Javier Salazar is seeking a third term as sheriff of Bexar County and faces an opponent backed by Abbott

BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Read the latest election and political headlines on the Vote 2024 page.

Democratic incumbent Javier Salazar is seeking his third term as sheriff of Bexar County, though he faces opposition from a Republican opponent who boasts the support of Gov. Greg Abbott.

Salazar officially sought re-election in July 2023.

“I just felt like I could have the best impact on my community, not just on my community, but on this region (and) this state, by staying here for four more years as sheriff of Bexar County,” he said in an interview after the July ceremony.

On the other side of the race is Abbott-backed Nathan Buchanan, a former Bexar County sheriff’s deputy and Castle Hills police officer.

Buchanan ran unsuccessfully for Bexar County judge in 2022 and for constable in 2016 and 2020, respectively.

Buchanan received the support of the governor of Texas in late September he said he was “truly grateful” and “honored” by the approval.

In a letter announcing his support for Buchanan, Abbott called out Salazar’s attempt to “score political points.”

Nearly a month prior to the announcement, Salazar drew the ire of some South Texas sheriffs for comments made during the announcement Democratic National Convention in August. Salazar called former President Donald Trump a “selfish man” who is not helping law enforcement officials in Texas.

Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown said in a post on a personal Facebook page on Aug. 22 that he “completely” disagreed with Salazar’s comments.

“WE, the real sheriffs of Texas, know the truth and are not blinded by the Democratic b***t,” the message reads.

Salazar has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and the U.S. Senate candidate Colin Allred in their respective races.

Salazar took a swipe at Buchanan’s relatively short-term law enforcement experience in an appearance on the KSAT Q&A.

During a later KSAT Q&A experience, Buchanan said it was “not true” and cited his service as a peace officer in Texas since 2008 and his experience as a small business owner as part of his qualifications.

Buchanan held off two challengers with a combined 64 years of law enforcement experience in the March Republican primary, winning 55% of the vote and avoiding a runoff.

Both challengers had tenure with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

Meanwhile, Salazar defeated his challenger, Sharon Rodriguez, by nearly 42% in the Democratic primary in March. Rodriguez worked at BCSO and the Hollywood Park Police Department.

Every candidate will hire an agency that will taking advantage of Bexar County’s $2.8 billion budget.

Buchanan’s priorities

Buchanan called property and violent crime a pressing problem in an interview with the San Antonio Report.

In September, Bexar County The number of murders was higher than that of the previous two yearsBCSO said. Salazar told reporters at a news conference that there had been 15 homicides in 2024, one more than in 2023 and 2022.

Buchanan said that as sheriff he would “assess the need for currently existing units” and ensure BCSO’s patrol division is adequately staffed to provide maximum protection against criminal opportunities.

A topic of discussion for both candidates during their respective KSAT Q&A appearances was the presence of the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua (TDA) in San Antonio.

Buchanan pointed to a more “boots on the ground” approach to dealing with TDA.

“I want to break up a lot of these specialized units that he has so we can put more deputies on the street,” Buchanan said.

Another issue that Buchanan said needs clarity is staffing and turnover, both at BCSO and the Bexar County Jail. He cited issues with high turnover and morale among prison staff as a priority.

To solve this problem, Buchanan plans to “invert the pyramid” to ensure that suggestions for jail improvements made by rank-and-file staff are addressed by administrators, starting with the sheriff, he said:

Buchanan also said he would address overtime payouts and review the application process for potential sheriff’s deputies.

On the topic of prison overcrowding, Buchanan expressed interest in alternative measures to incarceration – specifically conversion programs and recidivism through community reentry.

“I want to take a closer look at restorative justice alternatives for first-time offenders charged with non-violent crimes,” he told the San Antonio Report.

During the summer the prison experienced backlogs and delays in the release of prisoners due to the installation of a new computer system.

He also addressed the incarceration of mentally ill inmates, even calling for Bexar County to pay for other facilities to house inmates.

“The county pays other detention centers a small fortune to hold Bexar County inmates, and this has to stop. Bexar County is responsible for the care and incarceration of inmates,” he said.

Salazar called the practice “the new normal,” although he was unsure when asked if the county would ever support building a new jail, something Buchanan has suggested he would support as sheriff.

“I’m more in favor of making better use of the space we have,” Salazar said.

Salazar’s priorities

In his interview with the San Antonio Report, Salazar cited domestic violence as the number one problem, followed by gun/drug crimes and violent crimes.

Salazar praised BCSO’s Special Victims Unit, which he created to investigate domestic violence cases. A navigation hotline was also created to ensure those affected by domestic violence have access to resources.

When asked how he would address overcrowding and the growing number of mentally ill prisoners, Salazar points to advocacy.

“While I cannot force the state to build any more mental health or rehabilitation beds, I continually advocate that more needs to be done,” he told the San Antonio Report.

Salazar further cites “systemic failures” outside the prison that have led to some inmates being housed in facilities in other counties to prevent overcrowding.

Due to capacity issues experienced earlier this year, BCSO began housing approximately 120 to 150 inmates at a time between jails in Burnet and Kerr counties. Although Salazar said this was the first time BCSO had housed inmates in its administration, the agency said it had happened before.

Another topic Salazar speaks out about is immigration. In June 2022, Salazar wrote a letter to President Joe Biden calling for more resources to address the problems Tragedy of migrant migrant workerswhich cost 53 lives.

The letter then criticizes Abbott’s portrayal of the humanitarian crisis as “some kind of enemy invasion.”

Early voting started on October 21st and runs until November 1st. Election day is Tuesday, November 5.

The San Antonio Report contributed to this reporting.

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