EARLY VOTE ENDS IN TSC RACE: PORT WINNERS BACK DR. Z

By Juan Montoya
Today is the last day to vote early in the Texas Southmost College runoff election between Dr. Tony Zavaleta and Brownsville Independent School District "facilitator" Evelyn Cantu.
The numbers in this runoff have been directly affected by the exclusion by The Powers That Be of the two main voting sites; the Central Public Library and the Southmost Library. Just before the runoff was scheduled, the Cameron County Elections Office was notified by the City of Brownsville administration that the two most popular voting sites would not be available for use in the elections because of a children's book sale.
Supporters for Zavaleta, the top vote getter in the primary for the seat left vacant by Ed Rivera immediately charged that it was a maneuver to suppress the vote and give Cantu a fighting chance against Zavaleta. This followed reports that Cantu was being supported by the OP 10.33 group headed by Mike Hernandez III, a car salesman who lost his bid to control the TSC board and the commission at the Port of Brownsville. His candidates for the port –  Rivera and banker Raul Villanueva – lost to Tito Lopez and Ralph Cowen. Both were backed by the messianic car-lease millionaire in an attempt to take over the Brownsville Navigation District.
Lopez and Cowen won despite being targeted by Ambiotec's (and United Brownsville's) Carlos Marin and Hernandez's OP 10.33. The winners have thrown their political weight behind Zavaleta for the TSC board of trustees.
Zavaleta is facing Brownsville Independent School District student ambassadors "facilitator" Cantu for the Port of Brownsville commission.
Likewise, the OP 10.33 candidates for the seats on the TSC board – Daniel Pizaña, Betty Hockaday and Cantu – failed to win their respective positions. Zavaleta, one of four candidates for the seat, did not get the 50 percent plus one vote required for an outright win.
Cantu had the support of the Cardenas clan, who have since retracted their support and are now backing Zavaleta instead.
"I am asking all my friends and family to support my childhoods friend Tony Zavaleta, " Cowen said.
"You can count on me," Lopez added. "We're with Tony."
Early voting end today and election day is Saturday, June 18.