Lupe Giner is a Republican, Not an Independent

No one would blame you if you read the headline and said, who the hell is Luper Giner?

She's technically running as an independent candidate, but make no mistake, Giner is a Republican candidate running for El Paso County Judge against the incumbent Judge Ricardo Samaniego, a Democrat. 

Not to sound like a broken record but in El Paso, Republicans simply aren't viable for countywide races. El Pasoans have rejected their agenda for years and there has been very little movement in the number of Republicans in El Paso over the years. 

But to hear the local GOP tell it, they like to say that "El Pasoans are Republicans, they just don't know it." Which sounds a lot like they are saying El Pasoans are stupid. Which, I guess would be true if they were in fact Republicans. 

But I digress. 

Sign number one that Giner isn't a viable candidate is the fact that she ran as an "independent" and not as a Republican. You see if she ran as a Republican, she'd be guaranteed to get at least in the upper twenties, maybe thirties, of a percentage of the vote. 

Why? 

Because in general elections, Republicans are brand-loyal. She, like every other Republican running countywide wouldn't be able to get more than that, but its a hell of a lot more than what she'll get as an independent. 

If you listen to Giner, she'll tell you she's an independent and not a Republican. And that would be, what we call in the Lower Valley, puro pedo!

But a very simple review of her voting record will show that there is absolutely nothing independent about her. She's never missed a Republican Primary in the history of her voting record. Here's a look at it:

See all those R's? Yeah, exactly. 

In fact, here's my voting history:

See all the D's? Its nuts how many D's are there on my voting history. In fact, one might say its Deez Nuts!

Sorry, couldn't resist. 

Anywho - if you know me IRL, or have read anything I've written here or on FB, the last thing you'd believe is me trying to tell you with a straight face that I'm an "independent". You'd know I am Liberal because my voting record says exactly who I am. 

The same is true of Giner - she is who her voting record says she is. 

Facts are stubborn things. She can stomp her feet and hold her breath until she's blue in the face claiming she's an independent and not a Republican from here to across the street, but that doesn't make it true. 

She's as much of an "independent" as I am - which is to say - NOT.

I honestly feel bad for the local GOP. Their own candidates often treat the local GOP like its the kid in school who has piojos!

No one wants to be their friend or play with them. 

Now lets pull over for a quick reality check. Think fast - name the last "independent" candidate to win an election in El Paso....go ahead, I'll wait...

Running as an independent is a dumber move than running as a Republican. I don't know how is advising her, but whoever it is should get out of politics because they are clearly pendejos of the highest order. Independent candidates never pull a significant number of votes. Certainly never even out of the single digits. 

And they are always Republicans who just don't want to actually call themselves Republicans like Tim Collins when he ran against Sylvestre Reyes back in the day or that other dude who ran for congress as an independent after losing the Republican primary recently who's name escapes me. 

Giner is going to get wiped out.

And if there is still ANY amount of doubt lingering in your mind about whether or not she's a Republican, go to her campaign website. Do you think her website focused on the most pressing issues facing county government like infrastructure in rural communities, economic development in the outlying areas, green space for kids that live outside the city, mobility in the region, etc? 

Nope. 

Her focus appears to be ....wait for it...

immigration!

I mean she goes full-on Irene Armendariz-Jackson in her commercial. Its your stereotypical Texas Republican candidate video. First, it comes uncomfortably close to some stolen valor shit, which those of us that are veterans find really offensive. The video talks about her father serving in the military, then cuts to her driving what appears to be an Army surplus jeep, implying she also served. She's next to a border wall and talking about the threat of immigration - check. Footage of her driving in the rural area like she's a common person, check. Obligatory slow mo footage of her wearing sun glasses, blue jeans, and boots - check. 

Quite frankly the only thing missing from the GOP handbook - and I mean the only thing - missing is the shot of her shooting something. Maybe someone actually had the good sense to tell her that it would be incredibly tone deaf to do that in El Paso, but that is seriously the only thing missing. 

So independent ni madre!

The Shell Game

I honestly shouldn't even have to write this post - but I am, and for a very good reason. Its not because you need to be educated on the fact that independent candidates have no chance in hell of winning in El Paso. 

You already know that. 

But I'm writing it because it is my opinion that there is an effort on the part of Poltico Consultants (Eddie Holguin, Lily Limón, and Martine Paredes) to try to make Giner out to be more of a political threat than she actually is in an effort to squeeze more money out of their client, County Judge Ricardo Samaniego. 

Because there is absolutely no data to support the fact that Giner is remotely viable for the position. 

I noticed Limón was fretting about the fact that Giner showed up to the Eastside Democrats meeting recently and spoke. Giner apparently was a somebody in local neighborhood associations around Cielo Vista. Obviously its pretty stupid for an independent candidate to try to speak at a partisan Democratic auxiliary - but it should surprise no one. Should she have been allowed to speak?

No. 

But once she spoke it was clear that she was speaking as a candidate and not as a neighborhood association person, she was asked to leave according to people that were there. Full disclosure, I'm a member of that organization but I've been busy and didn't get out of work in time to attend. Had I been there, you all know what would've happened. I would've called her out and there would be a video accompanying this post. 

And I know this is going to come as a shocker to you all, but they are using their Tejano platform to make Giner out to be a big deal. Just kidding, that was sarcasm. 

Giner is not a viable candidate and I'd be surprised if she got out of the single digits. Judge Samaniego could light UTEP on fire while wearing a Kentucky jersey, saying he hates Aaron Jones, Khalid, and Marty Robbins, and pee on Don Haskins grave - all in the same day - and he'd still win that election without spending one more penny.