TSC CONFIRMS MCHALE'S POST OF TUCKER'S WITHDRAWAL

(Ed.'s Note: The Office of  Texas Southmost College Edgar Chrnko, Director of Marketing & Community Relations, has confirmed a machalereport.blog report posted earlier today that Alvin Tucker, a co-auditor with the Brownsville Independent School District, had notified them via email, that he was withdrawing from the race to fill the TSC board seat left vacant by Dr. Ruben Gallegos. Earlier reports in social media had said there was a compromising recording that would be made available to bloggers and other social media in the near future. In his report, McHale-Scully cites Tucker saying that the "time and energy" he would have to spend in the campaign would be difficult for him. Chrnko's office said they received the emailed withdrawal just before noon today)

By Dr. G.F. McHale-Scully
www.the mchalereport.blogspot 

Arvin Tucker, a co-auditor with the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD), has withdrawn his candidacy from the Texas Southmost College (TSC). He was running for the seat vacated by Dr. Ruben Gallegos and was facing a difficult challenge from longtime educator Eva Alejandro.

"Mr. Tucker was the underdog against Ms. Alejandro," offered Justo Leyes, The McHale Report's legal expert. "Mr. Tucker was going to run a grassroots campaign through his connections that he has collected during his 20 years in Brownsville. He wasn't going to spend one penny on advertising and he wasn't going to place any signs either. It was to be an uphill battle for the challenger.

"Ms. Alejandro, on the other hand, is well-known in education circles and has a wide network of friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances. As part of her campaign, she has every intention of investing in her desire to win the position, a common sense strategy."

Tucker reached his decision Thursday morning. He said his decision was based on the time and energy that he would be required to expend since without spending money he would find himself constantly on the hustings knocking door-to-door. He also confessed that he didn't fell comfortable in the hard-core, cut-throat reality of Brownsville politics.

Nothing has changed in the other contest. Dr. Rey Garcia, a retired dentist, will seek to retain his incumbency, but he is facing the fight of his life. Ostracized by the board for tactics that have arguably undermined the junior college's progress, he is encountering fierce opposition from the BISD's J.J. De Leon and banker Carlos Rios.

Unlike the Brownsville Navigation District that simply requires a plurality, the TSC's victor must gain a majority. This race could be sentenced to a run-off.