District 27 State Senator Race: Who Will Win, Who Will Play Spoiler, Will the Incumbent be Upset?
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
District 27 is going to have a difficult choice to make in the upcoming weeks. Several questions remain unanswered as early voting begins, but the main question will be: Who will be the Democratic candidate for State Senator for District 27?
Two career politicians are facing off against a lawyer in a three-way fight for the right to face pseudo-Republican community activist Vanessa Tijerina from Raymondville in November.
Incumbent Eddie Lucio, Jr., who in recent elections usually finds himself running against pretenders or unopposed, is facing a serious primary challenge from State Board of Education member, and former BISD Trustee Ruben Cortez and a newcomer to the political fray, lawyer and human rights advocate Sara Stapleton Barrera.
Will Lucio be able to dispatch of both primary opponents without having a runoff election? Has the Lucio political machine amassed enough money for the war chest to purchase enough lawn signs and television commercials to keep the Lucio name branded in voters' minds? Will name recognition carry him into his leather upholstered senate seat into a third decade?
Or has the era of the comfortable incumbent come to an end? Local political analysts give Ruben Cortez a better chance at facing Lucio in a runoff election. In addition to the support Cortez is getting from his mother, Justice of the Peace Linda Salazar's camp, he has also secured endorsements from several teacher's unions, including the local BEST/AFT chapter.
Does this mean Sara Stapleton Barrera is relegated to the role of spoiler? Often times a third candidate in an election only serves to drain votes from the favored candidate.
We at the Beacon don't think Sara Stapleton Barrera is destined for third place. We think her candidacy is a legitimate challenge to the Lucio dynasty.
Eddie Lucio, Jr's legislative record has been challenged by his opponents. He is being presented as a DINO — a Democrat in Name Only, and those claims may not be as ridiculous as one might think. During recent legislative sessions, he has voted for an anti-abortion bill and has made comments against gay marriage and was the only Democrat who supported the "bathroom bill." He also supported a controversial school choice bill which would siphon money intended for public schools and public school improvement towards subsidizing private school education.
While Ruben Cortez seems to be on the right side of Democratic ideals, some question his ethics and morals. During his tenure as a school board member, several district employees alleged Cortez used his influence as a board member to coerce the superintendent to promote one of his family members to an administrative position. A deposition given in a lawsuit against Cortez also alleged he used his position as a school board member to secure a summer school position for another family member.
Sara has said, on more than one occasion, that she will "fight like hell" for her constituents. Maybe her passion and idealism, combined with her grassroots appeal and congenial demeanor will be enough to vault this political firebrand into the number two spot over Cortez, giving her a second shot at Lucio in a runoff.
In a two-candidate race, running against a pro-charter school incumbent, the unions would be ridiculous to not endorse Stapleton Barrera in a runoff against Lucio. Maybe she gets enough votes to dethrone the king.
Remember, David did defeat Goliath in the end.
We definitely aren't counting her out. With her stance on women's rights, LGBTQ rights, and human rights in general, she may very well be the real deal — a Democrat's Democrat. The "spoiler" may have to get used to another title starting with the letter "S."
Senator Sara Stapleton Barrera. She may not be what the talking heads and the pundits are expecting, but she just might be what District 27 needs.
District 27 is going to have a difficult choice to make in the upcoming weeks. Several questions remain unanswered as early voting begins, but the main question will be: Who will be the Democratic candidate for State Senator for District 27?
Two career politicians are facing off against a lawyer in a three-way fight for the right to face pseudo-Republican community activist Vanessa Tijerina from Raymondville in November.
Incumbent Eddie Lucio, Jr., who in recent elections usually finds himself running against pretenders or unopposed, is facing a serious primary challenge from State Board of Education member, and former BISD Trustee Ruben Cortez and a newcomer to the political fray, lawyer and human rights advocate Sara Stapleton Barrera.
Will Lucio be able to dispatch of both primary opponents without having a runoff election? Has the Lucio political machine amassed enough money for the war chest to purchase enough lawn signs and television commercials to keep the Lucio name branded in voters' minds? Will name recognition carry him into his leather upholstered senate seat into a third decade?
Or has the era of the comfortable incumbent come to an end? Local political analysts give Ruben Cortez a better chance at facing Lucio in a runoff election. In addition to the support Cortez is getting from his mother, Justice of the Peace Linda Salazar's camp, he has also secured endorsements from several teacher's unions, including the local BEST/AFT chapter.
Does this mean Sara Stapleton Barrera is relegated to the role of spoiler? Often times a third candidate in an election only serves to drain votes from the favored candidate.
We at the Beacon don't think Sara Stapleton Barrera is destined for third place. We think her candidacy is a legitimate challenge to the Lucio dynasty.
Eddie Lucio, Jr's legislative record has been challenged by his opponents. He is being presented as a DINO — a Democrat in Name Only, and those claims may not be as ridiculous as one might think. During recent legislative sessions, he has voted for an anti-abortion bill and has made comments against gay marriage and was the only Democrat who supported the "bathroom bill." He also supported a controversial school choice bill which would siphon money intended for public schools and public school improvement towards subsidizing private school education.
While Ruben Cortez seems to be on the right side of Democratic ideals, some question his ethics and morals. During his tenure as a school board member, several district employees alleged Cortez used his influence as a board member to coerce the superintendent to promote one of his family members to an administrative position. A deposition given in a lawsuit against Cortez also alleged he used his position as a school board member to secure a summer school position for another family member.
Sara has said, on more than one occasion, that she will "fight like hell" for her constituents. Maybe her passion and idealism, combined with her grassroots appeal and congenial demeanor will be enough to vault this political firebrand into the number two spot over Cortez, giving her a second shot at Lucio in a runoff.
In a two-candidate race, running against a pro-charter school incumbent, the unions would be ridiculous to not endorse Stapleton Barrera in a runoff against Lucio. Maybe she gets enough votes to dethrone the king.
Remember, David did defeat Goliath in the end.
We definitely aren't counting her out. With her stance on women's rights, LGBTQ rights, and human rights in general, she may very well be the real deal — a Democrat's Democrat. The "spoiler" may have to get used to another title starting with the letter "S."
Senator Sara Stapleton Barrera. She may not be what the talking heads and the pundits are expecting, but she just might be what District 27 needs.
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