The TAMIU debates on Thursday, October 11 for candidates for City Council District VI and the Mayor promise a good bit of dialogue and possibly some heated exchanges.
According to Pedro Rivera, president of the TAMIU Student Government Association (SGA), 10 of the 11 candidates for District VI have confirmed their participation.
The District VI debates, which are moderated by Louis LaVaude and Dr. John Kilburn, will begin promptly at 6 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. TAMIU senior Jorge Villarreal is part of the panel, along with Julia Wallace of The Laredo Morning Times, Tricia Cortez of the Río Grande International Study Center, and Sergio Mora of Frontera Radio.
The field of candidates for District VI includes Frank Castillo, Rafael Dueñas, Teresita McGraw, Juan Alejandro, Dr. Marte A. Martinez, Rick Laurel, Jorge Rodriguez, Fernando Alarcon Jr., Javier Mendoza, Vish Viswanath, and Juan Ramirez.
Candidates for the mayoral debate, which follows the District VI debate, include the incumbent, Mayor Pete Saenz, trucker Avelino Juarez, business owner and former District V Council member Roque Vela, current District VI Council member Charlie San Miguel, and Randall Walden.
The candidates for Municipal Court Judge — associate judge Jesus Dominguez, Nathan Chu, and Rodolfo Morales — will debate Friday evening from 6 to 7 p.m. in the TAMIU Student Center, Room 236.
Frontera Radio will live stream the TAMIU debates.
The TAMIU Political Science Association is a co-sponsor of the debates.
