Abbott’s career, according to public polling. Dock Line has covered how tight the governor’s race has become.

Abbott has made law enforcement support a centerpiece of his campaign. He has pointed to tougher bail laws, more state money for law enforcement and his border crackdown, while casting Hinojosa as "soft on crime" with a "dangerous public safety record" from her time in the Texas House, the Tribune reported.

Hinojosa answered last month with an ad featuring officers who say, "Abbott loves law enforcement on camera — off camera, we are on our own." According to the Tribune, the ad also cites Abbott’s threat in April to cut nearly $200 million in public safety money from Texas cities over their cooperation with federal immigration officers.

For sheriffs in border counties, a public endorsement across party lines is not nothing. They answer to the same voters every four years, and they have stepped out of their own party’s line on the first day of voting. That says something about how the border years were lived in those counties, whatever one thinks of the governor.

If you are voting

Early voting runs through Oct. 30, and Election Day is Nov. 3. Before you go, read our guide to the Texas voting rules you need to know, including which photo IDs are accepted.