# A Democratic Texas Border Sheriff Appears in a Pro-Paxton Ad: 'If They Get Past Me, They're Coming for You'

Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez says Democrat James Talarico voted against tougher penalties for cartels and traffickers. He also endorsed Gov. Greg Abbott. A Texas PAC released the ad, and the votes are Martinez's description.

- Section: [Border & Security](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/border-security/)
- Published: 2026-11-02
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/democrat-brooks-county-sheriff-benny-martinez-pro-paxton-ad-talarico-cartels-traffickers-bail-breitbart/

A Democratic sheriff in South Texas is campaigning against his own party's Senate nominee, Breitbart Texas reports.

The ad. Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez, a Democrat, backs Republican Ken Paxton for the Senate in a spot attacking James Talarico's record on law enforcement and the border. "Talarico voted against cracking down on cartels," Martinez says. "Voted against tougher sentences for human traffickers, and voted to let violent offenders out without bail." He ends: "James Talarico's liberal crime agenda will make it harder for us to protect you. If they get past me, they're coming for you." Breitbart embeds an Oct. 27 post from a reporter saying a Texas PAC released the ad a week before Election Day, so the spot is a week old, but Breitbart is highlighting it now.

His record. Martinez was elected sheriff in 2016 and was previously chief deputy after retiring from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Brooks County sits about 80 miles north of the border and holds a Border Patrol interior checkpoint. Smugglers drop migrants south of it and send them on foot through ranchland, and Breitbart says thousands have died along that route. Martinez says discoveries of bodies or remains fell by more than 90 percent after President Trump "shut down the border."

Abbott too. Martinez also endorsed Gov. Greg Abbott over Democrat Gina Hinojosa. "During my tenure as sheriff, not a single Democrat ever walked into my office or called and asked how they could help," he told Breitbart, adding that fellow Democrats have sent him negative feedback. "I have to do what is right for my county and the needs of my constituents."

What to keep in mind. The votes Martinez describes are his characterization, and Breitbart does not cite specific bills or give a Talarico response. We have not checked them. The 90 percent figure is Martinez's own. The embedded post attributes the ad to a Texas PAC, and the piece is by a Breitbart Texas editor.

## Source

Original reporting: [Breitbart Texas](https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/11/02/democrat-texas-border-sheriff-bashes-talarico-in-pro-paxton-ad/)