El Paso Politics

Let me just say this as plainly as possible: it does not take long. Give yourself about two sentences into a conversation with Judge Lucila Najera and you will arrive at a very firm conclusion. That is not a heavyweight intellectual situation.  That’s not me being mean. That’s not hyperbole. That’s just… observation. Repeated, documented, almost scientific observation at this point. As a candidate and now as a sitting judge, she has said some absolutely wild stuff. The kind of stuff where you stop mid-scroll and go, “Wait… did she mean to say that out loud?” And now here we are. Runoff season. Najera recently jumped on Facebook to celebrate making it into a runoff election, and I have to be honest, I admire the commitment to the bit. Because what incumbent — with even a basic understanding of math, elections, or reality — celebrates the fact that more than 75% of voters chose someone else? Nobody. The answer is nobody. The only person excited about this runoff is Najera. Everybody ...

Let me be clear about something right up front: I didn't forget about the Republicans. I could never forget about the El Paso GOP - they're like a slow-motion train wreck you can't look away from. Equal parts comedy, tragedy, and a cautionary tale about what happens when ambition vastly outpaces talent. So consider this your official GOP rundown. And yes, Republicans of El Paso - you should be sending me a thank you card, because this blog post will be the most voters hear about any of you between now and November. I've reviewed your side's social media landscape, and let me just say: it's a barren wasteland. There are basically zero effective or credible influencers on the GOP side in El Paso that even come close to the reach of their Democratic counterparts. You're welcome. Now, let's talk about the talent - and I use that word so loosely it needs a chiropractor. The Congressional Clown Car Where do we begin? The GOP congressional runoff is a two-man r...

Alright, it’s time for some post-election analysis. You’ve probably already seen plenty of national coverage about the big races. That’s not really my lane. My niche has always been the local stuff, and this election cycle gave us a few surprises worth talking about. Let’s start with the races people actually pay attention to before we get to the judicial races. And yes, I know, the judicial races are usually painfully boring. Most of the candidates have the personality of a manila folder. But don’t skip them. Some of the most interesting political developments in this election came out of those contests. The Big Story: Voters Are Mad If there’s one theme that jumps out from this election, it’s the anti-incumbent mood that seems to be floating around El Paso County right now. Let’s start with the biggest upsets. No one, and I mean no one, expected two sitting Democratic members of Commissioners Court to lose to challengers who had never run for office before. Commissione...