We had a chance to visit the Chalupa (Mexican lottery) campaign fundraiser by Yolanda Begum after the drubbing that the Dallas Cowboys gave the Buffalo Bills.
From the outset, it was obvious that this well-attended event was drawing a rather well-heeled, edcuated cross-section of the Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 2 electorate.
There was no rabble rousing, nor beer keg in the corner like in most pachangas, and the attendees were kept busy placing bottle caps or beans on top of the lottery characters picked by the card caller. A friend in attendance said this event was probably reembled most closely the cultural makeup of local residents. All the generations were present there. From little girls to septuagenarians (or older) bent studiously over their chalupa cards hoping for a shot at one of the prizes. And, at the same table we were seated, none other than Judge Laura Betancourt and Cameron County DA Maria DeFord vied for the prizes with Juan Carlo Torre, and all three got a chance to yell "Yolanda" to claim a prize. We, unfortunately, didn't.
But what made this cross-section of the electorate interesting is that just one table away was sitting Cameron Park community leader and activist Gloria Moreno with friends of her from the colonia.
In a sense, it was a mix of business, government and community leaders that congregated at the VICC Restaurant to attend this affair. Having been involved in many campaigns in the past, I know how difficult it is to gather such a diverse group in support of a candidate. You either pull one faction or another, but rarely can you get a diversity of the people at any one event. In fact, many campaigns design their appeals to attract – at any one time – one group or another.
We also understand that Cameron County Pct. 2 Commissioner Ernie Hernandez, the father of Erin Hernandez Garcia, has been making overtures at Moreno and her followers in Cameron Park and offering whatever services he can muster through the county. Apparently, Ernie has been rebuffed by the colonia residents who ask why he's being to generous now, and not before his daughter announced for office against Begum.
But Ernie and Erin might find that convincing colonia residents that she is a better candidate might not be as easy as they might have thought.
Moreno and the others remember that Begum had been teaching painting to kids of their community as far back as 2007, and appreciate her efforts to help them.
At the time, she spent 10 weeks supervising classes and at the end, at least five of the the students' painting fetched as much as $100.
"Ernie can call all he wants," said a colonia resident. "But one can't forget the good actions that Begum did did for our kids here. Buena con el nopal, Ernie. Al nopal lo van a ver, nomás cuando tiene tunas."
8 comments:
Go Yolanda!!
Cameron park doesn't vote!!! Ha ha ha! Anyone who has been involved in a campaign in Brownsville knows that!
I am sure that the Texas Ethics Commission On Judiciary will be pleased to know that Judge Betancourt is endorsing a political candidate with her participation at such event.
OMG! this lady is an even bigger idiot than I initially thought when she was first introduced to me. The back of her pushcard is a one-liner. It is a joke. Then she goes on to have a gramatical mistake on top of that!!! I have seen Javier Hernandez, Erin Garcia and Raul Lopez's cards. At least their cards have some substance.
The candidate who courts Cameron Park could be rewarded. Not sure how many voters are there, but they are eaaliy swayed by simple efforts to involve them and activate them.
lol and Erin was the campaign treasurer for John Villareal. Something tells me Betancourt doensn't give a shit what Hernandez thinks
The Hernandez can't contain their jealousy, they have attacked all the Begum's Supporters, now it is poor Laura Betancourt for attending a function of someone she knows. Shame on you Erin, and Ernie and Nasty Norma. You are beyond words. Your nasty game of intimidation will backfire at the end. And ask Ernie why is he suddenly asking people to donate for Cameron Park, maybe he wants his daughter to go and give out what other people donated. You don't full anybody mister.
There are no latin people in cameron park only fake ones who pretend to have culture. The votes will come from people trying to prove their ethnicities and not putting the focus on what the canidate has to offer. Don't ask the children raised in cameron park they are too busy being spoiled greedy children.
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