Harlandale ISD Board Member Tomas Uresti to run for St. Rep. 118

Tomas Uresti, a Harlandale Independent School District board trustee and the brother of state Sen. Carlos Uresti, said Tuesday he is running for the House District 118 seat vacated by Joe Farias.

Uresti said he planned to file paperwork with the Texas Ethics Commission this week to appoint a campaign treasurer, officially ending speculation about whether he or his nephew, local attorney Albert Uresti IV, the son of the county tax assessor-collector, would make a run for the seat.

A family decision was made Monday evening, hours after Farias announced his resignation from the Texas House.

"It's a go," Uresti said in a voice mail. "I will be running.

Uresti served for 11 years as a Harlandale trustee but opted not to run in 2013, saying he wanted to focus on other political endeavors. He ran again for a spot on the Harlandale ISD this year and won a three-way contest in May.

He lost races in 2008 and 2012 for Bexar County justice of the peace.

The House District 118 seat was left vacant Monday when Rep. Joe Farias, who served 10 years in the lower chamber, tendered a letter of resignation effective immediately with a year and a half left in his current term.

Gov. Greg Abbott will have to call a special election to fill the seat.

mySA