Election 2024: Salazar dominates as early votes are counted in primary election

SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar has taken an early lead with about 74% of early votes in the Democratic primary election as he seeks reelection to a third term. 

Salazar is going up against a familiar name in his reelection bid for Bexar County sheriff as Sharon Rodriguez vies for the Democratic nomination after a previous unsuccessful campaign in 2020.

Rodriguez has fallen far behind as early votes are being reported, sitting at about 25%.

Rodriguez is Salazar’s only opponent on the Democratic ballot this year. Four years ago, there were four other Democrats vying for votes, which allowed Salazar to coast to the nomination without a runoff.

Meanwhile, on the Republican ballot, Nathan Buchanan, Victor A. Mendoza and Dennis Casillas are squaring off for the nomination. Buchanan leads the Republican primary race early, with 55% of the early-vote ballots. 

A candidate must accrue at least 50% of the vote on Tuesday in order to avoid the May 28 runoff.

The sheriff heads up the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, and is the head law enforcement officer in the county. Salazar has served in the role since January 2017, having previously worked with the San Antonio Police Department for 23 years. He touts increased accountability and fortified public trust as priorities.

Rodriguez has never held public office but says on her website that she would prioritize the creation of “an improved and more transparent vetting process for leadership positions within the agency,” adding the sheriff’s office also needs to improve its working conditions for deputies and staff. Rodriguez has experience in law enforcement, previously serving with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Hollywood Park Police Department.

Buchanan previously mounted an unsuccessful campaign for Bexar County judge, the seat ultimately won by Peter Sakai. A small business owner and Texas peace officer, he says via his website that he would prioritize the rights of the individual over government.

Mendoza, a VIA transit police officer and former detention officer at the Bexar County Jail, says his main priorities would be modernizing policing tactics; eliminating budget inefficiencies; and improving the morale and working conditions of those working in the county jail. Mendoza claims over 27 years of experience in law enforcement, previously serving with BCSO and SAPD park police.

A likely frontrunner in Tuesday’s primary, Dennis Casillas, says if he’s elected, he would focus on safeguarding schools; ensuring the jail is properly staffed; and addressing the community’s mental health issues. Casillas has 37 years of experience in law enforcement and has been an outspoken critic of Sheriff Salazar, saying “the citizens of Bexar County need a Sheriff who’s a public servant, not a media celebrity.”

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