Friday, August 8, 2014

IS WRITE-IN BREWING IN PCT. 3 CONSTABLE RACE?


By Juan Montoya
The last three years have been a roller coaster for Robert Lopez.
In 2011, the Cameron County Commissioners Court decided to eliminate two constable positions. One of them was Pct. 4, which covered Rio Hondo and Arroyo City.
The commissioners consolidated it with Pct. 3, a huge precinct stretching across the middle of the county.
The reduction left Lopez and Pct. 7 Constable Cesar Diaz without the benefit of incumbency if they chose to run for the new consolidated precincts.
Lopez, in fact, did run. 
But realizing that his Rio Hondo and Arroyo City constituency could not compare numerically with Joe Cavazos' in Precinct 3 in San Benito, he decided to run as a Republican in November 2012 and took on Cavazos after the incumbent there had defeated Frank Robles earlier that year in the Democratic Party primary.
In November, Cavazos beat Lopez 7,289 to 4,126 votes in the general election.
Following his defeat, Lopez was hired by Pct. 2 Constable Abelardo Gomez and became a familiar face as he worked security at the entrance to the Cameron County Courthouse's Judicial Wing.
The term of office for Texas constables is four years. However, when vacancies arise, the commissioner’s court of the respective county has the authority to appoint a replacement to serve out the remaining term.
Unexpectedly, Cavazos died January 26, 2014, and his son Rolando Cavazos was appointed by the commissioners court to fill his unexpired term ending January 1, 2015.
Since Cavazos death came after the deadline to file for the Democratic primary on March 4 this year, Rolando Cavazos was not on the Democratic ballot in March.
According to the Texas Election Code, it is then up to the precinct chairs in the Precinct 3 Constable's jurisdiction to vote and decide who will appear on the November ballot.
This past Wednesday, constable Cavazos was handed an unpleasant surprise. After six voting precinct chairs interviewed the potential candidates, instead of opting to give him the nod, they chose Lopez, his father's Republican opponent in November 2012. During the voting to choose their candidate, there was a bit of partisanship demonstrated by Democratic Party Cameron County Clerk-elect Sylvia Garza Perez when she berated some of those present because she had seen a car with a Carlos Cascos bumper sticker. Cascos is the Republican county judge incumbent who will face current county clerk Joe Rivera in November.
The intra-party jockeying didn't stop there.
If there is no candidate certified by the Republican Party by the 71-day deadline (August 25), the Democratic party nominee is a shoo-in.
Cavazos looked at that option, but, alas, he had voted in the Democratic primary and was ineligible to run as a Republican candidate in November.
Now, Precinct 3 is a combined JP and Constable Precinct stretching from the Laguna Atascosa area in the northeast to to the banks of the Rio Grande in the southeast corner, including, coincidentally, the old Cavazos ranch along Military Highway. In fact, it cover all of  San Benito, Rio Hondo, Arroyo City, Lozano, La Paloma, El Ranchito, Treasure Hills, the Rangerville area and surrounding areas. 
Now, still smarting from the snub by the precinct chairs given him Wednesday, Cavazos is said to be considering running as a write-in candidate in November, a long shot by any measure, although some aren't so sure .
Will he or won't he?
Given the roller-coaster ride that Lopez has endured these past three years, this may be yet another hurdle he may have to face before he can assume a victory in November.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Robert Lopez is both honest and a good man... hope he wins big....

Former law enforcement officer said...

There is six idiots on those precinct chairs to pick Robert Lopez? They obviously did not do their homework and look into Robert Lopez' past? Robert Lopez is a wife beater and had a very bad divorce which involved the CCSO and the CCDA. But, I guess no one bothered to bring that up or look into it? Robert Lopez hasn't change and continues to have a dark cloud over his head. That's why the very suspicious Abel Gomez hired him. Abel Gomez knows that he can trust Robert Lopez to do questionable things and be a spy at the same time in the courthouse. Now, he will lead the CC Constable Pct. 3 office? Watch out CC! Another possible corruption case in the works!

Anonymous said...

That's a good candidate for Garcia Cambodia. Lots of luck!

