D8: The Candidates

If you missed the District 8 forum on KTSM you missed pretty much the only time you'll get to see the candidates that are vying to replace City Rep Cortney Niland.

Here's a quick run-down of the candidates:

Trini Acevedo - Smart guy - but doesn't have a serious chance of winning. He's from Segundo Barrio and is a Bowie grad. He seems to be a nice guy and really focused on what he believes is right, but he doesn't have experience, money, infrastructure, etc to be able to be a contender.

Robert Cormell - He ran for mayor last time and was a surprising contender. Did better than a lot of people expected him to. He's a Republican, but that isn't a problem in D8. He's a business owner, has money, and has already dropped mail. He looks and sounds like a city rep. He is one of the major candidates and as long as he can ease up on the Jesus, he is likely going to end being in the run-off.

Cissy Lizarraga - The only female in the field of candidates and she has resources and a field game. She has good, clean lit and has a strong command of the issues. She has a chance of making the run-off if she can execute in the short period of time that she has. The concern is whether her field game can get the job done, she's using Chris Hernandez who already has a mayors race and three, possibly four other clients in the same election. But her message is solid and if her mail lands when it is supposed to, she can make up for a vulnerable field game. She has a real good shot at making the run-off and if she does't, it will be because of a failure in field.

Adolfo Lopez - Strongest command of the issues of any of the candidates. Smart guy. Dynamic and extremely likable. He was able to quote several studies about economic development and the downtown area, chapter and verse. He's a Forma candidate and whether or not he can get money flowing to get mail in mailboxes is going to be the unknown. If he can make that happen, he's going to duke it out with Lizarraga and Cormell for the run-off.

Gilbert Guillen - He started the earliest and has probably walked the most. Honestly, he's the guy I find the most likable. He sat down and visited with me to talk about some questions I had. I admire that because he knew I disagreed with him, but he still wanted to make sure I fully understand his position. His problem as a candidate is this - he's a one-trick pony. He speaks only about Durganguito and NOTHING else. If you look at the election results, Duranguito clearly wasn't the issue that drove people to the polls. Segundo Barrio, Chihuahuita, Duranguito, etc don't belong in D8. They aren't communities of interest with the westside. But until that changes, Guillen's message is tone-deaf to the rest of the district.

Bottom line I think you'll see two of either Lopez, Lizarraga, or Comell in the run-off.