A friend of mine recently visited from the Midwest and was intrigued by the proliferation of political signs dotting just about every street corner in Brownsville.
He was even more puzzled when i told him that while most of the candidates were local Democrats,a smattering of them whose signs bore the elefantito symbol were Republicans. Since Tony Garza was elected as Cameron County Judge in teh 1980s – the first Republican since Reconstruction – it has been almost necessary to keep a scorecard to tell the difference between the parties.
For example, I told him, three of the sitting Democrats on the Cameroun County Commissioners Court sided with Garza when he ran against Ray Ramon. As a result, Garza pulled off the upset of the centuy. Once in officer, and through good work, Garza easily won reelection and then went ton to bigger and better things such as being the chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission and later, appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico by George W. Bush.But it doesn't stop there, I told him.
Rolando Olvera, a district judge appointed twice before by Texas Gov. Rick Perry (a Republican), to serve out two unfinished terms changed parties after he lost running under the GOP banner. He took a the Democratic pledge before his former political enemies and was elected into office. He was even welcomed to the fold by red-bone Democratic chairman Gilbert Hinojosa.
Still followign this?
How about current county judge Carlos Cascos? The twice-elected county judge rrecently hosted a fundraiser for Cameron County Tax-Assessor Collector Tony Yzaguire (a Democrat). Cascos' race against Democratic standard bearer (supported by Hinojosa) was a nail biter with results delayed for a month before Cascos eked out the win. In between there were dark rumors of late-nigh vote changing, recounts,missing ballots, rediscovered ballots, you name it!
This incongruency led Republican chairman Frank Morris to throw up his hands in despair and shake his head and was heard murmuring that: "Carlos has never forgotten he was once a Democrat."
There is a distinctly different stripe of party affiliation in this neck of the woods, for sure. The slogan to vote for the man (and woman), and not the party, has replaced the call to vote for the "palanca" of the Democrtas. How else can you explain that Filemon Vela, said to be contemplating entering the new congressional district as a Democrat has a wife said to be considering entering the same race as a Republican?
At this my friend also threw up his hands in disbelief.
"Estan todos locos aqui," he said.
5 comments:
You are full of crap if you think that "vote for the man or woman has replaced the palanca" voting. This area controlled by the Democratic Party and Democratic Attorney's. The Democratic Party has given us nothing but corruption and inaction for years. Brownsville is the largest city in the RGV, but is behind in almost every category of economic and eductional development. The only category in which Brownsville leads is ignorance and lack of education. It is a shame, but is our reality. Voters don't look at the candidate, but the party. The corruption here is a reflection on the voters who pull the palanca...because it is easier than thinking. We would hope that having other party candidates would benefit us....but nay....the voters don't want to take the time to learn about candidates....it is easier to practice the idea of "ignorance is bliss".
Party affiliation means nothing around these parts since Gilbert Hinojosa began leading the Democrats as party chair. Even longtime Democratic families supported Republican Carlos Cascos in opposition to the crap that the Democrats have been serving up lately - Ernie Hernandez, Conrado Cantu, Abel Limas.
It is good to see new faces unaffiliated with Gilberto Hinojosa deciding to run as Democrats in this year's Congressional race. Let's throw out the Gilbert Hinojosa trash candidates this election cycle and give disillusioned Democrats a reason to vote blue. It's time to restore integrity to a party that has become a massive disgrace.
Anon of 1/17/12 @ 3:01 PM said,
"...It's time to restore integrity to a party (democrats) that has become a massive disgrace..."
You gonna have to start at the very top with b HUSSEIN Ovomit the FIRST FOOD STAMP PRESIDENT AND THE #1 WELFARE RECIPIENT CLOSET GAY BABY KILLER CATHOLIC HATER ILLEGAL ALIEN PATHOLOGICAL LIAR THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA and work your way down to the local level!!!!!
In fact every democRATA has to go cause they're all RATAS !!!!!
Mr. Editor: the democratic party is all fucked up. Seriously, I believe, we need to start all over. The fucking county judge democrat or republican sell themselves. Cascos hasn't done Jack-shit and niether has the commissioners. Including Ernie Hernandez, puros mudafuckas.
Filemon Vela is running for congress, as a democrat. Rose Vela is running for chief justice of the 13th court of appeals, as a republican.
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