Anonymous said...

Robert Lopez TIENE termites.

Anonymous said...

Lopez is going to lose to a write in candidate, POR checo y PENDEJO.

Anonymous said...

Sylvia Garza Perez was lobbying for Robert Lopez to the percent chairs that she appointed when she was the head of the party. Robert Lopez pushed for her when she was running for County Clerk. The quid pro quo…the other votes for Lopez were secured by Cindy Hinojosa, Gilbert's wife. These people have no shame and think the people are stupid. We will fight hard to get a write in candidate elected. The people have already rejected Robert Lopez because they know exactly how he is….corrupt, just like the people he is in bed with…..Sylvia Perez Garza, Gilberto Hinojosa, Joe Rivera…etc,etc

Anonymous said...

The voters have rejected Lopez twice before. They will reject him again. San Benito will speak loud and clear in November Robert. You and you gang of thieves will be outed.

Anonymous said...

Robert Lopez has never been accused of being a smart man. He is going around telling anyone that will listen that he will fire all staff that went against him in his 2012 loss. The man is an idiot in bed with the worst C.C. has to offer.

Anonymous said...

Nobody in the RGV has ever been "accused" of being smart. What I find picante about your statement is that Mexicans find being called smart an "accusation", as though it were a bad thing.

Anonymous said...

Let's keep Pct. 3 Constable Roland Cavazos! He is a great man with his father's integrity!

Anonymous said...

if you want to run with a party's nomination, you better make good with the people's elected voices for the that party --the pct chairs

Anonymous said...

The pct chairs are the people's elected reps. to the party, although i am shocked at their choice it is theirs to make. Oh yes let me be clear on this appointed pct chairs cannot vote

Anonymous said...

DON'T FORGET WHY HE WAS LET GO FROM SABLE PALMS ADULT CARE IN HARLINGEN...WATCHING PORN ON COMPANY TIME ON THEIR COMPUTERS!!!! LOOK INTO THAT......

Anonymous said...

Of course they can vote. Cite where it indicates otherwise.

Anonymous said...

Robert lopez was and still is a shame to the Law Enforcement field. When he served under d worst mierda who became Sheriff Conrado Cantu. Lopez was also streaching his hand on the hand outs just like Romaldo Rodriguez Aka Mierda 2 all dum asses and idiots of an admnistration. The worst era of the Sheriff Dep ever. Thats why he got hired with d other idiot Gomes because they are of the same shameless Clan who don't care for the citizens but their personal gains. Anyone that will vote for Lopez is either Stupid, Ignorants or have no shame and are thinking of the favors they are going to get from Lopez. Wake up pendejos piojosos.

Anonymous said...

Robert is no different than any other human being...he is not "lilly white". If you noticed, no body has accused him of not doing his job as a peace officer. What about Cavazos' problems when he worked for the Sheriff's dept? Puro bitch, bitch. Good luck to both candidates.

Anonymous said...

THE PCT CHAIRS ARE ALL APPOINTED HACKS OF SYLVIA PEREZ GARZA AND GILBERTO HINOJOSA......THAT IS THE TRUTH!

Anonymous said...

THE PCT CHAIRS ARE ALL APPOINTED HACKS OF SYLVIA PEREZ GARZA AND GILBERTO HINOJOSA......THAT IS THE TRUTH!

Anonymous said...

Everybody who is in public office is a wife beater, corrupt, or a womanizer. He must have beat his wife pretty damn hard, cause she still looks like shit. on a serous note..Rolando..you are No Joe Cavazos...you got the position .due to his name. you will never be like your father..he as an honorable man, and by the company you keep, you show exactly who you are..Look at your family, where they're at. your father wouldn't abandon his family...try as you may, you will never be elected as a write-in candidate...Robert has Political Savy something you don't have, and he'll be next constable...like it or not!

chief cool arrow said...

Otro rata de hinojosa rite gilberto?

Anonymous said...

Rolando Cavazos is a loser...Do not compare him to his dad! Por pendejo he was not able to get the nomination. Let's keep Rolando Cavazos out of public office...he is an embarrassment to the people he serves.

