RAYMONDVILLE — Retired lawman Ernie Garcia defeated two-term incumbent Eddie Gonzales to clinch Willacy County’s Precinct 4 commissioner’s seat, while longtime Raymondville school board member Mario Tijerina beat former county Treasurer Arturo Gomez in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
While Garcia gets ready to take office in January, Tijerina goes on to face Joe Cervantes, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, in November’s race for the commission’s Precinct 2 seat.
In the primary, Garcia won 288 votes to defeat Gonzales, who fell short with 170 votes in the Precinct 4 race.
In the race for the commission’s Precinct 2 seat, Tijerina, the precinct’s foreman who’s served on the Raymondville school board since 2002, won 371 votes, while Gomez drew 103 votes.
County judge show down
It’s been more than two decades since a Republican held one of the county’s highest posts.
In this heavily democratic farming county, Gene “Scooter” McGee, who served as Precinct 2’s commissioner more than 20 years ago, was the last Republican to serve as a county commissioner.
For decades, a Democrat’s held the county’s judgeship.
In the Democratic primary, County Judge Aurelio Guerra, who ran unopposed, won 1,013 votes.
Come November, he’s counting on strong widespread support to keep the county’s highest elected office in Democratic hands as he vies for his third term.
In the general election, he faces Clayton Lee, an insurance company owner who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, picking up 302 votes.
“I’m not taking anything for granted,” Guerra said. “I’m very appreciative of the people who entrusted me, who tell me I’m doing a good job. I hope that I have the trust of my constituents that I don’t take this job lightly, that I represent everybody. I’m a judge for everyone.”
Since he took office, the commission’s worked to diversify the county’s agricultural economy, entering into contracts that have brought seven wind farms here, pumping about $2 million a year into county coffers.
Meanwhile, Lee vowed to build ties with state officials to help boost the county’s standing in Austin.
“It’s a new day for Willacy County,” Lee, who’s served on Harlingen’s Economic Development Corporation board, said.
“My door is open,” he said. “There’s a lack of leadership in this county, a lack of relationship with the governor, Legislature and the powers that be, which has been a problem in getting our share of (resources).”
Republican Party changes chairs
Meanwhile, the county’s Republican Party’s filling a new chair.
In the primary’s lone contested race, Estella McKee won 175 votes to defeat incumbent Wolf Chapa in the race to fill the county’s Republican Party chair.
Dismal turnout
Throughout the two-week early voting period, candidates struggled to pull the vote amid dismal turnout.
“I was so disappointed with the low voter turnout,” Irene Cavazos, the county’s Democratic Party chairwoman, said. “People complain about flooding and streets with potholes but when it’s election time they don’t come out. If they don’t care to come out, they’re not going to change anything.”
