Norma Chavez to Run Against Ortega as Independent

Controversial former State Rep Norma Chavez has filed an intent to run as an independent for state representative with the Texas Secretary of State's Office. 

Chavez was the state representative for House District 76 for a few terms. At the time HD 76 was made up mostly of the El Paso's Lower Valley. She famously clashed with pretty much every elected official in El Paso at one point or another, with the exception of Eddie Holguin who was always riding shotgun for her. 

The Secretary of State's Office maintains the list of candidates that intend to run as an independent in general elections because well, there's no independent party and therefore no county party to run their election. Here is a link to the list of all the candidates that have filed an intent to run as an independent candidate in the November election. 

Here's a screenshot of the list so you can get a better look at it - as you can see, there is the former State Rep's name. (Its on Page Two).

It is the first step a candidate must take in order to actually appear on the ballot. 

Chavez would be taking on State Representative Lina Ortega if she made a run as an independent. 

This is a terrible and sad epilogue to her controversial career. 

I guess I'm going to go back to the ol' boxing analogy well for this one because it just fits - Chavez is now the living embodiment of the cliche of old fighters fighting past their prime. Chavez has lost successive elections since her famous "...Lesbian, gay woman..." remark about 11 years ago. 

Wow, I can't believe its been that long. Well, obviously my video skills have improved over the time but for those of you that don't remember, lets take a walk down Memory Lane and revisit the exact moment when Chavez's career started to spiral down in flames. You can watch the entire thing, but start at about the 6:10 moment and you'll see what I mean. 

She lost that election and that is when she should've rode off into the sunset. But she didn't. And first chance she got, she ran for her seat again. She ended up in a run-off with Cesar Blanco. Typically Latina candidates beat male opponents but she was trounced by Blanco. She should have rode off into the sunset then. 

But she decided to take on Congresswoman Veronica Escobar - and she under-performed and was trounced - again. She should have rode off into the sunset then. 

Now she's left the Democratic Party - and she has no matter how much she will likely pretend she isn't - and will be taking on Lina Ortega. One of only two members of the delegation that fought hard against the Republican's extremist agenda in the last session. Its one thing to leave the Party (I guess), but this move is also turning against the values she professed to believe in for so long. 

Part of me wants to be mad at the people around her because no one is telling her how bad of an idea it is. But having been one of the people that tried to protect Norma from Norma, when she has her mind made up to do something, there's no reasoning with her. 

Here is what is going to happen. She's going to embarrass herself. She's going to get less votes than she has ever had for any election in her career. That is how her political career is going to end - one big toilet flush race to the bottom. 

Knowing Norma, this is how she talked herself into this race. She probably figures that Ortega is now representing a larger district than before and that most of it is the valley portion of the old HD 76. Thats the area Norma used to represent. Norma probably figures no one in the valley knows Ortega and that is the lane she can run in. 

Yeah, except for one thing - she's still Norma Chavez. Voters remember who she is. Voters consistently rejected her when they had the chance to vote for her. 

Consistently. 

She got less and less votes every time. 

How bad did it get?

A white lady from the westside got more votes in the lower valley than Norma did in her last election. Don't believe me? Go look it up. Dori Fenenbock beat Norma Chavez in the valley. 

That bad.

So throw logic out the window. 

And honestly, what is her game plan? No one is going to fund Norma Chavez in an independent bid. She's going to have to spend her own money. She no longer has a base and hasn't won an election in what, 13 or so years? How on earth would she send mail out or knock on enough doors for a general election turnout? Hell, even if she had the money to send mail or knock doors - what is her material even gonna say? New year, new me and pictures of her feet? 

Representative Ortega could open up a lemonade stand in front of Speaking Rock and raise all the money she would need to beat Chavez in an hour. 

So if its not logic that is motivating her - and its no longer values because she's turned her back on the Democratic Party - then why is she running?

Come on, you know the answer. 

Ego. 

Its the only thing that motivates people that do things that don't make any sense. Its exactly like what motivates old fighters to get in the ring just one more time. The unhealthy mix of pride, desperation, financial need, along with the unquenchable desire to regain lost glory. 

She's pretty much putting a torch to any semblance of a legacy she ever had as a state representative. I (rightfully) wrote her off years ago. But this is just infuriating because its such a comically sad way to see her go out. 

And now when people think of her - they are going to think of two things. The "...Lesbian, gay woman..." moment, and not knowing when to bow out gracefully.