THE POLITICAL CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN; MASSO TO RUN, WHERE ARE THE CLOWNS?

By Juan Montoya
The battle to get on the City of Brownsville City Commission was joined in full force this Sunday with rallies at Lincoln Park for mayoral
candidate Erasmo Castro and District 2 city commissioner Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa at her husband's Car Wash Plus on Paredes Line Road.
Prominent among the sparse crowd at Castro's bash was former Justice of the Peace Erin Garcia Hernandez, Carlos Masso sporting a "Carlos Masso for District Attorney 2016" logo on his shirt, and Erasmo's sister Linda sporting her new hairdon't.
Tetrau's rally, coordinated for two hours later, was slightly better attended and included Masso, the Castros, and Cameron County Clerk Sylvia Garza-
Perez, among others.
Cameron County D.A. Luis saenz was not present at either rally, and neither was Martinez at the Tetreau bash.
With commissioner Rick Longoria as the MC, the crowd was treated to good old political soapbox rhetoric when Rick introduced Masso as "our next district attorney."
Masso, as you'll remember, was barely beat out by incumbent Saenz
for DA.
Castro faces three possible contenders including (as far as we know) Mayor Tony Martinez, former mayor Pat Ahumada, possibly former PUB chairman Robert Sanchez, and – some say – current commissioner Rose Gowen who might enter the fray at the last second as a Martinez proxy.
Former commissioner William Garza is also in the fray and, given the current batch of candidates, stands a fair chance of making a good showing.
Also lurking in the weeds is the possibility of a challenge to Castro's candidacy from the other candidates' supporters who say the deferred adjudication of his felony conviction for forgery was illegal and that he is ineligible to run.
The intrigue and the glitz of  a political race before the May election – and in Masso's case the 2016 Democratic primary – is already in full swing. It is doubtful that with the Lincoln Park debacle fresh in people's minds, Martinez will be able to swamp his opponents without a runoff like he did four years ago.
Tetreau is facing a stiff challenge from candidate Sergio Zarate. She was a write-in candidate last time around whe she beat unpopular Charlie Atkinson.
Now in the main ring of this three-ring circus...