Tamayo's Problem Connecting with El Paso Voters

Elisa Tamayo's campaign is a lot like most people's Facebook profile pictures - its them, but kinda not really.

Tamayo does a lot of window dressing to do her best to make herself look like the front runner, or maybe she genuinely believes she is. I wouldn't blame her if she did, she's in a world where the delegation is talking her up and going all-in to make sure she wins.

Seriously, wait for that post-election piece where I tell you all the stuff I know just how far the delegation has gone in this election - trust me, its gonna surprise you.

Tamayo usually starts all her speeches by saying 1) she's hand-picked by the delegation - voters apparently don't matter to the delegation - and 2) she's from a bilingual, binational, bicultural, bilateral, bicameral, bionic, bipartisan, biodegradable community...or something like that.

At her campaign announcement she used a mural outside of District 76 as the backdrop and spoke of the August 3rd shooting as something that happened at "my Walmart".

¡Ay-ay!

Truth is Tamayo was born here - left - and never came back until she went to college. Then left again as quickly as she could for Austin and didn't come back until she decided to run for the District 76 seat.

Oops, I got that wrong. She left for Arkansas.

Then Austin.

Wait, she was in DC before she was at UTEP. Or was it after? Or during?

IDK.

Sorry, her jet-setting life is a bit difficult to keep up with cuz she's been all over the world like the Bird Flu.

Seriously, no matter what the delegation tries to tell you, Tamayo has almost no footprint in El Paso. What elementary school did she go to? Did she play sports for a local middle or high school? Was she part of a scouting troop or church here?

¡Chale!

You know that thing El Pasoans do when they first meet and they don't know each other, where they ask each other where they went to high school?

Well fun fact, neither Tamayo nor I, can say we went to an El Paso area high school.

But the delegation and Tamayo's glamor-shots campaign really goes out of its way to make it sound like she has deep roots here.

But she doesn't.

The truth is, Tamayo is a child of wealth and privilege who has literally been all over the world.

I'm not hating - hell I wish I had the chance to travel the world (for leisure, not because of the military) like she has. Her instagram looks like she lives the life of a rap mogul or a movie star. But certainly not your average El Pasoan.

This isn't an exaggeration - I think she's been to more countries in Europe and Asia than Marco Polo.

So I'm kind of sick of the delegation acting like Tamayo is just your average regular ol' El Pasoan who understands this community.

¡No manches!

Pretty sure she's been to the Eiffel Tower more often than she's been to El Bronco.

I'll bet during the entire Trump administration that she's spent more time shopping at an H-E-B in Austin than she has a Walmart in El Paso or an El Super in the Valley.

Any takers?

I know, I know, no one is supposed to speak critically of the delegation's Golden Calf but seriously...someone should stop and ask the question...

Why are some members of the delegation so personally invested in her candidacy?

I mean, have you seen her finance report? Her biggest contributors ARE the delegation. That doesn't warrant even the slightest bit of critical analysis from anyone?

Y'all think the delegation is all-in for Tamayo because she's so awesome? Or do you think there is likely another reason?

Seriously, have you heard her try to speak authoritatively on issues? Remember when she was asked about toll roads? The delegation tried to argue that she'd be ready to serve as a legislator on day one - that was their entire premise - and then when she was asked a basic question, not even a "gotcha" question - it was a total desmadre.

The delegation can support who they want, it doesn't make a difference. I just think its silly that they are trying to paint her out to be someone she's not. If you think she's the right candidate, great. Just don't try to repackage H-E-B from Austin into Food City.

Some of us prefer Food City...you know...because its more authentically El Paso.

Just tell the truth, you think you'll work better with her because she used to work for you guys. Its easier to influence someone to do what you want them to when they're beholden to you.

We get it.