Challenger concedes in race for sheriff

Retired officer, who was wounded in line of duty, has no plans to run again

The Republican who challenged Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III conceded the race Wednesday.

Lou Golson, the challenger, lost by about 10 percentage points.

“It is what it is,” Golson said. “Life goes on. And so am I.”

Golson said he has no plans to run for office in the future.

Golson is a retired Albuquerque police officer who was shot in the line of duty in 2015. He campaigned on a promise to equip sheriff’s deputies with on-body cameras, saying the devices increase transparency and accountability.

Gonzales has been reluctant to use the technology and said he has other priorities, including hiring more deputies and improving technology for the Sheriff’s Office.

Gonzales said Tuesday night that he was committed to trying to drive down crime rates throughout the county.

Gonzales was appointed sheriff by the Bernalillo County Commission in 2009. He lost the position in 2010 before being elected in 2014.