🗳️ 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲! 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟕 𝐚.𝐦. 𝐭𝐨 𝟕 𝐩.𝐦.
𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫.
Super Tuesday in El Paso, Texas, both the Democratic and Republican parties will have their primary elections, and it is an important step in deciding who will run for various positions in the upcoming elections and shaping the local political landscape. Some people have reached out to ask for information on the candidates and positions and I have tried to gather as much information as I could on news sites in parenthesis.
🔴 The Republican primary in El Paso will have fewer contested races. Only two races will have competition: one for a congressional district and another for a state representative district that goes from San Antonio to El Paso. The other local GOP races, including the district attorney position, will not have any opponents. That means most Republican voters won't have contested races to vote for in the primary.Here are the candidates running in the contested races for the Republican primary in El Paso:
𝐔.𝐒. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟐𝟑:
-𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐳 (incumbent has supported measures to address various issues, including ending asylum claims abuse, improving Border Patrol agents' pay, increasing funding for local police agencies along the border, and enhancing technology at ports of entry and the border wall. Additionally, he advocates for reforming temporary work visa programs to meet the demand for workers in the U.S.)
-𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐋𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐳 (warns of a “globalist infiltration” of the Republican Party and is a retired Border Patrol agent who managed the campaign of Raul Reyes, Gonzales' far-right primary opponent in 2020, advocates for strict consequences, both criminal and administrative, for violators of U.S. immigration laws. He supports reinstating programs like Operation Streamline, Expedited Removal, and Migrant Protection Protocols to address immigration issues.)
-𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐚 (a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent and decorated survivor of a drug cartel attack in Mexico. He endured a Zetas cartel ambush in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in 2011, resulting in multiple gunshot wounds and the tragic loss of fellow HSI special agent Jaime Zapata.)
-𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 (former Medina County Republican Party Chair, played a key role in the decision to censure Tony Gonzalez, who is a participant in both the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.)
-𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐚 (known as @TheAKguy, is a Second-Amendment activist with a significant presence on YouTube.)
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟕𝟒:
-𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐳𝐚
-𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐌𝐜𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧
🔵 In the Democratic primary, there will be 17 local races that voters will decide in March. These races are for positions in the local government, like sheriff, district attorney, and state representative. There will be multiple candidates running for these positions, so Democratic voters will have a choice in selecting their preferred nominees. Here are the candidates running in the contested races for the Democratic primary in El Paso:
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟏𝟔:
-𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐫
-𝐋𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟐𝟑 (Both candidates are engineers):
-𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 (supports raising the age to legally purchase a gun to 21 and creating a smoother path to citizenship for migrants)
-𝐒. 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧 (says he will fight to expand rural health care and increase the number of immigration judges)
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 (Two of the three Democratic candidates for district attorney on Thursday said they would at least consider not seeking the death penalty in the state case against the shooter, Patrick Crusius, and instead pursue a sentence of life in prison):
-𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐬 (Casas, unable to discuss the Patrick Crusius case due to a gag order, emphasized accountability for crimes, stating that some offenses may warrant the death penalty after careful consideration. If cases meet criteria, she will pursue the death penalty when appropriate.)
Also worth noting: She emphasized the need for collaboration, especially between the district attorney's office and other judicial and law enforcement agencies, highlighting a breakdown in communication regarding case management and cooperation.
-𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐨 (Trejo emphasized the importance of evidence and fiscal responsibility, stating that before pursuing a case, they would assess whether sufficient evidence exists. They also expressed interest in discussing with US attorneys why the death penalty wasn't sought in certain cases.)
Also worth noting: She expressed a desire to establish various “diversion avenues” to assist individuals in avoiding incarceration, particularly those with mental health or substance abuse issues, aiming to prevent the criminalization of such individuals.
-𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐲𝐚 (Montoya expressed a personal belief in the death penalty for the case, emphasizing that the decision to pursue it hinges on the case's status by January 1, 2025. If the case is progressing towards trial, he intends to continue seeking the death penalty; otherwise, he will consider resolving it through a plea deal.)
Also worth noting: He emphasized the need to address a staffing shortage at the office before implementing any new initiatives. Montoya stated that recruiting more staff is the top priority, as current staffing levels are insufficient for day-to-day court coverage and any new plans, such as establishing a mental health unit, remain unrealistic without adequate personnel.
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲:
-𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐳 (Sanchez emphasized the importance of a coordinated response from city and county officials in addressing SB 4, including drafting policies for law enforcement's handling of the law. Additionally, she highlighted the County Attorney's Office's role in combating family violence, citing the use of protective orders as a key tool in ending the cycle of domestic violence.)
-𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐫 (Saldivar expressed opposition to SB 4 but believes local border governments should do more to reduce undocumented migration. He has criticized the County Attorney's Office for its handling of protective orders, suggesting they should scrutinize the motives of those seeking them. Additionally, Saldivar agreed to a protective order against himself in 2019, requested by the County Attorney's Office on behalf of his roommate, which accused him of stalking and family violence. The protective order expired in 2021.)
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟 (The county sheriff oversees a department with a $122 million budget and approximately 580 detention officers, 270 deputies, and 110 civilian staff. Responsibilities include enforcing laws within El Paso County, overseeing criminal investigations, drug detection programs, jail administration, and patrolling county roads. The sheriff currently earns $190,226 annually and serves a four-year term.
Sheriff Wiles endorsed Urrutia as his successor, while Flores garnered support from former U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes and certain members of the old-school Democrats. Ugarte is promoted by current U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, Beto O'Rourke, and others in the “progressive” wing of local Democrats.):
-𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐚 (Urrutia, a commander in the Sheriff’s Office since 1996, has had five internal affairs complaints during his career. Three resulted in letters of reprimand, including neglect of duty for failing to submit traffic citations in May 2003, and for purchasing a suppressor without department notification. In September 2012, he received another reprimand for allowing an unmarked vehicle to participate in a pursuit, violating policy.)
-𝐎𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐔𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞 (Ugarte has no complaints on his record from his tenure with the City of Socorro Police Department, as per internal affairs records. Currently serving as a Constable, it's noted that Constables lack an internal affairs unit or similar internal investigation function found in larger law enforcement agencies.)
-𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 “𝐁𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲” 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 (Flores had nine internal affairs complaints dating back to the 1990s, with four resulting in disciplinary action. In 2015, he was reprimanded for fraternization due to a sexual relationship with a co-worker’s partner. Additionally, in 2020, Flores received a letter of reprimand for purchasing a firearm suppressor using department letterhead, despite it being against department policy. This reprimand cited violations including neglect of duty and professional image and appearance.)
-𝐑𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐚 (Mendiola had two disciplinary incidents during his seven years with the El Paso Police Department. One involved sending a department-wide email to sell his bedroom furniture, resulting in a letter of reprimand for violating the city's email policy in August 2013. The other incident, in October 2013, resulted in another letter of reprimand for dereliction of duty and insubordination due to refusing to work with a partner while claiming to be sick. He retired from EPPD and now works with the Ysleta Independent School District police department.)
-𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐏. 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 (Gonzales had a history of disciplinary issues during his 22-year tenure with the department. He retired as a sergeant in 2018 while under internal investigation and is now an El Paso Independent School District police officer. Records show 20 internal affairs complaints against him, with half resulting in disciplinary action, including suspensions. His final complaint in 2018 involved a civil rights violation for arresting a bar owner without cause and instructing deputies to turn off body cameras. Previous incidents included using personal social media to criticize the Search and Rescue Team, inappropriate behavior towards female deputies, insubordination, harassment, and unauthorized use of department resources.)
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫-𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫:
-𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐧 𝐏. 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐳
-𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐋𝐮𝐣𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟏-represents Far East El Paso and the Montana Vista area (The county court comprises four commissioners and a county judge, all serving four-year staggered terms. Commissioners earn over $133,000 annually, while the county judge receives $152,000 per year. The court is responsible for setting the county's budget and tax rate, overseeing a budget of nearly $602 million, and prioritizing county projects. It also oversees the budgets of the Sheriff's Office and University Medical Center of El Paso, and manages roads, bridges, parks, and other quality-of-life services. Last year, the court approved $59 million in certificates of obligation for essential public infrastructure projects and $41 million in tax anticipation notes for critical public safety projects. These bonds do not require voter approval but are repaid with property taxes. Additionally, the court plans to put up to $350 million in bond debt on the ballot in November, allowing voters to decide on financing new projects.):
-𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫 (currently serving as the senior policy adviser for Leon's office, boasts a background in policy gained from her tenure at the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. She emphasizes her understanding of the issues faced by residents of far East El Paso County, such as traffic congestion, water infrastructure deficits, and rapid growth in the area. It's likely that Butler will consider raising taxes as the community grows because there might not be enough money to cover all the needs without some extra cash. If they can't get money from other places like the state or federal government, raising taxes might be necessary. Additionally, she wants to implement regulations for outdoor businesses.)
-𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐧𝐞 (is a retired El Paso County Sheriff's detention officer and former president of the El Paso County Sheriff's Association, unexpectedly entered the political arena after retiring from the Sheriff's Office due to concerns about the lack of candidates. His platform focuses on addressing public infrastructure, property taxes, funding, and public safety. Faraone is focused on lowering taxes, stating that people are frustrated with the Commissioners Court giving themselves pay raises. He vows never to vote for his own pay raise or cost-of-living increases. Instead, he aims to secure more funding from the state through collaboration with various departments. Faraone emphasizes that lowering taxes will be his top priority, reflecting the concerns expressed by constituents during his door-to-door campaigning efforts.)
