Pamerleau makes history as first female elected sheriff

Republican Sheriff candidate Susan Parmerleau talks with a supporter at the GOP Election watch party Tuesday evening. Republican Sheriff candidate Susan Parmerleau talks with a supporter at the GOP Election watch party Tuesday evening. Photo: Robin Jerstad/For The Express-Ne Photo: Robin Jerstad/For The Express-Ne Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Pamerleau makes history as first female elected sheriff 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

The nasty fight for Bexar County sheriff came to a history-making conclusion Tuesday night as Republican Susan Pamerleau defeated incumbent Democratic Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz to become the first woman ever elected to that position.

To applause, cheers and cries of “there's a new sheriff in town,” Pamerleau cut the first piece of her “Susan for Sheriff” cake, decorated in red, white and blue icing.

“We couldn't have done this without a great team,” Pamerleau said during a speech at the GOP headquarters before her opponent conceded the race. “My first priority is all the deputies, detention officers, civilians and their families in the Sheriff's Office. We're going to make sure they have the resources to do the job they need to do.”

More Information How Bexar County voted Interactive map: See how each precinct voted for Bexar County Sheriff.

Earlier in the evening before the vote totals started rolling in, Pamerleau downplayed the significance of her potential win and any worries that she might face sexist attitudes.

“Let me put it this way: I entered the Air Force when only 1.5 percent of Air Force were women. Been there, done that. Besides, this isn't about being a woman,” she said. “This is about getting a job done and focusing on a mission.”

Pamerleau built a significant 10-point lead in the early vote, which accounted for 74 percent of the overall vote, making it significantly harder for Ortiz to mount an Election Day comeback. He conceded the race by 10:30 p.m.



“I respect what the voters have to allow. They have spoken, and this is a democratic country,” Ortiz said, accusing his challenger of running a dirty campaign.

The Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated parts of Bexar County and runs the county jail, which is the single largest item in the county budget.

Ortiz spent most of the fall campaign on the defensive, besieged by bad headlines — the deaths of two police dogs, which critics charged could have been prevented; the ongoing staffing crisis at the jail, which he blamed on budget cuts mandated by Commissioners Court; and reports that he was using county resources to bolster his campaign, which District Attorney Susan Reed has asked the Texas Rangers to investigate.

And on top of all that, Ortiz had to contend with a well-funded Republican challenger in Pamerleau, who pounded the sheriff in news conferences and television ads, alleging that problems at the office were endangering public safety.

Ortiz responded by claiming that Pamerleau — a retired Air Force general and former USAA executive who has never worked in law enforcement — lacks the experience to be a successful sheriff, that she was exaggerating the problems at the Sheriff's Office and that her proposals were vague.

nhicks@express-news.net

Twitter: @ndhapple