Ugly Tone Dominates Campaign Season

The Congressional race has set the tone for other political races in El Paso and its getting really ugly out there. More than usual. Even by El Paso standards.

Hell, even by Lower Valley standards, this year has a sharper-than-normal edge to it.

Cops have been called on one campaign, signs defaced (which always happens), name calling, and then the juvenile Facebook crap that has been going on, which by the way, members of the Congressman's congressional staff actually participated in.

Politicos have been edgy, cranky, and defensive. Hell, I went to a campaign event within the last week and the candidate was rude the minute I walked through the door.

Comes with the territory though.

Last night I saw a judicial candidate hand a document over to a County Commissioner that was trashing the judicial candidates' opponent. Happened right in front of me.

The point is, it seems to be contentious everywhere. In a lot of races.

But its more than just that. Somewhere along the line, we have lost our minds. Things are so ugly that there is a play on a word that is so bad, even I don't use it.

I'm talking about the "C" word. Any woman reading this knows the word and its really bad.

Its no secret that former State Representative Norma Chavez doesn't like County Judge Veronica Escobar. Its also no secret that women's groups across the state of Texas were not happy with the former state representative following her now infamous "lesbian gay woman" remark at a forum in the valley.

Years ago Escobar's campaign motto was Veronica Can or Vero Can or something along those lines. Chavez used to mock it by calling her Veroni-Can't.

Apparently that has now been modified to Veronicuns. So...I get the play on words with Veroni-Can't.

But what could Chavez mean by referring to Escobar, another female leader, as Veronicun?

Hmmm, let's take a look.

C-U-N....

Well, you people aren't stupid and I'm trying not to use profanity but my guess is that there is a letter missing. If you play Wheel of Fortune I bet you won't have to think hard about it, or by a vowel for that matter.

I wonder how other women are going to feel about that reference. At any rate, it certainly isn't stately for a former elected official, who has been telling people she's going to run for another office, to be referring to another woman by the "C" word?

I'm betting a lot of women won't be happy about it.

I've used the word and any honest man will admit that, in the heat of a moment, to have used that word. I'm not proud of it, and I shouldn't have said it. But I'm no saint, I've said it.

However, its a whole other story when you are talking about a former elected official with future political aspirations and wants to be taken seriously, uses it towards a former colleague.

Its not like that kind of stuff doesn't get said in private. I'll bet it does all the time. But interjecting it in to the political climate against a rival at a time when you're considering ramping up a campaign?

Probably not the smartest move.

El Paso politics has always been rough, but its downright nasty out there. In a lot of races. No class at all.

Sad.

Imagine how much better this place would be if we focused on the real problems we have in this town. Poverty, illiteracy, healthcare, etc. Seems like a lot of energy is wasted on getting in to office, but not a lot of energy is placed on fixing our problems.