The Election Results Are In

By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon

With 100% of the precincts reporting, and the unofficial report being run by the Cameron County Election's Office at 7:49 PM, the 2021 runoff election for two seats on the Brownsville City Commission is all but in the books.

A dismal 6.1% of all of District 3 and 4's 51,650 eligible voters went to the polls and mailed in their ballots. In the end, 3,195 people have chosen 29% of the city's representatives.

People just don't vote in Brownsville, either because of apathy, ignorance, or a combination of the two, most people seem to not care who represents them in city government. Does the lack of legitimate compensation keep new candudates from seeking office? Is that why we see so many of the same names appearing on the ballot all the time?

The recent passage of the term-limit amendment to the city charter will begin to see that trend change. Now that a commissioner is term limited they'll only have a finite amount of time to effect change in town.

Let's hope that works as a catalyst for change and those who sit on the city council aren't content with just running out the clock on their time in the old federal courtroom above the Elizabeth Street post office.

Two new commissioners will soon take their place on the dais in the hallowed chamber. 

In the District 3 race, community activist Roy De los Santos was able to hand perennial runner-up Jessica Puente-Bradshaw yet another defeat. Three times was not a charm for Puente-Bradshaw — she's lost two other bids to hold office: once for US Representative (Filemon Vela, Jr. defeated her in 2012) and her first bid for a seat on the city commission (for the At-large "A" seat after Cesar De Leon resigned in 2019).

The District 3 race saw Puente-Bradshaw's supporters turn to mudslinging and negative campaigning as an unregistered political action committee supporting Puente-Bradshaw released a homophobic attack mailer trying to smear her opponent a handful of days before the election.

In the end, the hate-filled strategy wasn't enough to put Puente-Bradshaw over the top. De los Santos was able to secure 894, or 54.3% of the vote. Puente-Bradshaw received 753, or 45.7% of the vote. I was actually surprised Puente-Bradshaw was able to garner that much support, but in the end, it wasn't enough.

The District 4 race saw the incumbent, former municipal judge, lawyer, businessman, and downtown revitalist Ben Neece lose to political newcomer and restauranteur Pedro Cardenas. Cardenas was able to hand Neece a resounding 67.7% to 32.3% (1,045 - 498) defeat. 

In yet another example of the Trumpian legacy of experienced politicians being defeated by a candidate with little, to no, political experience, Cardenas replaces an experienced politician with several years of public service under his belt. Cardenas was able to get elected despite never appearing at any public forums; despite never releasing a legitimate platform of issues he'd tackle if elected.

Only time will tell what our new city commissioners will do for Brownsville. Now the grumblings will begin to see who will appear on the ballot for 2022.

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