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟑-represents portions of the East Side, Horizon City and the Lower Valley eastward to Socorro, San Elizario, Clint, Fabens and Tornillo (The county court comprises four commissioners and a county judge, all serving four-year staggered terms. Commissioners earn over $133,000 annually, while the county judge receives $152,000 per year. The court is responsible for setting the county's budget and tax rate, overseeing a budget of nearly $602 million, and prioritizing county projects. It also oversees the budgets of the Sheriff's Office and University Medical Center of El Paso, and manages roads, bridges, parks, and other quality-of-life services. Last year, the court approved $59 million in certificates of obligation for essential public infrastructure projects and $41 million in tax anticipation notes for critical public safety projects. These bonds do not require voter approval but are repaid with property taxes. Additionally, the court plans to put up to $350 million in bond debt on the ballot in November, allowing voters to decide on financing new projects.):
-𝐈𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧 (incumbent Holguin stood out by voting against both the tax rate increase and the pay raise for commissioners. She made a motion to approve the no-new revenue tax rate but received no support from other commissioners, resulting in its failure. Holguin expressed discomfort with giving herself a pay raise and suggested that such decisions should be governed by the state rather than by the commissioners themselves. She emphasized the unfairness of commissioners having the power to grant themselves raises while El Paso residents lack the same ability.)
𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐳 (lists her mailing address in Socorro in campaign filings, indicating her association with the area)
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟕𝟕-encompasses parts of southern West El Paso, Downtown, Central, and most of the Lower Valley:
-𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 (entered the race with over a year and 30 days remaining in her term on the El Paso City Council, leading her to step down from her position. Her resignation triggered a special election to find her replacement, costing the city over $500,000. This significant expense is for a City Council race where the winner will serve for less than a year. This decision sparked criticism from El Paso residents and her opponents, who accused her of abandoning her position to further her political ambitions.)
-𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐳 (served two terms on the County Commissioners Court until his loss in 2020, faced criticism for voting for five pay raises for himself during his tenure. This led to accusations of enriching himself at taxpayers' expense, making him hold the County record for the largest total pay increase while in office. Additionally, if elected, Perez would find himself sharing the delegation with his former spouse, Rep. Claudia Ordaz. Their names may sound familiar together due to a public altercation at Whataburger, where police officers were called to the scene. Someone reportedly intervened, asking the officers to let Ordaz and Perez leave without repercussions.)
-𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐳 (previously represented El Paso in the Texas House for seven terms until 2010, sees the open position as a unique opportunity to utilize her seniority for the community's benefit. She emphasizes putting taxpayers first as her priority. However, Chávez's political career has been marked by controversy and setbacks. Her aggressive approach has been criticized as bullying and dysfunctional, leading to a disconnect with her constituents. Unseemly incidents such as uninviting a friend to a party via text message and accepting funds from lobbyists for her college graduation celebration added to the decline. In a runoff election for House District 76, Chávez lost to El Paso lawyer Naomi Gonzalez after a tumultuous campaign that included public confrontations and controversial statements, such as publicly outing her opponent as a lesbian. This behavior resulted in condemnation from both politicians and voters.)
-𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐳𝐚 (is an insurance broker who previously ran for the Texas House in 2000, expressed his goal of meeting the needs of the district, which has a poverty rate of 25%. With his business background, Reza aims to ensure that the people of the district are well represented and supported.)
𝟔𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 (The 65th District Court is tasked with handling child protective services cases, juvenile crime cases, and various other family-related matters. The judge oversees three associate judges who manage the juvenile courts and the protective order court. The winning candidate in the upcoming election will serve a four-year term in the judgeship, earning a starting annual salary of $158,000):
-𝐎𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐚 ( is a specialist in defending juveniles and gained recognition for his role in filing a lawsuit that resulted in the removal of the former district attorney from office. He emphasizes that he has defended children at all levels, from minor offenses to serious crimes like murder, and believes in the inherent goodness of the youth he represents, despite their mistakes.)
-𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐞𝐧𝐳 (with 16 years of experience in family law and serving as chief of the protective services division, she believes she has the expertise to effectively manage the courtroom. Saenz's personal connection to the court is profound, as she adopted her three daughters from the Foster Care program in the 65th District Court. This experience has given her firsthand insight into the trauma children endure in such situations, driving her desire to protect and advocate for them. She emphasizes her dedication to ensuring that the court serves as a venue where children and families feel heard and supported. Saenz's commitment to the well-being of children and families underscores her suitability for the role she seeks.)
