Sheriff Tom Schmerber, Jerry Morales, Pete Venegas, Chava Rios, Jr., Jose Regalado, & Asalia Casares Win in Maverick County Democratic Party Primary Election

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

A total of 7.207 Maverick Countians voted in the March 1, 2016 Maverick County Democratic Party Election.

For U.S. President, Hillary Clinton received 4,342 (69.54%) votes while Bernie Sanders received 1.508 (24.15%).

In the United States House of Representatives, District 23, former Congressman Pete P. Gallego received 5,273 votes (90.60) compared to challenger Lee Keenen’s 547 votes (9.40%).

For State Senate District 19, incumbent Senator Carlos Uresti received 4,782 votes (81.49%) while challenger Helen Madla received 1,086 votes (18.51%).

In the hotly contested Maverick County Sheriff race, incumbent Sheriff Tom Schmerber received 3,756 votes (53.74%), Tomas S. Herrera received 2,157 votes (30.86%), and Johnny Munoz received 1,076 votes (15.40%).  Sheriff Schmerber wins without a runoff election.  Sheriff Schmerber will now faces Republican Party candidate Anthony Ramirez in the November 8, 2016 General Election.

For Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 1, incumbent Gerardo “Jerry” Morales received 1,209 votes (61.28%) while challenger Leo Buentello received 764 (38.72%).  Morales has no Republican opponent in November 2016.

In the Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 3 race, appointed Commissioner Pete Venegas, Jr. received 1,122 votes (53.99%) while challenger Eduardo “Lalo” Trevino received 956 votes (46.01%).  Venegas has no Republican Party opponent in November 2016.

For Maverick County Constable Precinct 1, incumbent Rudy Valdez received 786 votes (40.94%), Humberto Torralba, Jr. received 457 votes (23.80%), Jesus “Jesse” Becerra received 376 votes (19.58%), and Joe F. Mendez received 301 votes (15.68%).  Valdez and Torralba will face off in a runoff election since no candidate received a majority vote.

In the Maverick County Constable Precinct 2 race, incumbent J.S. “Chava” Rios, Jr. received 810 votes (71.68%) and challenger Frances Rueda Wilson received 320 votes (28.32%).  Rios has no Republican Party opponent in November 2016.

For Maverick Constable Precinct 3-A & B, appointed Constable Mario A. Hernandez received 798 votes (44.36%), Michael Torralba received 527 votes (29.29%), Gilbert Salas received 197 votes (10.95%), Aldo G. Escamilla received 175 votes (9.73%), and Juan Antonio “Johnny” Martinez received 102 votes (5.67%).  Hernandez and Torralba will face off in a runoff election.  There is no Republican Party opponent in November 2016.

In the Maverick County Constable Precinct 3-C race, Samuel “Sam” Chacon received 107 votes (40.84%), Abraham “Happy” Martinez received 101 votes (38.55%), and incumbent Constable Marshall Polhemus received 54 votes (20.61%).  Chacon and Martinez will face off in a runoff election.  There is no Republican Party opponent in November 2016.

For Maverick County Constable Precinct 4, incumbent Constable Jose Regalado, Jr. received 782 votes (60.39%) while challenger Hecotr “Big Rod” Rodriguez received 513 votes (39.61%).  There is no Republican Party opponent in November 2016.

In the Maverick County Democratic Party Chair race, Asalia Casares received 3,846 votes (62.09) while Luis Alfonso Ruiz received 2,348 votes (37.91%).

Also running unopposed and winning their respective races were State Representative Poncho Nevarez, District Attorney Roberto Serna, County Attorney Ricardo Ramos, and County Tax Asssessor-Collector Isamari Sanchez Villarreal.