AFTER LUCIO JR., IS LAMANTIA A DEMOCRAT IN NAME ONLY?

 Special to El Rrun-Rrun

With the redistricting shenanigans foisted on South Texas by the GOP of the Texas Legislature, Texas Senate District 27 now has a candidate who lives and works in Hidalgo County, has a $300,000(+) condominium on South Padre Island, and lists her primary campaign address in a beer warehouse in Harlingen.

Redistricting by Republicans in Austin has now opened the door to the big money candidates like Morgan Lamantia, an attorney from McAllen, who announced she will be running for the Democrat's seat.

Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. announced he will retire after 30 years in the senate as did his son Eddie Lucio III from State Representative District 38 (good riddance). They are now hitching their wagon to the LaMantia wealth with gusto, like sucking they suck on Republicans and on Bud Light! 

LaMantia is an attorney who works as in-house counsel for her family-owned company L and F Distributors. She joins San Benito attorney Sara Stapleton Barrera and District 37 Representative Alex Dominguez in the race to succeed Lucio.

She, in fact, originaly listed her campaign residence as the family's business at 3502 W. Spur 54 in Harlingen, the address of the beer distributors. Until recently, she was registered to vote in Hidalgo County.

Capitol Inside reported that LaMantia could face some backlash among hardline Democrats as a

consequence of campaign cash that she's dished out to several Republicans including State Senator Charles Schwertner of Georgetown and Buckingham.

The online newspaper reported that according to Texas Ethics Commission records, Morgan LaMantia contributed $5,000 to Buckingham less than a month before the 2020 general election. LaMantia had given Schwertner $1,000 two years before that.

But the number one beneficiary of LaMantia's generosity has been Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller –- a Republican who's close to Donald Trump. LaMantia gave Miller $10,000 a week before the general election in 2018. 

LaMantia also contributed to then-Governor Rick Perry when he was a candidate for president in 2015. She has donated to U.S. Senator John Cornyn as well. GOP leaders and lawmakers in Austin approved a new Texas Senate map last month that made SD 27 more competitive on paper with a boost in white residents and corresponding drop in Hispanics.

Lucio was often criticized by fellow Democrats for siding with Republicans on many conservative issues. 

Will the new infusion of Hidalgo County-based candidates into the reconfigured district – and their money – tilt the balance toward candidates like Lamantia who have contributed heavily to statewide Republican candidates?