AT SAENZ'S D.A. CANDIDACY ANNOUNCEMENT, UNEASY FELLOWS

By Juan Montoya
By all accounts, the fete to announce the reelection campaign for Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz was well attended Thursday night.
Virtually anyone who is anyone in county politics was there. So was a considerable contingent of the members of the local bar.
That stands to reason. After all, local attorneys have to work with Saenz and his assistants at the DA's Office.

But what made some uneasy was the presence of his former investigator Victor Cortez and Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio.
Why?
Cortez resigned from the DA's office because he was going to run for Lucio's position over at the sheriff's department. Before he left, Saenz was seen escorting him around the county and introducing him to politically-connected people who could help him beat Lucio.
A good politician – as both Saenz and  Lucio are – can mingle with his supporters and adversaries as fish in water. But given the hurly-burly of Cameron County politics, how long can this feigned friendliness last?