EDINBURG — With less than 40 days left before the election, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn made a brief campaign stop here on Saturday as recent polls indicate the three-term incumbent holds a one-digit lead over his Democratic challenger, MJ Hegar.
Cornyn appeared at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance to announce the endorsement of 100 South Texas leaders including several local elected officials.
Among them were Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, McAllen City Commissioner Javier Villalobos, Mission Mayor Amarndo O’Caña, who wasn’t present at the event, and Mission Councilman Ruben Plata.
There was also Weslaco Mayor David Suarez, Mercedes Mayor Henry Hinojosa, Sharyland Board Trustee Julio Cerda, and former Cameron County Judge Pete Sepulveda.
Additionally, there was DHR Health Board Chairman Carlos Cardenas and real estate mogul Alonzo Cantu.
Cornyn did not take any questions from the press.
Prior to the announcement, Cornyn and the local officials participated in a roundtable discussion during which the senator lent an ear to their concerns; however, that segment was not open to the press.
The visit to the Valley comes the same day that President Donald J. Trump was set to announce his nomination for the Supreme Court following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Despite the short time left until the Nov. 3 election, Cornyn has said he supported Trump filling the vacancy.
In 2016, when Justice Antonin Scalia died 10 months before that year’s presidential election, Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings for then-President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, citing the proximity to the election.
But in remarks on the Senate floor on Monday, Cornyn claimed the circumstances were different because during Obama’s last year in office, the opposite party held the majority in the Senate.
List of South Texas endorsements for Sen. Cornyn
- Richard Cortez, Judge, Hidalgo County
- Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez, City of Pharr
- Mayor Pro Temp Roberto “Bobby” Carrillo, City of Pharr
- Commissioner Dr. Ramiro Caballero, City of Pharr
- Commissioner Daniel Chavez, City of Pharr
- Commissioner Ricardo Medina, City of Pharr
- Commissioner Itza Flores, City of Pharr
- Mayor Pete Saenz, City of Laredo
- Mayor Armando O’Caña, City of Mission
- Commissioner Beto Vela, City of Mission
- Commissioner Ruben Plata, City of Mission
- Mayor Ramiro Rodriguez, City of Palmhurst
- Mayor Jim Darling, City of McAllen
- Commissioner Victor “Seby” Haddad, City of McAllen
- Commissioner Javier Villalobos, City of McAllen
- Commissioner Omar Quintanilla, City of McAllen
- Mayor Rick Morales, City of Donna
- Commissioner Eloy Avila, City of Donna
- Mayor Alonzo Perez Jr, City of Elsa
- Commissioner Victor Hernandez, City of Elsa
- Mayor Sergio Coronado, City of Hidalgo
- Mayor David Suarez, City of Weslaco
- Mayor Henry Hinojosa, City of Mercedes
- Mayor Olga Maldonado, City of La Feria
- Mayor George Rivera, City of Palm Valley
- Commissioner Omar Quintanilla, City of McAllen
- Mayor Chris Boswell, City of Harlingen
- Mayor Pro Tem/Alderman Rick Cavazos, City of Los Indios
- Mayor Susie Houston, City of Laguna Vista
- Mayor Patrick McNulty, City of South Padre Island
- Former Mayor Barry Patel, City of South Padre Island
- Former Judge Rene Ramirez, Hidalgo County
- Former Judge Pete Sepulveda, Cameron County
- Former Mayor Ramsey English Cantu, City of Eagle Pass
- Former Mayor John David Franz, City of Hidalgo
- Trustee Julio Cerda, SISD
- Trustee Hector Rivera, SISD
- Trustee Jose “Pepe” Garcia, SISD
- Trustee Ricky Longoria, SISD
- Trustee Melissa Smith, SISD
- Former Trustee Dr. Noel Garza, SISD
- Trustee Tony Forina, MISD
- Trustee Marco Suarez, MISD
- Trustee Dr. Nolan Perez, HCISD
- Sheriff Marion Boyd, Dimmit County
- Sheriff Benny Martinez, Brooks County
- Sheriff Richard Kirkpatrick, Kleberg County
- Border Health PAC
- LIBRE Action
- Roger Rocha Jr., Latino Civil Rights Advocate/Community Leader for Texas
- Alonzo Cantu, Community Leader, South Texas
- Cindy Reyes Garza, Edinburg
- Steve Ahlenius, McAllen
- Hector Cerna, Eagle Pass
- Michael Scaief, San Benito
- Alex Meade, Pharr
- Pastor Eluid and Kathy Garcia, Mission
- South Texans’ Property Rights Association PAC
- Whit Jones, Hebbronville
- Othal Brand, McAllen
- Bret Erickson, SVP Business Affairs and J&D Produce Inc.
- Dante Galeazzi, Texas International Produce Association, Mission
- Webb Wallace, Harlingen
- Brian Jones, Edcouch
- Fausto Salinas, Sullivan City
- Mike Helle, Edinburg/McAllen
- Dale Murden, Harlingen
- Gustavo Martinez, Donna
- Rigoberto Villarreal, Mission
- Sasha Crane, McAllen
- Joaquin Spamer, McAllen
- Eddy Betancourt, McAllen
- Humberto Saenz, Pharr
- Martha Villarreal, Mission
- Saul Garcia, McAllen
- Hollis Rutledge, Mission
- Cynthia Leon, Mission
- Shelia Valles Pankratz, Mission
- Annette Franz, McAllen
- John David Jr. and Kathy Franz, McAllen
- Danny Rios, McAllen
- Sam Vale, McAllen
- David DeAnda, McAllen
- Val LaMantia, McAllen
- Tony Salinas, Hebbronville
- Rick Molina, San Antonio
- Guy Ellison, San Antonio
- Heriberto Ibarra Jr., Hebbronville
- IB Gutierrez Jr., Hebbronville
- Alice and Joe Mendoza, Kingsville
- Memo Trevino, Laredo
- Fred Farias, McAllen
- Rick Guerra, McAllen
- Nick Serafy, Brownsville
- David C. Garza, Brownsville
- Al Villarreal, Brownsville
- Jim Tipton, Brownsville
- Reba Cardenas McNair, Brownsville
- Nico Schaefer, Brownsville
- Ross Barrera, Rio Grande City
- Cornelio Garza, Rio Grande City
- Joel Garza, Historian, Rio Grande City
- Dario Garza, Land Developer, Rio Grande City
- Roel Reyes, Businessman, Rio Grande City
- Rolando D Pau, Retired Border Patrol Agent, Rio Grande City
- Mauro Villarreal, Navy Veteran, Rio Grande City
- Anita Garza-Dominquez, Retired Army Master Sergeant, Rio Grande City
- Norma Salinas, Retired Army First Sergeant, Rio Grande City
- Marissa Rodriguez, Retired School Paraprofessional, Rio Grande City
- Lucy Reese, Rio Grande City
- Toni Trevino, Rio Grande City
- Benito Trevino Jr., Rio Grande City
- Jaime Sr. and Lydia Saenz, Carrizo Springs
- Jaime Jr. and Ana Saenz, Carrizo Springs
