Following primaries win, Stewart will face off against Garrison for D.A.C. sheriff

Following a primaries win that took many by surprise, democratic nominee for Doña Ana County sheriff Kim Stewart told ABC-7 she’s ready to face off against former sheriff Todd Garrison.

“Oh, I’m looking forward to it,” Stewart said. “I am very excited about that.”

“I think I was a little surprised at the outcome,” Garrison told ABC-7. “I kind of thought that the sheriff might do a little better than he did.

Incumbent Sheriff Kiki Vigil came in third in the democratic primary, behind his former undersheriff, Eddie Lerma, and Stewart, who ended the night in first place.

“It’s been a historical win for the county: Doña Ana and also the state of New Mexico,” Vigil told ABC-7 on election night, before his defeat. “Because of the high turnout of voters.”

Stewart is a retired law enforcement officer from California, having achieved the position of district attorney investigator in Ventura County. After moving to Las Cruces, Stewart told ABC-7 she performed federal investigations on contract, ultimately working in internal affairs in Doña Ana County. A judge ruled that she was wrongfully terminated from DASO, awarding her $1.2 million in a whistleblower suit.

“I persisted because at the end of the day, when you’re an investigator, the only thing you really have is your name and your word,” Stewart said.

“I wish her luck and I look forward to a great, clean race,” Garrison told ABC-7.

Garrison is a former two-term sheriff Doña Ana County, having termed out in 2014. He was first appointed sheriff when Juan Hernandez stepped down due to health issues in 2005 and successfully won re-election twice. According to the sheriff’s office, the highlights of Garrison’s time in office include expanding the DWI program, prosecuting a Mesilla triple homicide suspect and arresting the suspect accused of murdering Katie Sepich.

“I look forward, to the opportunity, if I do win this race to get into the sheriff’s office again,” Garrison told ABC-7. “The most important thing is to work on the relationships with officers in the department, to try and get the best officers here on the street for the people we’re here to serve.”

“I am overwhelmed,” Stewart said. “I am so appreciate to the voters who came out and supported my vision of how we can go forward with a true partnership between law enforcement in the community… what was past is probably best left there.”