Whoever said that lizards don’t hibernate didn’t try and stay awake during the political off-season in Webb County. Lizardistas, I don’t know if this reporter went into hibernation or just couldn’t stay awake during the winter (YAWN!) but it seems time that we slither out of our 2012 skin and grow a new outer layer for the fun, games and chingazos to come.
We’ll get to these one at a time, as the days go by, but I’ll start by mentioning that Monday (the day after dia de las Madres) was the first day 2014 judicial candidates were eligible to file for a treasurer, meaning at least explore the possibility of making a run for the bench.
Though nobody has publicly stepped up, County Court at Law Judge Chuy Garza has held several “strategy” meetings with supporters in anticipation of a challenger. Word on the street is that he’s shaking in his boots because he’s forfeited on so many of his campaign promises (like bringing a juvenile drug rehab program to town … which he immediately passed off to Judge OJ Hale’s court) that when someone finaly challenges him, he’s likely to be swept aside.Of course, the hard part is finding a challenger for Judge “Lazybones” who is willing to make the race without the public support of his colleagues in the legal profession. As we all know, the only thing more pathetic than an incumbent judge willing to intimidate the attorneys who practice before him are the attorneys who lack the ganas to stand up to the intimidating judge.
Will a viable challenger emerge in this race? We’ll find out soon enough. Names are swirling around in the miasma, but suddenly, Judge Garza is working the field REAL hard.
What other benches might be available? How about Judge Joe Lopez’s bench? Latest word on him is that he’s got his house for sale. Maybe he knows something that we don’t. After his heavy handed participating in other campaigns (aren’t our judges supposed to be above the fray?), maybe he’s getting ready to step down from the bench and declare himself king.
Or maybe he’s got a reason to be finding a residence elsewhere… like another county. After his antics in the 2012 election cycle, there are a lot of folks in and out of public service who wouldn’t have a problem with a change on that bench. And from what we hear, recruitment efforts have been ongoing. But finding someone to stand up against Lopez will be even harder than finding someone with the guts to take on Judge Garza.
Let’s see …. what else is there to discuss. Maybe Sciarraffagate? Maybe the inability of County Commissioner’s Court to find places to put people who were promised jobs in return for political support? Latest meltdowns by our favorite elected officials? Rumors, rumors and more rumors about people lining up to run for office.
Or what Danny Valdez is doing sneaking around trying to cut deals with family members of a likely opponent?
All of this and more.
But first, let me brush my teeth. This Lizard’s been asleep a long time!
Anonymous
May 17, 2013 at 4:01pmPolitical tactics are one thing, but barring any extraordinary actions or behaviors on their part, incumbents are pretty hard to vote out.
Louis Bruni was not re-elected because of his outbursts, I think. Same thing with Sergio Martinez. His lack of diplomacy did him in. Frank Sciaraffa had his own shortcomings. These three examples can offer up some idea of why they didn’t have staying power.
Perhaps all it takes is having just a bigger network of friends and family to get you into office, not necessarily vision or capability.
Keyrose
May 17, 2013 at 4:03pmLouis Bruin, Sergio Martinez, and Frank Sciaraffa can probably tell us something about not having staying power.
Vision and capability for the job is one thing, but having a bigger network of friends and family goes a long way locally.
The Lizard
July 21, 2013 at 7:20pmI wonder if all three of them have the same problem? Maybe they need to look into today’s medications for “staying power.”