Kim Stewart will be first openly gay sheriff in New Mexico history
LAS CRUCES Kim Stewart came out as gay in 1989 and has been with her partner, now her wife, for even longer, so she doesnt think often about her sexuality.
I am who I am, she said. Because thats my life, because its been my existence for so many years, its not a big deal to me.
But Stewart, 65, achieved two important historical milestones in her election on Tuesday as Doña Ana Countys next sheriff, so her gender and sexual orientation are once again in the spotlight.
In handily defeating Todd Garrison for sheriff, Stewart will become the first openly gay sheriff in the history of New Mexico. She will also be the first woman sheriff in Doña Ana County history. All previous 32 sheriffs since 1854 have been men.
She will replace Sheriff Enrique Kiki Vigil, who served one term and lost in the Democratic primary.
Stewart, who was winning Tuesdays general election by an 8 percent margin, laughed off the historical nature of her victory.
To me, its a head-scratcher, she said Wednesday. I dont know what to do with it. I dont know if its a big deal. Does it inform how I do the law? Not really. It doesnt inform my attitudes about policing other than that I believe that people deserve equal levels of protection and service.
https://www.abqjournal.com/1244465/kim-stewart-will-be-first-openly-gay-sheriff-in-nm-history.html