EDINBURG, RGV – Guardian staff provides a wrap up on Tuesday’s Primary Election results in the Rio Grande Valley.
<B>Hidalgo County:</B>
The big race was the matchup between District Attorney Rene Guerra and challenger and former state District Judge Ricardo Rodriguez. It was not even close. Rodriguez won by 64 percent of the vote. It is clear voters wanted change. Rene Guerra has been in office for three decades. Rodriguez outspent him in the campaign by a 3-1 margin.
Ricardo Rodriguez was formerly judge of the 92nd state District Court. Republican Jaime Tijerina was appointed to fill an unexpired term by Governor Rick Perry. His Democratic Party opponent will be Luis Manuel Singleterry, a former Pharr municipal judge. Singleterry picked up 57 percent of the vote in a three way race, defeating Rey Ortiz and Miguel Wise.
There will be a runoff in the race for the 275th state District judgeship. Longtime incumbent Juan Partida will face Fidencio Guerra.
There will be a new face at Commissioners Court in Hidalgo County. Former Pharr city commissioner Eduardo ‘Eddie’ Cantu won 52 percent of the vote in a three way race, defeating longtime incumbent Hector ‘Tito’ Palacios and former Pharr Mayor Ricardo Medina.
In the race for State Representative for District 36, incumbent Sergio Munoz easily defeated challenger Mari Regalado.
And, there will be a runoff for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 2 between Jerry Munoz and Eloy Treviño. Treviño is the son of longtime JP, Rose Treviño.
In the race for County Court at Law, No. 8, Omar Maldonado won in a three way race.
In the race for Probate Court, Homero Garza won re-election.
In the race for County Clerk, Arturo Guajardo, Jr., easily won re-election in a three way race.
The race for Democratic Party Chair, Juan Maldonado has made it to a runoff with Ric Godinez.
<B>Cameron County:</B>
In Cameron County, voter turnout was high in the early vote period, compared to recent elections but the bad weather appeared to hurt turnout on Election Day.
On the Republican side, only two local candidates ran for seats contested in the general election. In the 357th State District Court, Oscar X. Garcia, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, was nominated unopposed. And in the race for County Judge, incumbent Carlos Cascos handily defeated James M. Dickens III.
There was a lot more action in the Democratic Party primary in Cameron County, with over 50 local candidates running.
In the race for state District Judge for the 357th Court, Juan A. Magallanes defeated Gloria M. Rincones by just 119 votes. Magallanes will now face Republican Oscar X. Garcia in the general election.
There was a four way race for County Judge in the Democratic Party primary. The results were not conclusive and so a runoff will take place between longtime County Clerk Joe Rivera and Ruben Peña. The winner will face Republican County Judge Carlos Cascos in the general election.
Some of the Democratic Party primary races saw just the incumbent running. So, state Representatives Rene Oliveira, Eddie Lucio III, and Oscar Longoria have been returned to office unopposed. So have three state District judges: Janet L. Leal, in the 103rd District, Benjamin Euresti, Jr., in the 107th, and Migdalia Lopez, in the 197th.
In the County Court at Law No. 1 race, Arturo A. (Art) McDonald, Jr. defeated Daniel Robles.
In the County Court at Law No. 3 race, David Gonzales, III, defeated Dolores G. Zarate.
There was a five way race for District Clerk. There will be a runoff between Eric Garza and Elvira S. Ortiz.
There was also a five way race for County Clerk. Sylvia Garza Perez will face George Kowalski in a runoff.
In the Cameron County Commissioner, Precinct 2, race, Alex Dominguez will be in a run off with Leonel “Leo” Lopez. Incumbent Ernie Hernandez, who has been indicted, came in third out of four.
In the County Commissioner for Precinct 4 race, Dan Sanchez defeated two opponents, including outgoing La Feria Mayor Steve Brewer. He is re-elected without a runoff.
There will be runoffs for Justice of the Peace, in Precinct 2, Place 2, and Precinct 2, Place 3, and Precinct 3, Place 1.
<B>Willacy County:</B>
In Willacy County there was a hard fought race for County Judge and it has been won by Aurelio ‘Keter’ Guerra, who has held the seat before. Guerra defeated incumbent County Judge John Gonzales with 70 percent of the vote.
<B>Starr County:</B>
Long time County Judge Eloy Vera has been re-elected. He was facing two challengers.
In County Commissioner, Precinct 2, incumbent Raul “Roy” Pena, Jr. defeated Humberto Saenz, Jr.
In County Commissioner, Precinct 4, incumbent Ruben Saenz easily defeated two challengers.
These are all results from the Democratic Party primary. There were no Republican challengers to these incumbents.
