Voting History VS. Contributions

The El Paso Young Democrats tweeted something the other day about the D7 race between incumbent City Representative Henry Rivera and Aaron Montes. The tweet mentioned the fact that Rivera received contributions from local Republicans.  

Actually the quote is "REPUBLICAN, TRUMP SUPPORTING DONORS". 

They felt so strongly about it, they put it in all-caps. 

Thats a fair critique - if leveled fairly. So lets talk about it. 

EPYD came up with that criticism after a mailer from Montes highlighting the same message landed over the weekend. Coincidence or coordinated? Who knows? I'll circle back to this later. 

But lets actually examine the critique that they are making against Rivera, who is running in a non-partisan race. 

El Paso is a town where the electorate and leaders are overwhelmingly Democratic. The wealthy business class - who donate to Trump - have been donating to local Democratic candidates in El Paso since before most of the EPYD were born. 

So the criticism of the EPYD towards an incumbent City Representative that receives contributions from Republicans in a non-partisan race is trying to say what, exactly?

Are they saying that Rivera is secretly a Republican? Or are they saying that Rivera will do their bidding? Its gotta be one or the other. So the question is, which one are they saying?

Well if they are saying Rivera is secretly a Republican - then that requires a lot of cognitive dissonance. Because there are three really big problems with that premise - Rivera's voting record, his history, and his marriage. 

First - lets just start with his voting record. Rivera is a solid Democrat. He's voted Democrat more than most - if not all - the El Paso Young Democrats. Second, he's a union man. He's been a union man longer than most of the EPYD's have been alive and he's been an officer in his union. And then there's the fact that he's married to the Chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party. 

But lets go down the path of the other insinuation EPYD is making. If they are implying Rivera is beholden to those "Trump-supporting" Republicans...then they are also saying the same thing some really strong Democrats. 

The person that has received the most money from the rich white guys in El Paso, the "oligarchs", is Congresswoman Escobar. Beto O'Rourke is up there too. 

Every. 

Member. 

Of. 

The.

El Paso.

Legislative. 

Delegation. 

Are they all in the pockets of the wealthy "oligarchs"? 

Of course not. Escobar is no conservative. She's a solid liberal Democrat. So is Beto. So is the entire El Paso Legislative Delegation. 

The truth is the wealthy donate to a lot of candidates. The fact that the EPYD didn't mention other really progressive and liberal candidates that also receive money from the same people means that either they didn't bother to fact check, or they were just trying to pull a hit job on a Democrat with a stronger voting history than probably all of them, a long-time union member, and spouse of the Chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party. 

Also - he's married to the Chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party. Are they really trying to imply that the spouse of the Chairwoman of the Party is secretly a Republican? Seriously...no mammes. 

Either way - its a pretty epic fail. 

What REALLY tells you if someone is a Republican or a Democrat is their voting record. Lets compare apples to apples - city rep candidate to city rep candidate. District 4 City Rep candidate Wesley Lawrence has voted Republican more than he's voted Democratic. 

Not a peep from the El Paso Young Democrats about Lawrence's voting record. If their criticism was genuine, you'd think they would've tweeted about it. 

But they haven't. 

And Wesley Lawrence actually VOTED for Trump! That guy went to the Trump Rally ... as a pinche VIP no less. He was caught red-handed playing both sides of women's reproductive rights. 

Not. A. Peep. From. EPYD.

For that matter - we should all stop and ask ourselves - what are Aaron Montes and Jeremy Jordan saying about people like Congresswoman Escobar, Beto O'Rourke, Cesar Blanco, Jose Rodriguez, Mary Gonzalez, and a whole host of others? 

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Oh hey, speaking of voting records...lets not forget there are municipal judge candidates on the ballot. So for funnies I ran a quick check of voting records on VAN of the candidates. Turns out there is a municipal judicial candidate that appears to have been a Trump supporter. 

Here is the voting record of Lillian Blancas. For whatever reason - that is so far unexplained - she voted in the 2016 Republican Primary and Primary Run-Off election. 

Come on...y'all know there's always a screen shot...

Look, there's a lot of people that have voted Republican at some point in their life and had some buyer's remorse. That is 100% understandable. Hell, I've regretted a lot of votes I have taken in my life. But for Democrats - that 2016 election is a scarlet letter. 

Again...Not. A. Peep. From. EPYD.

If she's a reformed Trump supporter - I think she needs to explain that position to voters because if not, people are right to give her the ol' fish eye. 

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Speaking of Republican Judicial Candidates....

That Priscilla Martinez Gonzalez de la Trompas won't put "Republican" on her signs but she damn sure doesn't have a problem having not one - not two - but THREE - campaign signs in the Trump anti-masker Branch Covidians' Trump caravan last week. 

Also, I stole these pics from Anthony Aguero's FB Live broadcast. And that brings my heart joy. 

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Circling Back...

Jeremy Jordan makes me laugh because he is just so over-the-top douchey. When I first met the guy he told me he was gonna teach me "all about politics". 

I actually laughed in his face. 

Like gacho. 

He's involved in Aaron Montes' campaign and had to recuse himself from the El Paso Apartment Association's endorsement process because of the conflict with Montes' race. Although he doesn't appear to have done so for his fiancé's endorsement process - but that is a post for another day. 

Anywho, remember that mailer I mentioned earlier? Well Montes is his candidate and Jordan posted a copy of the mailer on his social media - as though it was the first time he ever say it - then said it was going to go into the "Hall of Fame" of mailers. 

Seriously, he couldn't get more douchey if he tried. 

Ay-ay, he "received" it...

I can't remember the last more obvious example of public political masturbation. Way to go Jeremy, you win the prize of the one-man political circle jerk. 

Also, lol at Wesley Lawrence jumping in the comment section...