IN JP 2-2 RACE, GRACIA OUTRAISING, OUTSPENDING ALL

By Juan Montoya
Call it the power of incumbency.
Or perhaps it is the success in collecting cold cash donations to fund your political campaign.

But whatever it is, campaign contribution and expenditures reports filed January 16 show that JP 2-2 incumbent Johnathan Gracia has outraised and outspent his three challengers combined.

Surprisingly Gracia, an attorney,  reported receiving $100,429 and spending $66,136 on the latest report and listed no loans or in-kind contributions in his report. He only reported money given to his campaign. Additionally, he reported having another $32,136 on hand at the time he filed the report.

Included in the report is an August 10 $20,000 contribution by himself to his campaign and $10,000 from his father Robert, a retired federal agent and current Brownsville businessman, on Oct. 11.


By comparison, challenger Javier Reyna, a captain in the Cameron County Sheriff's Department, reported raising $19,091, spending $12,517, and having another $6,573 on hand. Reyna's largest cash entry came as a result of a chicken-plate fundraiser Sept. 11 totaling $5,956, 31 percent – almost one-third – of the total contributions reported.

Diego Alonso Hernandez, a supervisor with the Cameron County District Clerk's Office, came in third reporting he had received

$1,625 in  contributions, spending $1,606 and having $18.47 on hand.  His two cash contributions were in the sums of $250 and $300.

Fred Martinez, a former bail bondsman and office manager, had not filed a report as of posting time.

That sets some people to wondering: "Why is Gracia so interested in the JP's office? The math doesn't add up."

By comparison, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño reported raising $400 and spending $10,780. He also reported that he had $39,878 on hand and some $70,000 in unpaid loans.

 Joey Lopez, a local grocer and former trustee with the Brownsville Independent School District running for Cameron County Pct. 2 Commissioner  reported raising $17,400 in contributions and spending $34,685.

Likewise, Sylvia Garza-Perez reported raising $2,782 and spending $15,793.

Even Carlos Masso, who's running for the 197th District Court which covers Cameron and Willacy counties reported only $9,250 in contributions and $15,413 in expenditures.

Once one considers that some of the candidates are running county wide elections while Gracia only represents Brownsville, it makes the total even that more eye-opening. His fundraising would seem more on par for a County Court-at-Law, District Court, or State Rep race. Alex Dominguez, running against Rene Oliveira for Texas State Representative has reported having some $16,861 on hand while reporting he sought no contributions for the period ending December 31.

By contrast, in his filing as District 37 state rep for the same reporting period, Oliveira reports raising $126,107.70, spending 167,756.58, and having 29,640.38 on hand. He is running after being in office for 34 years to make it 36.

In the case of all the candidates in the primaries, the fund raising is not over. There are two more reports due – one 30 days and another eight days – before the primary election March 6.

And just like Oliveira, Gracia's opponents' election-time allegations of four years ago – an escapade while an assistant district attorney with a woman found walking the freeway while he slept in a hotel and his representation of an inmate client who died in custody– seem to have been forgotten by contributors. Those incidents have been overshadowed by judicial corruption trials and other scandals that erupted on the local political scene. Will they resurface?

"But it makes little sense," said a local political "activist." "Why is he so interested in the J.P. position? With those numbers he’s keeping pace with Oliveira and lapping others. But intentions don’t seem to matter. Voters have short memories and money moves politics.”