CIBOLA COUNTY — Undersheriff Johnny Valdez garnered more than 50 percent of the vote for Cibola County Sheriff in Tuesday’s primary election.

He will become Cibola County’s new sheriff in January as he is unopposed in the upcoming fall general election.

“It was the biggest thing to happen to me since I started my law enforcement career,” the 41-year-old San Rafael resident said. “The voters of Cibola County showed their confidence in me and in return I want to continue the progress that was started seven years ago with Sheriff Lujan.”

“I have no intention of changing staff,” Valdez added. “We have a good crew and just want to continue being accessible to the county.” He noted that he has not selected an undersheriff yet and expects to make that announcement after the general election this fall. “I am still going to be undersheriff for the next six months,” he said.

The sheriff-elect added that running for the position was not a quick decision - he has thought about it for the last four years. Valdez recently took time off as undersheriff, per county policy, and campaigned full force. He said it was good to get out and talk to the people of Cibola County.

Valdez won the primary election with an unofficial count of 1,689 out of 3,255 votes for sheriff, which gave him 51.89 percent. Opponent Steven L. Marquez, a CCSO deputy, received 710 votes for 21.81 percent; former deputy Jimmy Baca received 376 for 11.55 percent; former New Mexico State Police officer Bobby Toler received 303 votes for 9.31 percent; and former CCSO deputy Zeke Gonzales received 177 votes or 5.44 percent.

The passage of the Grants Police Department officer wage increase and the implementation of the consolidated dispatch occurred during Valdez’s campaign. He said that the referendum, recent salary increases and lack of manpower in Grants is scary, because his officers could be enticed to leave the CCSO.

“I just hope that the commission will work with us so we can keep the good officers that we have.” Valdez added that he thinks the commission will work with the CCSO and possibly increase the number of officers because of the expanding number of subdivisions in Cibola.

“Cibola County is going to grow and the sheriff’s department needs to grow as well to accommodate the growth of the county.”

He commented that the consolidated dispatch implementation is going well under the direction of Sheila Grants. “I just hope that other entities will join the dispatch.

“I would like to thank everybody that supported me during this campaign. Once that I am in office, my only promise is that I will do the best job that I can for the people of Cibola County.”

By Ilene Haluska