RAYMONDVILLE, Texas - Nonprofit group Raise Your Hand Texas likes voters to know where state legislative candidates stand on public education matters.
So, ahead of the Texas primaries in March, the group has organized a candidate forum for Texas House District 37. The event takes place on February 15, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the L.E. Franks Tourist Center, 501 South 7th Street, in Raymondville.
The incumbent, state Rep. Janie Lopez, R-San Benito, is running unopposed in the Republican primary. Four Democrats are running to challenge her in the November general election. They are Ruben Cortez, Jr., of Brownsville, Alex Dominguez of Brownsville, Jonathan Gracia, of Brownsville, and Carol Lynn Sanchez of San Benito.
Giovanni Escobedo, senior regional advocacy director for Raise Your Hand Texas, said his group was pleased to be hosting a Public Education Candidate Forum.
“We just want to have a conversation with all the candidates and allow to community to come and hear from them about their ideas about public education, and also ask questions of the candidates before they go out and vote. We believe people should be educated when they vote,” Escobedo said.
“Most of the candidates have accepted our invitation.”
Asked why Raise Your Hand Texas chose to have a forum in District 37, Escobedo said: “Well, it's the one of the districts that has the most candidates on the ballot. And we want to give an the opportunity to the people in Willacy and Cameron counties to hear from the candidates.
Asked if he had any other comments to make, Escobedo said: “We just encourage everyone to go out and vote, to get informed, and to remind everyone that our candidate forums are nonpartisan. We don't endorse candidates.”
Texas House District 37 has about 131,000 eligible voters. Just over 83 percent of its residents are Hispanic. In the 2020 election, more Democrats voted in the HD 37 primaries than Republicans. Roughly 21.5 percent of registered voters cast a vote in the 2020 primaries. Just under 16 percent of the registered voters voted in the Democratic primary and 5.7 percent in the Republican primary.