𝟑𝟖𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 (The 383rd District Court is a family court responsible for overseeing a wide range of cases, including divorces, modifications of child support, protective orders, adoptions, child protective service cases, and juvenile prosecutions. The judge elected to this position serves a four-year term and receives a starting salary of $158,000 per year.):
-𝐋𝐲𝐝𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚 (incumbent, who won the seat left vacant by Herrera in 2020, has been soliciting contributions of up to $2,500 each from lawyers who practice in her court. Ness Garcia has stated that her goals include raising the efficiency and trustworthiness of the judicial system, particularly to alleviate stress for families and children involved in legal proceedings. However, she has faced accusations of improperly cashing client checks and has been embroiled in various legal and financial controversies, including civil judgments, tax arrears, and bankruptcy filings. Ness Garcia attributes her financial challenges to personal circumstances, such as the end of her marriage and medical expenses due to a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, she has been investigated by the Texas Ethics Commission for alleged violations related to political campaign contributions.)
-𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐚 (is an attorney and served as judge of the 383rd District Court from 2000 until 2020. Despite a reprimand from the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct in 2016 for handling his divorce case in his own court, he remains steadfast in his actions, believing he acted appropriately given the circumstances.Since leaving the bench, Herrera continues to practice law, including pro bono cases. He advocates for more impartiality in the courts and opposes heavy reliance on Zoom hearings, especially in sensitive cases like custody disputes. He believes in fairness, transparency, and accountability in judicial proceedings. Running for office again, Herrera's platform emphasizes the importance of showing up every day to work, conducting important hearings in person rather than via video, and ensuring fairness and transparency in all legal proceedings.)
𝟑𝟖𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 (The 388th District Court is a family court responsible for a wide range of cases, including divorces, child support modifications, protective orders, adoptions, child protective service cases, and juvenile prosecutions. The judge elected to this court serves a four-year term and receives a starting salary of $158,000 per year.):
-𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐳 (had a justified complaint filed against Joy Degenhart for alleged violation of election law due to improper placement of a campaign sign near a polling station. The sign was confirmed to be within 100-foot marker by Elections Department and subsequently removed. Previous incidents include illegal removal of Marlene Gonzalez's campaign banner and Laura Strathman caught removing Gonzalez's political sign in 2020.)
-𝐉𝐨𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭 (is endorsed by Cassandra Hernandez, who was recently involved in a lawsuit filed by the El Paso Chief Internal Auditor alleging harassment and intimidation following a gasoline card audit. The audit revealed excessive gas expenditures, prompting a reprimand from the Ethics Commission. Joy Degenhart is a homeschooled El Paso attorney with seven years' experience in family law. She raised concerns about Judge Gonzalez's handling of the court, citing issues with the use of visiting judges and biased behavior. Degenhart aims to improve court efficiency and consistency, eliminate frequent recusals by attorneys, and ensure fairness and impartiality in court proceedings. She believes judges should not be adversarial to attorneys, as it unfairly affects litigants.)
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝟏(County Criminal Court at Law No. 1 oversees cases related to DWI, family violence, bond forfeitures, burglaries, and prostitution. The term for this role is four years, with a starting annual salary of $157,000):
-𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐚 (Estrada accuses Perez of not being Democratic, despite Perez's consistent support for Democratic candidates. Perez, in turn, accuses her opponent of potentially violating the Texas Judicial Code of Conduct by misrepresenting her identity in a campaign mailer. Perez defends her record, emphasizing her allegiance to the Democratic Party and denying support for Trump. Estrada, a criminal law magistrate judge and former defense attorney, prioritizes efficiency in the docket, paperless processes, and Zoom for hearings. She aims to respect jurors' time and minimize their service duration.)
-𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐳 (currently serves as the incumbent County Criminal Court at Law No. 1 judge, inheriting an efficient docket that she aims to continue managing fairly and efficiently. With over 14 years of experience, Perez has worked in various legal roles, including as an Assistant Attorney General, Assistant County Attorney, Assistant District Attorney, and Deputy Public Defender. Perez highlights her experience as a presiding judge over jury trials, contrasting it with her opponent's focus on bond hearings. She emphasizes the importance of voters understanding the candidates' experience levels in making their decision.)
– 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟏: 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐚, 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐆𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐳, 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚 “𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐢” 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐚, 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧.
– 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟐: 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚.
– 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟑: 𝐇𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥, 𝐄𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐳.
– 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟒: 𝐋𝐮𝐢𝐬 “𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐞” 𝐀𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫, 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐌. 𝐋𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐳.
– 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟓: 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐳, 𝐑𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐨.
– 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝟔: 𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐳 𝐈𝐈𝐈, 𝐉𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚.
🏆 The winners of these primary elections will represent their parties in the general election and compete against candidates from other parties on November 5. There will also be 3rd party candidates like Libertarian Ryan Woodcraft on the ballot then.
Find out where to vote here: https://epcountyvotes.com/quick_links/current_election
