HOUSTON -- What was once thought to be Tommy Thomas' race to lose for re-election as Harris County Sheriff became a much more heated campaign on Friday. Three deputies unions bucked tradition and instead of endorsing the Republican incumbent, put their support behind his Democratic opponent.

The Mexican American Sheriff's Organization, the Harris County Deputies Organization and the African American Sheriff's Deputies Association all came together and said they will be supporting Houston City Councilman Adrian Garcia – himself a former lawman – in his bid to unseat Thomas. Combined, the three unions represent the bulk of the deputies that work for the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

“It's also the first time we've endorsed a non-incumbent sheriff,” said Harris County Deputies Organization President Richard Newby.

Thomas has been dogged by scandal in recent months, including accusations that his office unfairly targets critics of the sheriff's office. He has also come under fire for the treatment of suspects and the operation of the county jail.

Thomas also had been ensnared in an e-mail scandal – not much different from the one that forced former Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal to resign – in which members of Thomas' senior staff sent tasteless and racist e-mails.

“We love our jobs, but we just don't like that we can't work for our boss,” said Alberto Rivera, the president of the Mexican American Sheriff's Organization.

One of the final straws for the union members though, was when they asked Thomas and Garcia to talk to their groups to lay out their platforms.

Garcia said yes. Thomas rejected the offer.

“He just said, I don't feel it's necessary that the members know what my position is and they'll vote for me if they want to vote for me,” said Newby.

Union members said too that Thomas has been unwilling to meet with them about the problems in the office.

“For so long we didn't have an open door policy with the sheriff. He would not meet with us,” said James Phillips of the African American Sheriff's Deputy Association.

The deputies are also worried about internal problems, including a staffing shortage and a recently implemented mandatory overtime policy.

“It will be my job to lay out the priorities of the Sheriff's (Office),” said Garcia as he accepted the endorsements.

For his part, Thomas brushed off the endorsements that in the past he had enjoyed.

“Although I would like to have had the endorsement of the union, I am not surprised they endorsed my Democrat opponent, since they have endorsed Democrats in other countywide races,” Thomas said in a statement released Friday afternoon.

“What adds to the viability of Adrian Garcia's candidacy is how weak Tommy Thomas is,” said 11 News political expert Bob Stein.

Thomas' strength though is his incumbency and his campaign coffers.

In his last campaign finance report, he had close to $609,000 in the bank, in comparison to Garcia’s $41,000.