Sheriff Ed Gonzalez (D) and former candidate for Sheriff, Joe Danna (R), differ on fundamental issues about tackling the job, but they share something in common.
They both believe that a third candidate for the office, someone still in the race, Mike Knox (R), should be disqualified because of a new Texas law requiring Sheriff candidates to hold “an active permanent peace officer license”.
Knox currently holds that qualification but did not when he signed up to run and officially became a candidate.
“I know of at least six counties that contacted me trying to figure this out,” Donna Davidson, an attorney working on behalf of the GOP, said.
Both Danna and Gonzalez have expressed their concern to KPRC 2 Investigates about the situation.
“If you really look at it, he isn’t even supposed to be on the ballot,” Sheriff Gonzalez said Thursday during an interview with KPRC 2.
We reached out to The Secretary of State’s Office in Austin, they are familiar with the issue, but as of yet, have not released a statement about the matter.
Knox believes it to be a non-issue, but said that there is another law on the books, in the occupation code, that appears to conflict with the new requirement.
“Okay, look, the party accepted my application. There are things that you have to do to verify that you can do that,” Knox said.
The new law has yet to be tested in the courts.
