BENDING OVER BACKWARDS FOR CAMERON COUNTY GOP

By Juan Montoya
The Cameron County Commissioners Court on Tuesday decided to open up a period of nominations for someone to temporarily succeed outgoing Precinct No. 5 Constable Cesar Rene Diaz, who announced he would resign to become the new chief of La Feria.
Diaz was beaten by Democrat Eddie Solis in the Democratic Party primary who will face Republican Don Duncan in the November general election.

In most other counties, a Democratic-controlled commissioners court would not hesitate to name the winner of the Democratic primary to fill Diaz's position until the November election.
After all, of the 6,458 votes cast for Pct. 5 constable in the Democratic primary, Solis got 3,263.
On the other hand, Duncan got all of the 2,182 votes cast by Republican voters in that party's primary.
I now part way with the diplomatic tip-toeing being performed by the commissioners in this specific race. This is very different from the write-in candidacies of both Democrats and republicans for the position of Tax Assessor-Collector to replace Democrat winner Tony Yzaguirre in case of his conviction on numerous charges having to do with potential crimes committed in his office.
That race has become a nonpartisan race with Democrats and Republicans lining up to participate in forums to find a strong candidate  set up by Tad Hasse, a Republican.
This is altogether different.
No one sees Duncan beating Solis in November. That result is almost inevitable. Yet, the court decided that they didn't want to give Solis the "advantage of incumbency" over Duncan in November.
The commissioners voted unanimously to solicit applications until 5 p.m. on July 8 from Precinct No. 5 residents. Pct. 2 commissioner Alex Dominguez told the local daily that any resident in the precinct is welcome to apply but that it’s highly unlikely either Solis or Duncan would be considered.
“The intent was, whoever the appointee is, it’s not to give any particular candidate a political advantage in the upcoming general election,” he said.

Well, isn't that sporting of Mr. Dominguez?

Since when have the Republicans anywhere given the courtesy to a Democrat that is being afforded Mr. Duncan?

And if the opposite was true, that the county was Republican controlled, would they extend the same courtesy to a Democrat?

I really doubt it.

So let's stop playing nice. 

Politics is a battle where the contenders use every means short of criminal acts (although sometimes the border become blurred) to achieve their ends. Look at the national level. Republicans have stopped the president from appointing a Supreme Court justice because it will be a Democrat choosing a justice, even if the U.S. Constitution says he has the has the authority to do so.

It is what it is what it is.