2020 To Bring Political Changes To Eagle Pass
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2019
As the year of 2019 winds down, the new year and decade of 2020 promises to bring change to the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas residents.
Eagle Pass residents are going to elect a new Mayor and two new City Council members in a Special City Officers Election scheduled on February 1, 2020 with early voting commencing on January 15, 2020 and continuing until January 28, 2020 at the Multi-Purpose Center.
Who will become elected as the new Mayor of Eagle Pass, former City Council member Luis E. Sifuentes or former City Countil member Rudy Villalpando? Eagle Pass registered voters will decide on February 1, 2020.
Who will become elected as the new City Council member for Place 2, Elias Diaz, Elizabeth Chisum De La Garza or Frank Sanchez?
Who will become elected as the new City Council member for Place 4, Rolando Salinas or Mayito Obregon?
With three of the five City Council positions at play in the Special City Officers Election on February 1, 2020, will a new majority be elected to City Council and control the future decision making of all City of Eagle Pass ordinances and policies, including taxes, services, and programs?
Another change destined for Eagle Pass and Maverick County in 2020 is the election of a new Texas House of Representative District 74 as the result of incumbent State Representative Poncho Nevarez’s decision not to seek re-election to a fifth term. Who will win the Texas House of Representative District 74 position, a Democrat or a Republican? Will former Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu be successful in overturning the Texas Democratic Party decision to declare him as an ineligible candidate in his federal court lawsuit? Or will the federal court judge uphold the Texas Democratic Party’s disqualification of Cantu? Which Democrat will win the March 3, 2020 Primary, Heriberto “Eddie” Morales, Jr., Rowland Garza or, if reversed, Ramsey English Cantu? Which candidate will win the Republican Primary, Robert Garza or Ruben Falcon? Who will win the District 74 race in the November 3, 2020 General Election?
Another change in the cards for Eagle Pass and Maverick County in 2020 will be the election of a new United States House of Representative District 23 after incumbent Republican Will Hurd chose not to seek re-election. Who will win the Democratic and Republican parties primaries? Who will win the position in the November 3, 2020 General Election?
A possibility of change in 2020 might be the Texas Senate District 19 race as special election winner Republican Pete Flores will now have to compete in a General Election in November 3, 2020. Who will win the Democratic Party nomination in the March 3, 2020 Primary and earn the right to face incumbent Pete Flores in the November 3, 2020 General Election. Will Xochil Pena Rodriguez, Freddy Ramirez, Roland Gutierrez or Belinda Shvetz win the Democratic Primary?
Another race that may potentially bring change is the 293rd Judicial District Attorney position as incumbent Roberto Serna has drawn a challenger from Alberto Rodriguez in the Democratic Party Primary Election on March 3, 2020. Serna has been District Attorney for Dimmit, Maverick and Zavala Counties for over 24 years while Rodriguez served seven years as an Assistant District Attorney under Serna and is now practicing law in private practice. There are no Republican Party candidates registered. The winner of the Democratic Party Primary Election will carry the General election on November 3, 2020.
Another race with a possibility of change is the one for President of the United States of America. Will incumbent Republican Donald J. Trump be re-elected or will the Democratic Party nominee be able to defeat Trump in the November 3, 2020 General Election. Who will win the Democratic Party nomination, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang, Julian Castro, Michael Bloomberg, Tom Steyer, Cory Booker, or someone else? Will Donald Trump win the Republican Primary or Joe Walsh, Bill Weld, Bob Ely, Mathhtew John Matern, Zoltan Istvan, or Roque De La Fuente Guerra?
Another race with a possibility of change is the United States Senate as incumbent Republican John Cornyn seeks re-election, but first must win the Republican Party Primary against Mark Yancey, Virgil Bierschwale, John Anthony Castro, and Dwayne Stovall. Which of the 12 Democratic candidates will win the nomination and the right to face Cornyn in the November 3, 2020 General Election, Royce West, Cristina Tzinztun Ramirez, MJ Hegar, Chris Bell, Annie Garcia, Michael Cooper, Amanda Edwards, Jack Daniel Foster, Jr., Victor Hugo Harris, Sema Hernandez, D. R. Hunter, or Adrian Ocegueda?
Local Maverick County races that have a possibility for a change in 2020 include several positions.
The Maverick County Attorney race has a potential for change as two Eagle Pass attorneys are competing for the Democratic Party nomination, including Commissioners Court-appointed attorney Gloria E. Hernandez and former Commissioners Court-appointed attorney Jaime “Aj’ Iracheta. There are no Republican Party candidates. The winner of the Democratic Party Primary on March 3, 2020 will advance to the November 3, 2020 General Election unopposed.
The Maverick County Commissioner Precinct No. 1 has the potential for change as incumbent Jerry Morales faces a challenge from Roberto Martinez in the Democratic Party Primary on March 3, 2020, while there are no Republican Party candidates.
The Maverick County Commissioner Precinct No. 3 faces a possibility of change as incumbent Pete Venegas drew a challenger in Olga Ramos for the Democratic Party Primary on March 3, 2020 election, while no Republican Party candidates registered.
The Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 1 race has the potential for change as incumbent Rudy Valdez drew two challengers in Jose “Coche” Duran and Oscar “Ram” Ramos in the Democratic Party Primary on March 3, 2020, while no Republican Party candidates registered.
The Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 2 will have a change as incumbent Salvador Rios, Jr. is not seeking re-election and a total of five candidates registered for the Democratic Party Primary, including Alberto “Albert” De La Torre, Ernie Leila, Denise Cantu, Cesar Torres, and Enrique “Kike” Velez. There are no Republican Party candidates.
The Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 3-1 has the potential for change as incumbent Mario A. Hernandez has one challenger in Juan Antonio Silva in the Democratic Party Primary, while no Republican Party candidates registered.
The Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 3-2 race has the possibility of change as incumbent Samuel “Sam” Chacon drew one opponent in Julio Mancha in the Democratic Party Primary, while no Republican candidates registered.
The Maverick County Constable Precinct No. 4 race has the potential for change as incumbent Jose Regalado drew two challengers in Joe “Mike” Beattie and Hector “Big Rod” Rodriguez in the Democratic Party Primary, while no Republican Party candidates registered.
Drawing no opponents were Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber and Maverick County Tax-Assessor Collector Isamari Sanchez-Villarreal, and no Republican Party candidates registered. Both are assured re-election in the November 3, 2020 General Election.
Early voting in the Democratic and Republican Parties” Primaries commence on February 18, 2020 and runs through February 28th with the Primary Elections on March 3, 2020 at the Eagle Pass Multi-Purpose Center.
Eagle Pass and Maverick County registered voters have a choice to vote and decide whether to make changes in their political representation in both the City of Eagle Pass Special City Officers Election of February 1, 2020 and the Democratic and Republican Parties” Primaries of March 3, 2020 as well as in the November 3, 3030 General Election. Yes, Eagle Passans and Maverick Countians you do have a choice to vote for the candidates of your choice and make changes as you wish. Go out and vote!