Anonymous said...

If they appointed pct chairs cannot vote? What the hell can they do? That doesn't make any sense!

Anonymous said...

Well well how you call the kettle black. Roland Cavazos was fired from the District Attorney's office for missing dope. He was then fired from the Sheriff Dept. for having a girl in the back seat. He was then caught in his dad's office with a female by the county janitor. Oh did I mention he had a messy divorce? I think neither candidates are worth beans!!

Anonymous said...

Joe Cavazos was a legend for Law Enforcement. His son Roland will never measure up to his dad. He too busy working at Walmart and is never at his office. He still lives in Brownsville and pretends he lives with his mother in San Benito. If you need to find the Constable or need him, Call Walmart at 956-350-2022 they will transfer the call to him.

Anonymous said...

I CONCUR!

Maria Garcia said...

Let me start off by saying how very disappointed I am with the way this nomination was handled by all the democratic chairs. I have to honestly say that I am ashamed to be a Democrat. Then you nominate Robert Lopez? What a political move that was. Instead of letting Mr. Cavazos finish out his father's term you nominate his opponent a wife beater? ? Shame on you!! But what goes around comes around always remember that.

Anonymous said...

Any one remember that show L.A. Law, and the autistic character Benny? Damn if Lopez isn't his twin. Separated at birth? Lopez isn't even as smart as Benny.

Anonymous said...

Hey Roland at least help your family with all that money from Walmart!!! Don't abandon them like you do your Constable office you stupid jerk!!

Former county employee said...

Robert Lopez and Rolando Cavazos have not business being Constable! Lets hope someone with honesty and integrity runs for that position! But if I had to chose between the two evils, IT sure as hell wouldn't be Robert Lopez! Lopez has more skeletons in his closet than Cavazos! Nothing wrong with being a womanizer but being a wife beater like Lopez, hell no!

RGV Watch Dog said...

Someone sounds upset! Why so mad?. I think you need a laxative :)

Anonymous said...

Former county employee said... "Nothing wrong with being a womanizer...."

It's people thinking like this being elected to office and holding city and county jobs, is the reason The Valley is so fucked up.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm this post makes me wonder who wrote it, he never abandoned his family but I think you know that!

Anonymous said...

No one is comparing Rolando with his father, Joe was definitely one of a kind and he worked hard to gain the respect of the people. But the people have spoken and twice have they voted against Robert Lopez!! To think that the Democratic party would nominate someone who has flip flopped back and forth between the two for his own gain is ridiculous!!! And not even like that could he win! What happened to keeping a true Democrat?! Wonder what Ryan Wolfe has to say about that questionable vote by the Democratic Party....

Anonymous said...

No one can be compared to Joe Cavazos, and Rolando is not trying to compete with who his father was. The only thing Joe wanted was to finish his term, a term the people voted him for. When he knew his time on this earth was coming to an end his last wish was for Rolando to finish out what he had started. I know he knew that it would be difficult but he had the faith in his son to get the job done!! So did the Commissioners Court, they would not have appointed him otherwise. So what if he also works at Wal-mart? Is it against some kind of law for a Constable to have more than one job? Rolando is a good person, a good father and a good Constable! He had big shoes to fill and he is doing his best to run his office a smooth as possible!!!! As for Robert Lopez? I think SNAKE just about covers it!!!!

Anonymous said...

BTW only 4 Democratic chairs voted in that nomination, not 6!!!!

Anonymous said...

You must be on his payroll to be talking trash like that!!

RGV Watch Dog said...

Robert Lopez is just a steaming pile of dog shit with pieces of corn as eyes. He is a two faced backstabbing ass kissing piece of crap.

Anonymous said...

Rolando Cavazos was also a wife beater. Look into it, he was charged with domestic violence but he worked for DA at the time and talked his dumb ass wife into dropping the charges. He lost nomination on his own.

Anonymous said...

Why has'nt anyone checked into robert lopez past of domestic abuse allegedly filed with harlingen police department, what are people afraid to find out if anything at all. this man has no business in politics or law enforcement if he can't abide by the laws he was sworn in to follow and to protect.

rita