Maverick County Political Campaigns in Full Swing for Early Voting Period and Primary Election Day

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018

New Year’s Day not only ushered in a new year for Maverick Countians, but also officially kicked off the 2018 Texas Political Season at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2018, including Maverick County.

Almost 30 Maverick County political candidates have commenced their political campaigns since January 1st, some earlier than that, as candidates for federal, state, and county political positions within the Democratic Party.  No Maverick County political candidate signed up with the Maverick County Republican Party except Lowell McManus who is the County Republican Party Chairman.

Both the Democratic and Republican Parties will have their primary elections on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, with an Early Voting Period commencing on Tuesday, February 20th, through March 2nd before the General Primary Election Day of March 6th.  In today’s Texas political arena, most political races are determined during the Early Voting Period with certain candidates obtaining a majority or significant lead of votes that the General Primary Election Day votes do not overcome the Early Voting Period leads.

Eagle Passan Judy Canales is a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives 23rd Texas District among five Democratic candidates seeking to obtain the Democratic Party’s nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Will Hurd in the November 6, 2018 General Election. Canales has been very active visiting constituents in the 23rd Congressional District in Texas, which is the largest geographic-wise in the United States.  During a recent campaign stop in San Antonio, Texas, Canales and her political campaign staff walked into a San Antonio coffee shop to buy coffee and introduce herself to customers when Congressman Will Hurd and his girlfriend walked into the same coffee shop.  Canales walked right up to Hurd, shook his hand and politely introduced herself as a Democratic candidate seeking to unseat him for the 23rd Congressional District in the 2018 General Election, stunning Hurd by the coincidental political campaign meeting. Canales is very active and busy crisscrossing throughout the 23rd Congressional District in order to distinguish herself from a crowded field of five Democratic Primary candidates in the March 6th Primary Election.

Eagle Pass attorney Alfonso “Poncho” Nevarez is seeking re-election to a third consecutive term as the Texas House of Representative for District 74, but has a much easier road than most candidates as he is unopposed in both the Democratic and Republican parties’ primary election, essentially guaranteeing him re-election to a third term unless someone registers as a write-in candidate after the primary election.

One of the most hotly contested political races in Maverick County is the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 293rd Judicial District Court seat currently held by Judge Cynthia Muñiz who has publicly announced that she is not seeking re-election and will retire on December 31, 2018.  Three Eagle Pass attorneys have registered as candidates for the 293rd Judicial District Democratic Party nomination, including former Kickapoo Tribal Court Prosecutor Cecilia A. Mascorro, former County Attorney Ricardo Ramos, and former Eagle Pass City Council Member Maribel Flores.  No one signed up as a Republican Party candidate for the 293rd District Judge race, essentially guaranteeing the winner of the Democratic Party Primary election winner the 293rd District Judgeship in the November 6th General Election unless someone were to register as a write-in candidate after the Primary election.  All three candidates are working very hard throughout the Tri-county district of the 293d Judicial District Court, which includes Maverick, Dimmit and Zavala counties.  This tight race may go to a run-off election between the two highest voting getting candidates unless one of the three obtains a 50.1 or more majority of the votes.

Another hotly contested race is the one for the Democratic Party’s nomination for Maverick County Judge, which has three candidates vying to become the Democratic Party Flag Bearer for this position.  Without a Republican Party candidate, the winner of the Democratic Party Primary Election will more than likely go on to be elected in the November 6th General Election as the Maverick County Judge. Among the three candidates registered under the Democratic Party are incumbent County Judge David R. Saucedo who is seeking re-election to a third four year term, former County Judge and retired education administrator Rudy Bowles, and attorney and former Eagle Pass City Council Member Gloria E. Hernandez.  This County Judge race may go to a run-off election to have to be decided, unless one candidate wins a majority of the Democratic Primary election votes.

A local contested race is the one for Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 2 under the Democratic Party since no Republican Party candidate registered.  There are four Maverick County candidates seeking this County Commissioner Precinct 2 position, including incumbent Commissioner Rosy Cantu who wants a second four year term, Arianna Perez, Everardo “Vera” Ballesteros, and former Justice of the Peace Martha Chacon.  This race will more than likely go to a run-off election between the two highest voter getters to be decided.  The run-off winner will essentially win the position in the November 6th General Election, unless someone registers as a write-in candidate after the Primary election.

Another contested race is for Maverick County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 under the Democratic Party Primary election on March 6th.  Two candidates registered, including incumbent Judge Kina Mancha who is seeking re-election to a fourth four year term and law enforcement officer Eluterio Rodriguez. This race will definitely be decided at the March 6th Primary Election since there is no Republican candidate, unless someone registers as a write-in candidate after the Primary election.

Another Justice of the Peace race hotly contested is that for Maverick County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 with three registered candidates under the Democratic Party. Among the three candidates include incumbent Judge Dora Madera who seeks re-election to a third term, Rosanna”Roxi” Rios, and former County Commissioner Asalia Casares.  This race may go to a run-off election unless one of the three candidates garners a majority of the votes in the March 6th Primary Election. There is no Republican candidate registered.

A sixth judicial race closely contested is for Maverick County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3-1 which has three candidates registered with the Democratic Party, including incumbent Judge David J. Castaneda who is seeking re-election to a second term, Jose “Joe” Hernandez, and Domingo “Mingo”Rodriguez, Jr.  This judicial race may be decided in a run-off election, unless someone registers as a write-in candidate after the Primary election.  There is no Republican candidate registered.

A seventh contested judicial race is for Maverick County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 which has three Democratic Party candidates registered, including educator Tere Herandez, police officer Orlando J.. Escareno, and Antonio “Tony” Garcia. This race too may be decided at a run-off election unless one of them obtains a majority at the March 6th Primary election. No Republican candidate registered.

There are seven other County-wide races that only have one candidate registered with the Democratic Party and are essentially guaranteed to easily win election at the March 6th primary election unless they draw a write-in candidate after the Primary Election. These include incumbent 365th Judicial District Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, Maverick County District Clerk Leopoldo “Polo” Vielma, Maverick County Clerk Sara Montemayor, Maverick County Treasurer Rito J. Valdez, III, Maverick County Commissioner Precinct 4 Roberto Ruiz, Maverick County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3-2 Jeannie F. Smith,  and Maverick County Democratic Party Chairman Luis Alfonso “Poncho” Ruiz.

Stay tuned for future news stories in the Eagle Pass Business Journal concerning the March 6th Primary Election and the November 6th General Election.