The List of Possible Appointees to Replace Gandara
County Judge Veronica Escobar has only a few options for the appointment to replace El Paso County Commissioner Willie Gandara.
As I stated earlier, she either selects someone who is a candidate, or she selects someone who isn't a candidate, but there is no guarantee that the person won't file to run for County Commissioner.
If she selected someone who isn't a candidate there is really no way to tell who it could be. There are only a few names that come to mind, mostly people that have run before and all of which would probably run if they were appointed.
So let's talk about the candidates in the race now and what I think the likelihood of their appointment would be.
State Rep Chente Quintanilla is a non-starter. He is already a State Representative. He would have to resign from office and then there would need to be a special election to fill out the rest of his term, short as it may be. That would also come with a cost to tax-payers. So Quintanilla won't be the one selected.
Dora Oaxaca is also not likely to get the appointment either. More so because of the fact that the County Judge will likely want to do what Gandara's lawyer said in the resignation letter, "hasten the start of that process of healing which is so desperately needed in this community". A continuation of Gandara through the appointment of Oaxaca just doesn't seem like it would be the right decision and likely would be widely criticized. Ironically, its probably Gandara's comments calling Oaxaca "family" and his "best friend" that would be the biggest hurdle for her to get serious consideration for the appointment.
Rudy Loya is a possibility. Although his hurdle is one I share. He doesn't have a 4 year degree. He's the only candidate in the race that doesn't have one.
That leaves Vince Perez. I think he'd be the only person that the County Judge would seriously consider appointing to the position. As I said before, any decision she makes will be problematic but Perez seems to be the least problematic for Escobar.
I'm sure there are other names in the picture, but thats just what came to mind so far.
As I stated earlier, she either selects someone who is a candidate, or she selects someone who isn't a candidate, but there is no guarantee that the person won't file to run for County Commissioner.
If she selected someone who isn't a candidate there is really no way to tell who it could be. There are only a few names that come to mind, mostly people that have run before and all of which would probably run if they were appointed.
So let's talk about the candidates in the race now and what I think the likelihood of their appointment would be.
State Rep Chente Quintanilla is a non-starter. He is already a State Representative. He would have to resign from office and then there would need to be a special election to fill out the rest of his term, short as it may be. That would also come with a cost to tax-payers. So Quintanilla won't be the one selected.
Dora Oaxaca is also not likely to get the appointment either. More so because of the fact that the County Judge will likely want to do what Gandara's lawyer said in the resignation letter, "hasten the start of that process of healing which is so desperately needed in this community". A continuation of Gandara through the appointment of Oaxaca just doesn't seem like it would be the right decision and likely would be widely criticized. Ironically, its probably Gandara's comments calling Oaxaca "family" and his "best friend" that would be the biggest hurdle for her to get serious consideration for the appointment.
Rudy Loya is a possibility. Although his hurdle is one I share. He doesn't have a 4 year degree. He's the only candidate in the race that doesn't have one.
That leaves Vince Perez. I think he'd be the only person that the County Judge would seriously consider appointing to the position. As I said before, any decision she makes will be problematic but Perez seems to be the least problematic for Escobar.
I'm sure there are other names in the picture, but thats just what came to mind so far.
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