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submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Sheriff Ruben Nolasco won re-election despite pressure from victims’ families to step down and a Justice Department report finding ‘cascading’ failures among the law enforcement response that day

For nearly two years, a Texas county sheriff has refused to step down after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in 2022.

Instead, on Super Tuesday, Uvalde County sheriff Ruben Nolasco faced voters for the first time in the wake of the massacre.

And he won re-election with roughly 39 per cent of votes against three Republican challengers, according to preliminary results.

The sheriff has repeatedly rebuffed calls to resign or withdraw his candidacy for re-election despite overwhelming public pressure from victims’ families, demands that he face criminal charges, and a federal investigation that detailed a minute-by-minute timeline exposing “cascading” failures in the law enforcement response that day.

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[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 104 points 9 months ago

It's the Republican primary, not the general election

And 39% for the incumbent in a primary is far from a decisive win

He probably won't win the general.

[-] Cosmonauticus@lemmy.world 114 points 9 months ago

That's still an embarrassing amount of ppl wanting an incompetent failure running the sheriff department

[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 38 points 9 months ago

Only if you forget the sample is republican primary voters...

Hell, it's probably less votes than trump got. When even trump voters are turning him down, he ain't gonna win the general.

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[-] derf82@lemmy.world 35 points 9 months ago

Nope, in a rural Texas county, the Republican primary is for all intents and purposes the general.

[-] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago

Remember how soon after the massacre, Uvalde county overwhelmingly voted to re-elect Abbot?

These people don't care about their own children

[-] prole@sh.itjust.works 14 points 9 months ago

The parents of the actual children cared enough to campaign against them... But as for the rest of the voters: it isn't their kids.

America is the world capital of "rugged individualism," and it's basically Texas' whole schtick. These people don't give a shit until it happens to them. Like directly to them.

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[-] Son_of_dad@lemmy.world 88 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I've said it before, Uvalde had a chance to bring about change and they immediately voted Abbott back in and their community reelected the same sheriffs and judges who did nothing while their kids died. After a point my sympathy is used to for these people, if they don't care about their own kids and community, why should I?

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 28 points 9 months ago

Republicans have repeatedly proven that dead kids are a price they’re willing to pay if it means they don’t have to elect a democrat.

Every school shooting ever is proof of that. They want to keep that barrier against gun control in place at any price.

[-] wahming@monyet.cc 16 points 9 months ago

The guy won against 3 other republican contenders, so it's not even about party politics

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

That’s just sad.

[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 5 points 9 months ago

He only got the plurality vote though l, so it's likely the contenders split the vote against him.

[-] stoly@lemmy.world 22 points 9 months ago

Yep. This is why I stopped feeling sorry for people in red states.

[-] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago

The victims of Republican policies deserve no sympathy because they committed the sin of being outnumbered?

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[-] piskertariot@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

As a Canadian who lives in Alberta, this pains me.

I despise our provincial government. I vote in every election. I reach out to my electors who I disagree with. And it doesn't matter because a bunch of old "got mine" boomers rich on oil money, keep voting in their shitty friends who are looting the public in plain view.

Why don't I move? Because the whole fucking world seems to be going this way, and the housing market is insane.

[-] stoly@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

This is also why it’s worth living in a place like Vancouver or San Francisco. Yes it’s expensive but you’re safe and will be respected by the people around you.

[-] Custoslibera@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago

It’s infuriating.

How can you live in that community and be happy with this as an outcome?

Zero accountability for anyone with the blood of literal children on their hands but I’m sure they’ll go after the corrupting influence of ‘woke’ Democrats.

[-] harderian729@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Texans are some of the most delusional people on the planet.

Once you realize this, a lot of their behaviors start to make sense.

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[-] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 74 points 9 months ago

There's just no fucking hope for these people. I have no words

[-] harderian729@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Yes, there is no helping Texans at this point.

The only solution is to leave and let them implode on their own.

[-] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 64 points 9 months ago

If we could just declare schoolchildren to be embryos, Republicans might consider their lives to have value and be worth protecting.

[-] troglodytis@lemmy.world 30 points 9 months ago

Nope.

In Alabama, as soon as the Republicans realized their craziness impacted their own lives, changing the rules became the top priority of the state. They are doing a perfect job of showing us they could do their jobs super efficiently, but have zero desire to.

Also, their workaround will protect the businesses and the doctors, but not the patients.

Cruelty to the 'others' is the point.

[-] callouscomic@lemm.ee 48 points 9 months ago

Why are positions like Sheriff and Coroner elected? Shouldn't they be appointed/hired based on ACTUAL FUCKING QUALIFICATIONS and experience?

[-] Crashumbc@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago

Because they are left over from the 1800's and people are too stupid to fix it.

[-] gmtom@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

Not stupid, just they know they can use the shitty system to their advantage.

[-] Ajen@sh.itjust.works 14 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

It makes them independent of the mayor, who appoints the police chief and is effectively in control of the police department (if the chief doesn't cooperate with them they'll appoint a new one). The mayor is just as likely to be corrupt as the sheriff, so having 2 separate law enforcement agencies that are able to investigate each other seems like a good idea. In an ideal situation they'd keep each other honest.

Checks and balances...

[-] Buffaloaf@lemmy.world 11 points 9 months ago

Same with coroner. Let's say you have a corrupt mayor and corrupt police department that would really like it if the coroner reported some deaths to be suicide or of natural causes.

But when everyone is in the same political party and colluding anyways, it doesn't really work.

[-] EdibleFriend@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

How do coroner run anyways? Like...what are their platforms?

I promise to provide accurate information about the cause of death.

Yeah, me too.

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

They rarely run opposed. But if they do I assume it’s based on qualifications or local trust.

[-] jeremyparker@programming.dev 2 points 9 months ago

Interestingly, basically no one has any checks on sheriffs. We can "vote them out" but that's extremely difficult, and sheriffs can interfere with they're competitors with no consequences.

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[-] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 5 points 9 months ago

Many counties the sheriff is the primary elected official. They are generally the local executive, outside of cities that are largely enough to need a more formal government.

[-] Iamdanno@lemmynsfw.com 23 points 9 months ago

Stupid is as stupid does.

[-] Pistcow@lemm.ee 18 points 9 months ago

The most Texan thing ever.

[-] TokenBoomer@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago
[-] DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 5 points 9 months ago

What happens when a system that only works with an educated, engaged, and intellectually honest population starts attacking education, engagement, and honesty?

Good things, surely.

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[-] BigMacHole@lemm.ee 14 points 9 months ago

Republicans care about kids SO MUCH that they'll HAPPILY REELECT someone who allowed 19 Schoolchildren to be GUNNED DOWN!

[-] circuitfarmer@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago
[-] TheJims@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

Always Mess with Texas

Please Tread on me

[-] Daft_ish@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I heard his campaign slogan was, "Make Fargo Real."

[-] Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

Conservatives gotta conserve.

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this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2024
528 points (97.7% liked)

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