By Juan Montoya
By far one of the most interesting races that might be decided in today's Democratic Party election is the three-way race between incumbent Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio, former county district clerk Eric Garza and ex-San Benito Police Department chief Michael Galvan.
Before Galvan threw his badge in the race, everyone thought it would be a cakewalk for Lucio to continue his reign at his office at Carrizales. But not so.
Garza came in guns blazing and questioned Lucio's ability to run the office. His supporters also raised criticism of Lucio that he was behind the times, had grown complacent in his position and had handed the day-to-day operations of the department to the Reyna brothers and several inept administrators.
They pointedly criticized the department for lax personnel screening which had allowed for the hiring of an Army deserter who was then promoted to a supervisory position over military veterans and for hiring a woman who was fired by the Texas Department of Public safety for taking bribes to change driving tests.
The fact that just as the election approached several deputies behaved badly including one who was arrested in neighboring Hidalgo county with a prostitute, and another changing an arrest report to lower the charges from a DWI to a lesser offense didn't help Lucio. And the escape of a prisoner from custody that killed a Brownsville resident and died in a hail of bullets after stealing his car gave the department and its policies huge public relations blackeye.
Garza's vigorous criticism of the Lucio incumbency finally prompted the sheriff and his supporters to take Garza seriously and respond with mailers critical of his youth and impertinence. And some wondered whether there was something behind Galvan's low-key campaign.
And while Lucio touted his record of being sheriff for more than 19 years and labeled Garza as a neophyte to police work who just happened to have a peace officer license, Garza's criticisms just sharpened.
He waged a vigorous a campaign as has been seen. In other election cycles, Lucio's opponents seem to have adhered to a gentlemen's agreement and not criticized him for being set in his ways. Not so with Garza. In the last days of the campaign he criticized the incumbent for not complying with jail standards from 2005 to 2012 and then repeatedly in 2015 and just recently, in 2019.
It wasn't until Feb. 11, 2020 - seven days before early voting began - that the county's jail was in compliance with state standards.
"Complacency breeds failure," ran the Garza half-page ad ran in the Brownsville Herald.
In the past, one a one-to-one contest, Lucio would not have to scramble to curry favor with the voters, but now there have been reports that he, the Reynas, and a cadre of department supporters have actually been knocking on doors and campaigning as they sense that with Galvan' entry onto the fray Lucio might have to bear the unthinkable - get forced into a runoff election.
In the last 20 years, the same ad stated, the department had not obtained dash cameras, computers in patrol units, or body cams. It wasn't until Feb. 17 - one day before early voting - that the sheriff held a press conference to announce the installation of several computers in some patrol units.
"Our community supported Omar Lucio for the last 20 years, yet he only provides results during campaign time," Garza's ad reads. "Enough is enough...let us secure the changes we need and the protection we deserve."
The stage is set for the generational confrontation. Will the voters side with a tech-savvy younger candidate who brings new ideas to the department or be content to side with the incumbent and administration who seem content to be set in their ways?
20 comments:
Go Sofie Benavides! El Panson Barton has been whipped like a dog for criticizing you. He's a pussy now. LOL
Time to get all of the Lucio's out of our political arena; Eddie, Jr., his son Eddie "the turd" and Omar "the incompetent". Each represents politics of the past, corruption and ignorance. All should be put out of office. But, due to the fact that so many local voters live in the past, we may see them all re-elected. That would be a travesty for Cameron County and keep us swirling down the toilet of poverty and corruption.
my vote is for eric garza, time to put all three lucios out to pasture, ya apestan los tres, omar eddie jr y el Turd..
Bring back Sam Martin now there is no more Stilletoes, and the cows have gone he is no longer known as Second hand Sam.
MY VOTE IS FOR GALVAN. HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING AND HIS MEN WILL FOLLOW HIM ANYWHERE.
I will vote for Sam he will be better than The others for sure.
Forgot the fact that they're idea is to win and hand the realms of the sheriff's office to none other than Abel Gomez.. . let's vote Eric for sheriff nice ad by the way....hit the nail right on the head
All the Lucio's out. Eddie Jr. out, Eddie 111 out, Omar lucio out. Please go out and vote this clowns out.
Eric Garza for Sheriff!!!!
I voted Linda and Omar y que???
LA LINDA SALAZAR IS THE QUEEN.
Queen of the hop.
We very much welcome a Revolution! It's time, our group is ready and ready to work hard.
Eric garza, the little engine that can and could put up a fight and now is a runoff. Eric Great job, dont listen to the naysayers, you already proved them all wrong. Now its time to focus on your runoff race, work it harder, cause its a whole new race.
Lucio will win in style without the help of Second hand Sam.
Galvan has no business being a policeman
i think omar lucio is on the BISD police hiring Board.
another BISD Jr. Police officer is in the news
The only honest politician in south texas and you idiots want to replace him with a house mouse and a paper pusher. No wonder the RGV is a cenote full of corruption but its a family affair.
Really Lucio an honest politician. You must be sleeping with him. Are you that young secretary that he is sleeping with who he pays your Bill's. Gus and javier are as perverted as him. Or are you one of the brownosers that has a cushy job to get a vote.
Both! paper pusher.
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