Sam Morgan & The El Paso GOP

City Representative Sam Morgan has been a pretty consistent Democratic voter going back to at least 2008. In 2006 he voted Republican. 

Let me qualify that statement really quick. He's always voted in Democratic Primaries - in November general elections its impossible to say how anyone voted. 

That is why his current attendance at GOP events has left me scratching my head. Morgan has been at a lot of campaign events for Republican challenger to Congresswoman Escobar, Irene Armendariz Jackson. That has been going on for quite some time, but even as recently as a fundraiser this weekend. 

At first I thought it was just some kind of personal friendship and thats why he was attending. I have Republican friends that I'm cool with too. 

Obviously its a different calculation when you are an elected official, seeking re-election and in a largely Democratic town like El Paso, even if you are running in a non-partisan race. Or maybe its just that he doesn't like Congresswoman Escobar. 

But its a terrible political calculation - or lack of a calculation on his part. 

Trust me, elected officials take note of other elected officials that work against them in a campaign. Its not something they forget. Why would you give someone a reason to be interested in the run-off that is inevitably going to take place?

He's the most vulnerable member of council up for re-election this cycle, even if you didn't factor in the fact that he's still facing a domestic violence charge. He's got the typical crowded field of candidates in the northeast he has to face and there's going to be a run-off. You also have three African-American voters in that race splitting up the vote, so who makes a run-off in this race is very much up in the air. 

Which is why its so mind-blowing that he would be so public about paling around with Republicans. 

But its clearly not just a personal friendship with Armendariz-Jackson. He went to the event the GOP hosted when Allen West - notorious Tea Party nutball and Chairman of the Texas Republican Party. 

And not only is he in attendance - he's not wearing a mask. 

Let break this photo down for you. In the foreground is Allen West. Next to the Texas flag is Morgan and next to him is former GOP Chairman Adolfo Telles. So this isn't just a casual pic with a random Republican. He was at that event. Look how close everyone is. Only one mask in that entire picture. 

Its not just that event. Morgan isn't wearing a mask at any of these events. The following photo is from the fundraiser over the weekend. Morgan not only attended - it looks like he had a speaking role and is on stage with Armendariz-Jackson. 

He even does an interview there with a guy in the GOP that is closely associated with some of the local GOP's more notorious figures like Anthony Aguero. Click here to see that interview. Its another instance of Morgan at a public event and he is again, not wearing a mask. And the guy interviewing him is clearly closer than 6 feet. 

Before you click, I just have to warn you that its terrible video. The guy doing the video clearly doesn't know what the hell he's doing. He almost never captures the subjects entire face and the sound quality is awful. But it illustrates my point. 

I'm not sure voters thought this was the "new vibe" they were voting for.