New Candidate Enters El Paso's Other Congressional Race

Sources close to Cesar Blanco, former chief of staff to Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, indicate he is considering a run for the 23rd District of Texas. The Congressional District spans from western San Antonio to northeast El Paso, including the trans-mountain corridor, and portions of Fort Bliss.

Blanco has also worked for Congressman Silvestre Reyes and is currently the Director of the West for the National Democratic Committee (DNC) where he oversees day-to-day political operations of western states spanning from Alaska to Hawaii, including Texas and California. He is in contact with local, state and federal elected Democratic officials as well as grass-roots organizations and community-based initiatives.

Blanco is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, and a veteran who served in the Navy.

The El Paso area has been represented by two members of congress for quite some time now, but it has only been the far east portion of the county that previously was represented by another member of Congress. 

With the new lines drawn, El Paso's other member of Congress will be given a higher profile than before, particularly given the fact that the new lines draw residents from within the city of El Paso and Fort Bliss. 

Blanco would be facing Pete Gallegos of Alpine in the Democratic Primary.