Full Breakdown
Texas Sheriff Denies Unauthorized Endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
A screenshot posted on Facebook shows Sheriff Martin Cuellar asserting that his name was falsely used to endorse Governor Greg Abbott. The post, shared by Cuellar, states that the governor had endorsed “Tano my brother’s opponent,” referring to the campaign of Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar, who is seeking Texas’s 28th House district seat. In the same period, an official named Martinez issued a statement denying any endorsement of Abbott and clarifying that no contact was made by the governor’s office.
Background & Context
Sheriff Martin Cuellar is the brother of Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democratic congressman running for a state House seat. The alleged endorsement emerged amid the campaign, prompting concerns about the misuse of law-enforcement officials’ names in political messaging.
Official Statements & Responses
Martinez emphasized that no political endorsement of Governor Abbott had been issued and that no authorization was given for the use of the sheriff’s name. The statement also noted that the sheriff who submitted the alleged endorsement was informed that an endorsement could not be made. Additionally, Sheriff Montes’s office, contacted by Border Report, confirmed that Montes is not endorsing any candidate at this time.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Please remove my name from this for the Governor Abbott. This is Sheriff Martin Cuellar. The governor endorsed Tano my brother’s opponent,” — Sheriff Martin Cuellar
- “I want to make it unequivocally clear that I have not issued a political endorsement of Governor Greg Abbott, and I did not authorize anyone to use my name as an endorsement,” — Martinez
These statements collectively illustrate the dispute over alleged political endorsements and the officials’ efforts to clarify that no formal support for Governor Abbott was granted.