Just a Thought: Hispanic Candidates pt. 3By Steve Walker
As we continue to get closer to the November election, my third
and final column on Hispanic candidates seems appropriate.
There is one week left in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
and now is the time to address the issue. Numerous local Hispanic candidates have
put themselves on the line by putting their name on the ballot to commit to
public service in San Antonio.
Recently I wrote about the increase of already elected Hispanic female
judges and again in a second column on the number of Hispanics, both male and
female, running for judgeships in Bexar County.
Obviously other Hispanics are
running for other offices as well, as many are running for re-election having
served as many as 10 years in office.
Many San Antonio voters are
familiar with the historic precedent that Chief Justice of the 4th
Court of Appeals Alma Lopez set some years ago winning the seat and being the
first Hispanic female to do so in the country.
Precinct 2 County Commissioner
Paul Elizondo is currently running for his 9th consecutive term and
is expected to win easily. As a former school teacher like myself, he is often
considered an icon. The Commissioner’s Court building is named after him.
Commissioner Precinct 1 Chico
Rodriguez is serving his third term, representing the Southside. His office
ironically is down the street from McCollum High School where I taught for nine
years. His brother Ciro Rodriguez served as a Congressman for a number of years
and will be seated as a Southside Justice of the Peace in January.
While I served on a tour in the
Army Public affairs office at the Pentagon as a Reservist, during my tenure in
Harlandale ISD, the Congressman graciously procured a Congressional tour of the
White House for me run by the Secret Service. That was awesome.
Another elected official, Senator
Carlos Uresti now represents most of that area and additional counties. Having
taught his son, Michael at McCollum, I have been privileged to have known him
for a number of years. He recruited me
as a member of VFW Post 9186. We were also members of the Bexar County DemVets years
ago.
Like the Rodriguez brothers,
Senator Uresti’s older brother, Albert serves as the Bexar County Tax
Assessor/Collector.
Bexar County also has a number of
Hispanics who serve in the legislature. State Reps Jose Menendez, Trey Martinez
Fischer, Mike Villarreal, Joe Farias, and Justin Rodriguez are all unopposed on
the ballot while Philip Cortez is being challenged by Rick Galindo. I had the
pleasure to teach the son of Rep. Joe Farias, Jaime, at McCollum and worked
with his wife Angie there at the same time. He also served as a School Board Member
in Harlandale while I was there.
Lastly, my own State Senator,
Leticia van de Putte has a good chance in November to become the first Hispanic
female to be elected Lt. Governor of the State of Texas. Van de Putte currently
serves as the Senate Chair of the Veteran’s Committee. I have testified before
that committee related to college tuition for veterans as well as campaigned
with her and her mother knocking on doors seeking votes.
Come November we will see whether
or not we have more representation by Hispanics for not just Hispanics, but for
all Bexar County residents.
As I always, I
write “Just a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran, former Journalist and Justice
of the Peace
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