In a contentious re-match for Congressional District 28, longtime incumbent Henry Cuellar eked out an 807 vote lead over challenger Jessica Cisneros, and will face the immigration attorney in a May 24 runoff.
The high-ranking conservative Congressman garnered 48.5 percent (23,552) of the District’s voters, while the left-leaning Cisneros drew 46.8 percent (22,745.) The third candidate in the race, educator Tannya Benavides, drew a total of 5.7 percent (2,289).
Despite a January FBI raid on Cuellar’s home and office that changed the tenor of the contest, Cuellar carried 59 percent of Webb County, 70 percent of Starr County, 72 percent of Zapata County, and 62 percent of Duval County.
Local speculation in the tight-lipped vacuum of FBI information following the raid initially fomented guesses and a variety of reasons for the federal agency’s interest in Cuellar, until it became known that the investigation was a wide-ranging federal probe relating to the former Soviet state of Azerbaijan and several U.S. businessmen and Congressmen.
Cisneros, who garnered 37 percent of the Webb County electorate, bested Cuellar with wins in Bexar (73 percent) and Guadalupe (74 percent) counties.
The winning Democratic candidate in the May 24 runoff contest will face the winner in the Republican runoff, either Edinburg native Cassy García, who served as U.S. Senator Ted Cruz’s Deputy State Director, or Laredoan Sandra Whitten, the top contenders in a Republican Primary field of seven candidates.
The race for Webb County Commissioner Pct. 4 goes to the runoff in which incumbent Cindy Liendo will face firefighter Ricky Jaime, who took 43.98 percent of the vote to Liendo’s 39.83, a 157-vote edge for Jaime.
Democratic primary race winners who will not face a runoff are State Representative District 42 incumbent Richard Raymond Peña (62.65 percent of the vote); Webb County Clerk Margie Ramirez Ibarra (67.85 percent); Webb JP Pct. 1 Pl. 2 Oscar R. Liendo (58.49 percent); Webb JP Pct. 2 Pl. 1 Bobby Quintana (51.09 percent); and Webb JP Pct. 3 Salvador Johnson (67.06 percent).
Democratic candidates who faced no opposition in the primary included District 21 State Senator Judith Zaffirini; District 80 State Representative Tracy O. King; 49th District Court Judge Joe López; 111th District Judge Monica Zapata Notzon; Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina; Webb County Court at Law 1 Judge Hugo D. Martinez; Webb County Court at Law 2 Judge Victor Villarreal; Webb County District Clerk Esther Degollado; Webb County Treasurer Raul Reyes; Webb County Commissioner Pct. 2 Rosaura Tijerina; Webb County JP Pct. 4 José Salinas; and Democratic County Chair Sylvia Bruni.
Local Republican primary races ended thus: Luis de la Garza prevailed as Webb County Chair, and Brian J. Martinez faced no opposition.
For complete Primary Election results, go to Election Administration at webbcounty.gov. The site also provides a calendar leading up to the Tuesday, May 24 Primary Runoff Elections.
Politicians, like diapers, need to be changed often… and for the same reason. Let’s do it!