MISSION — The incumbent in Sharyland ISD’s only contested school board race has outraised his opponent, although that race is proving significantly less expensive and aggressive than races in McAllen ISD, Hidalgo County’s only other school board election this cycle.
Place 4 incumbent Jose “Pepe” Garcia is seeking to defend his seat from challenger Charlotte Hocott in the Sharyland race.
Newcomer Maritza Ramirez-Esqueda will run unopposed for Place 3 and did not conduct any fundraising.
Campaign finance documents turned in April 1 show Garcia’s sole monetary contribution was a cool $1,500 from law firm Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP., an Austin-based government receivable law firm with a large footprint in the Rio Grande Valley and a habit of funneling sizable chunks of money into local elections.
Garcia’s campaign also received a non-monetary contribution of $1,000 worth of political signs, $600 worth from Ismael Cantu of Palmview and $400 worth from Jose L. Morin of Mission.
The campaign spent $1,485.54 for more signs, purchasing yard signs from Brand Boosters Co. in McAllen. In total, it racked up 284 signs of various sizes.
Garcia’s campaign treasurer is Leticia R. Garcia.
Hocott’s campaign also received a single, sizable contribution.
As of March 31, the only contribution to her campaign was $1,000 from Jeannette Womack of Mission.
The campaign hadn’t touched that money as of March 31. Instead, Hocott made a $1,930.64 credit card purchase of signs from Exclusive Designs in Mission and spent $245.67 of personal funds buying t-posts to set up those signs.
Hocott’s campaign treasurer is Mission chiropractor Dr. Kevin Sparks.
