Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez, a Democrat, attacked James Talario’s positions on law enforcement and border security in a political ad endorsing Republican Ken Paxton for the Texas U.S. Senate seat.
Sheriff Martinez focused on Talarico’s voting record in the Texas legislature. “Talarico voted against cracking down on cartels,” Martinez stated. “Voted against tougher sentences for human traffickers, and voted to let violent offenders out without bail.”
Texas PAC is up with a new #TXSen ad one week out from Election Day: pic.twitter.com/LX0G5I8feG
— Brad Johnson (@bradj_TX) October 27, 2026
“James Talarico’s liberal crime agenda will make it harder for us to protect you,” Martinez concluded.
Sheriff Martinez was elected to office in 2016. He previously served as chief deputy after retiring from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Brooks County is a critical county in the fight against human smuggling and illegal immigration, despite its location about 80 miles north of the Texas-Mexico border.
The U.S. Border Patrol maintains an interior immigration checkpoint in the middle of the county. Because of this, cartel-connected human smugglers drop off migrants on the ranches south of the checkpoint and tell them to hike to roadways in the northern part of the county. During the process, thousands of migrants died after being abandoned by callous human smugglers.
“For more than a decade, I witnessed the horrific deaths of migrants in our county,” Martinez told Breitbart Texas in a phone interview. “When President Donald Trump shut down the border, the discovery of these bodies or remains fell by more than 90 percent.”
Martinez also endorsed Republican Governor Greg Abbott in his race against Democrat Gina Hinajosa.
"During the border crisis, Governor Abbott supported Texas sheriffs and provided the resources needed to protect our communities," said Sheriff Martinez said in a written statement announcing the endorsement. "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."
“During my tenure as sheriff, not a single Democrat ever walked into my office or called and asked how they could help,” Martinez told Breitbart. “It is only Republicans who showed up, time and time again, to help our county deal with this crisis.”
Martinez told Breitbart he is facing a lot of negative feedback from fellow Democrats over his Republican endorsements.
“My feeling is, I have to do what is right for my county and the needs of my constituents,” he concluded. “Democrat politicians just don’t seem to care about these issues.”
Martinez takes his job of defending Texas and Texans against illegal aliens making their way through Brooks County.
“If they get past me, they’re coming for you,” Martinez said in the ad endorsing Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate.
As Washington's border policy battle continues to play out in front-line rural communities, Sheriff Martinez’s cross-party endorsement underscores the growing rift between local law enforcement and national Democratic platform priorities.
For Sheriff Martinez, defending the residents of Brooks County and ending the horrific human toll along the migration corridor takes precedence over party loyalty—a stance that puts border security firmly at the center of the key battle for the U.S. Senate.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team's associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston's What's Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
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