Monday, June 9, 2014

WHO'LL FILL POWER VACCUM IN CAMERON COUNTY?


By Juan Montoya
District Judge Elia Cornejo-Lopez saw it. So did Democratic Party State Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa.
It was a power vacuum the size of a Florida sinkhole.
When the Democrats lost the county judge's seat in 2010, the only power house in southeast Cameron County was the Ernie-Norma Hernandez vote-harvesting machine with its minions of politiqueras hustling mail-in votes and hauling in the elderly from day-cares and nursing homes.
When the state and federal governments' indictments put a chilling effect on those endeavors, there was a yawning vacuum waiting for someone to step in and fill it.
Elia saw it ad  moved, determined to seize contr
ol through proxy candidates like Gloria Rncones for the 357th District Court, Dolores Zarate at County Court-at-Law #3 and through her husband Leo at Cameron County commissioner for Pct. 2, Ernie's old spot.
But there were other contenders to fill tat vacuum and and in stepped a cabal of Cameron County Clerk Joe Rivera and Sylvia Perez-Garza. The latter had announced for county clerk until Hinojosa stepped in, patched things up between her and Joe, and convinced her to run for Joe's position and Rivera to run for county judge.
So far, it has worked.
Perez-Garza won the runoff for county clerk against Eddei Lucio (Jr,. and III) protege and Rivera eked out a win against Ruben Peña. And Hinojosa,who was miffed by incumbent Republican county judge Carlos Cascos eight years ago and then again in John Wood's bid for judge in 2010, now sees a chance to vindicate his chairmanship through a take-no-prisoners face-off in November in the general election.,
Make no mistake, this will be a no-holds barred fight to the bitter end.
Will Rivera's 36 years of county service overwhelm Cascos's relatively uncontroversial eight-year tenure?
Or will Cascos seek to paint Rivera with the Hinojosa brush of compardismo and patronage that he dis so well and so effectively against Gilbert eight years ago?
Already, the Perez-Garza is keeping her grassroots tendrils watered and – like most Democratic office holders – prepping for the final bout.
The election is just a little over four months from now, but the ad mavens are hard at work targeting their respective targets.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

This Fall's general election is likely to one of the nasty elections in our history....just because Gilberto Hinojosa's ego and pride are at stake. We will see politiquera's everywhere....old folks homes and day care centers. We will see the Dumbokrats access the BISD internet system to provide propaganda to teachers and staff...the largest employer in Cameron County. We will see Gilberto out "priming the pump" for the election and he will call in all favors to get Joe Rivera elected. Poor Joe is just a pawn....and unless he stops his eating and drinking he may not make it to November.....he and Cameron County Commission Sanchez fill a room with just the two of them. Joe has kept quiet about corruption in the Democratic Party for 38 years and this fall his campaign is likely to be the most corrupt and fraudulent of any in those 38 years. By accepting votes by fraud, Joe becomes part of the corruption and should he win, he will be a puppet for Hinojosa. Poor Joe!

Anonymous said...

Elia Conejo Lopez and her hubby "Lito" have been very quiet since they lost the run-off election. We did see them one night a Friendship of Women fundraiser at TSC....each was busy stuffing their fat faces with the buffet there. There is little doubt that Elia will throw her considerable bulk to support Gilberto Hinojosa and Joe Rivera in the general elections. Elia has proven that she is comfortable in the political world where she uses her "position" to influence voters. She and "Lito" went negative at the end of the campaign...just like Gilberto would do....and he probably influenced Elia's management of her "hubby's" campaign. We will never support any campaign or candidate backed by Elia in the future. She is no better than the worst of our Democratic Party members who have corrupted our local political process. Someone should write a letter to the TEC about her unethical practices.

Anonymous said...

My vote is for carlos cascos. There is no way I would vote for 2 rat like riveria

Anonymous said...

Who will win? No brainer. The one with the most of the money. It's not about issues, etc. It is about the Money you Fools..

Former county employee said...

I'm voting for Carlos Cascos and it has nothing to do with party lines! I'm voting for him because he does watch the dollar for this county! Yes, he may have faults but their faults that party lines do not like!

Anonymous said...

http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/government-employee-salaries/brownsville-isd/

Bad apples everywhere!

Anonymous said...

the lucio's told their close friends to vote for arnold. if you think they went all at it, you are sadly mistaken. ask arnold. he is upset that they didn't do more to pull votes his way.

Anonymous said...

Lies..n.more lies...on the contrary. He is thankful for their support. .you must not forget ..This was Arnolds first run at politics. .we think he did damm..good aganist..The political machine...don't you??

Anonymous said...

Our friends and family are with carlos cascos...He is a good man with values ...and morals..

Anonymous said...

Either the Lucio's don't have as much political influence as they think; they whispered Arnold's name to their friends; or they have few friends. Arnold was opposed by Gilberto Hinojosa...so where does the political power reside in the Dumbokratic Party?

Anonymous said...

Certainly not in one man ..or a machine. !! The citizens will vote for the person not for a party....we are tired of corruption. .time to put dinosaurs. In a museum. ..

Anonymous said...

I would NOT vote for Joe Rivera even if they paid me. He is an over exposed person that has done NOTHING for the community he lives in.
I am not a republican (or a democrat for that matter) but I will vote for anyone that runs against Mr. Rivera anytime.

Anonymous said...

Arnold probably would have won if he didnt have Letty Perez helping him. Just to start off she cost him most of county clerks office employees votes. And thanks to that she is on her way out to early retirment and all the employees are very happy about that....they got an early xmas present. (Except for a couple mensas that were sniffing lettys ass y ahora andan con la cola entre las patas???)

Anonymous said...

In politics the candidate that wins is the one that has the most money.

Anonymous said...

NO TO RIVERA/HINOJOTO
YES TO CARLOS CASCOS

Anonymous said...

Yes. Charles Cascos watches the dollar. His dollar.

Anonymous said...

Will the real Naco please stand. Nacolandia awaits you.

Anonymous said...

The Tea Party by acclamation endorses Charles Cascos.

Anonymous said...

Look, just vote for the lesser of two evils. That is how to vote in elections.

rita