El Paso Politics

Alright, I told you I was gonna bring receipts, and unlike certain elected officials in this town, I don’t show up empty-handed and hope nobody asks follow-up questions. So here it is. MAGA’s favorite candidate in a Democratic race right here in El Paso is… sitting down? Good. Justice of the Peace Lucilla Najera. Yeah, I can already hear the objections. “Nah, you’re reaching.” “That’s made up.” “Show proof.” Relax. I came prepared. Let’s start with Exhibit A: Darrel Mond. Now, if you’ve been around El Paso politics long enough, you’ve probably seen this guy floating around events like he’s on a frequent flyer program for ribbon cuttings. And wouldn’t you know it, he and Najera seem to have a standing RSVP together. Event after event. Photo after photo. Smiles, handshakes, the whole “we go way back” energy. At first glance, you might think, “Okay, maybe he’s just another Democrat supporter.” That’s the trick. Because like a lot of Republicans in El Paso who like to play...

There are bad campaign strategies. There are questionable campaign strategies. And then there’s whatever the hell is going on right now in this runoff. Because somehow, in a Democratic race, we’ve reached the point where the loudest, most unhinged MAGA folks in El Paso have picked their favorite Democrat. Let that sink in. The same people who think every election they lose is “rigged,” who treat Facebook comment sections like a contact sport, who couldn’t find the Democratic platform if it was taped to their forehead… those folks are now organizing, posting, and cheerleading for a candidate in a Democratic runoff. And not quietly either. Not subtly. They’re out here waving pom-poms like it’s Friday night lights. Now, if you’re a candidate and you wake up one morning and realize the MAGA crowd has adopted you, there are only two possible reactions: You immediately create distance so fast it gives people whiplash Or… you lean into it like it’s a good thing Guess which one we’re seeing. H...

This story isn't going away.  What That Press Conference Actually Told Us About El Paso Police...actually sounds familiar. In fact it reminds me of the ol' saying, the cover-up is worse than the crime.  On April 4, a verified Iranian news account posted video of El Paso police arresting Kelcee Hufford in her living room. By April 10, it had millions of views. Let that sink in. El Paso wasn’t just trending locally. We became an example used by foreign media to argue that the United States has no standing to lecture anyone on human rights. That’s the context Chief Peter Pacillas walked into. And in about fifteen minutes, he somehow managed to make things worse. Before the chief spoke, his public information officer told reporters to keep questions limited to “this incident and this incident only.” That wasn’t a casual request. It was a line in the sand. And it was clear that they know there is a trend of police violence, otherwise there would be no need to start that ...