El Paso Politics

Back in the bad old days - corrupt Lower Valley politicians would hold pachangas around the holidays. They offered free food and free beer to people to get them to show up to their events. It was an old school attempt to buy votes. That is how little they thought of their voters - that they could be bought with free food and free beer. Eventually it got so bad that they started upping the ante and started giving away free stuff. First it was small things for kids, then those prizes steadily grew. They grew to the point that they eventually reached the point where they were giving out big screen TV's and cold hard cash. Here's a video trip down memory lane...check out Chente Quintanilla giving out cold hard cash! Eventually it had to reach such an embarrassing level as to cash giveaways for the people to say enough is enough. I mean the candidates that used to attend them knew it felt wrong, but the perception was always, well, this is how you get votes in the valley ...terrible...

This is the big portrait of himself. Eddie Holguin is having a meltdown on social media and its hilarious. Things are really starting to turn into a major forest fire in the Democratic Party lately. And Eddie going full-out Norma-Chavez tantrum level right now over the fact that he was booted from the Chair of the Paso Del Norte Tejano Democrats. He posted an update to the Tejano Facebook page stating that the endorsement meeting was no longer going to happen and then alleged that the last meeting didn't follow Robert's Rules of Order or the State Tejano's Constitution. So now there is going to be YET ANOTHER power struggle and even MORE drama at the Tejano Democrats meetings. Eddie is pretty much the current version of Blanche Darly. He's just not willing to let go. Speaking of not letting go - the section of the bylaws that was used to kick Holguin to the curb should actually be applied to almost all the officers in the organization. Chris Acosta is working on a campa...

Those are the words of San Elizario ISD Board of Trustees Secretary Fernie Madrid during his comments last night regarding an agenda item concerning State Board of Education Member Georgina Perez. The Board discussed in executive session, and later during an open session, a complaint that was made against Georgina Perez by an unnamed employee of the District. Board President Sandra Licon read a brief summary of the complaint along with a timeline of events. Georgina Perez did not attend the meeting to face the allegations but instead sent her attorney to address media in her place. No reason was given as to why it was her attorney and not Perez herself answering the allegations. The short of it is that an employee alleged that they were contacted by SBOE Member Perez and was asked if SEISD had unsubscribed to Learning List , which is a resource review service for schools and school districts. Think Angie's List, but for education. Georgina Perez allegedly indicated to the employee ...

Let me preface this by saying that I don't take anyone seriously that jumps into a race at the last minute. That means it was just an impulse decision and not someone I take seriously. Let me add this caveat, if you've made it known you're running and just waited for whatever reason to actually file the paperwork, that is obviously a different scenario. Lets start with the judicial races, specifically the criminal courts. 346th District Court is a criminal court and features Judge Ruben Nuñez who is a magistrate judge facing Paty Baca. Criminal District Court #1 is another criminal court and that race features incumbent Judge Diane Navarette facing Octavio Dominguez. He wasn't just a last day filing, the vato filed within the last hour of the filing period. The 448th District Court is mostly a civil court and incumbent Judge Sergio Enriguez is being challenged by Abe Gonzalez. There are two family courts that are competitive in this cycle. The 383rd District Court is...

Sweet Baby Jesus! Have you seen how much Oscar Leeser is selling his house for? Over 2 pinche million dollars! Don't believe me?  Check out this post from KISS FM ! Word around media circles is that Leeser wasn't happy about the media coverage of the sale of his home. I don't know why, other than maybe he's worried that it would make him look elitist, like he's not a regular El Pasoan. But people with that kind of wealth clearly aren't. Sure, your average El Paso doesn't have a maid staff or a gardening staff, or any of the other amenities in the Leeser Estate that is up for sale, but again its really no big deal if you don't buy into the every-day-man persona. Maybe he's sensitive about it because he's running for Mayor and doesn't want to look richer than the other old rich white guy running. It sort of boggles the mind that a guy who slaps his name on a parade would not see any media coverage as good coverage. For Pete's sake they are ...

I'm normally a much better source for campaign and election information, but I promise I'll get back to that and quit slakin' it.  Here is a list of all the candidates that have filed - or expressed interest - in races that would be contested in the March Democratic Primary.  Contested Races: US REP #16 Veronica Escobar (Incumbent- Filed) Jorge Artalejo (Expressed interest; not filed) STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Georgina Perez (Incumbent - Filed) Opponent (Expressed interest; not filed) STATE REP 76 Claudia Ordaz Perez (Filed) Elisa Tamayo (Filed) 8th COURT OF APPEALS Justice Yvonne Rodriguez (Expressed interest, not filed) Judge Angie Juarez-Barril (Expressed interest, not filed) 346th DISTRICT COURT Judge Ruben Nuñez (Filed) Patricia Baca (Expressed interest, not filed) 383rd DISTRICT COURT Lyda Ness Garcia (Expressed interest, not filed) Patrick Bramlett (Filed) 448th DISTRICT COURT Judge Sergio Enriquez (Incumbent- Filed)  Jose Gonzalez (Expressed Interest) DISTRICT...

I know, I'm slippin'. Several of you have reached out to me because you don't know who to vote for in the District 6 special election and I should have written this post a long time ago. It kills me that there are no candidates that I can support in the District 6 special election. At this point, I am seriously worried about the severe downgrade in representation District 6 is about to undergo. I checked the voting history of all the candidates and it kills me to say this - I mean it almost physically pains me - but Eric Stoltz is the candidate that has the voting record that appeals most to me. But lets be real. There's no scenario in which I would vote for him. He's an internet troll who loves to to troll electeds and candidates on social media because he's just oh-so-busy being a burnout on his parents' couch that he can't fit time for phone call between bong hits, but can't take honest policy questions and so he blocked me from his pages. Whats g...