October 20, 2003
Endorsement in District H

I just got some feedback regarding my dilemma about who to vote for in the District H City Council race. The following is from an email from Diane Mosier, President of the Greater Heights Democratic Club, which has made an endorsement in the race:


ADRIAN GARCIA has been endorsed by every local democratic elected official, Harris County Tejano Democrats, AFL-CIO, HGLPC, Houston Police Officers Assn, Harris County Council of Organizations, and many, many other progressive organizations.

The other candidates are: Diana Davila-Martinez, whose husband has been on the Orlando Sanchez website as an endorsee; Richard Cantu, who is a Democratic Precinct Chair but who has very little connection to other areas in District H except the east end; Gonzalo Camocho, who would not declare himself to be a democrat at our last democratic club meeting. Gonzalo has been a U.S. citizen for one year and told me that he has never voted. I asked him point blank if he leaned toward democratic or republican issues and he said that he is neither. He is very nice and well meaning but we felt that he not quite ready for the rough and tumble of city politics. Then, there is Hector Longoria, the republican who switched races. He initially raced $75,000 for an at-large position and then moved into District H which is a historic district. $30,000 of his money comes from the Bob Perry family... that would be high-density builder, Perry Homes.


Bob Perry isn't just a developer of evil soulless lotbusting townhouses, he's also a major Republican and tort "reform" donor, meaning he's just exactly the kind of person we want influencing historic neighborhoods. Not that I was ever in danger of voting for Hector Longoria, mind you.

So there you have it. That's a good enough reason for me to punch the chad by Adrian Garcia's name. Let's hope he can make it to the runoff against Longoria.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 20, 2003 to Election 2003 | TrackBack
Comments

Me too. Diane's endorsement is good enough for me. Thanks for the info. Jenn and I are deciding which political signs will grace our front lawn. Looks like Garcia just got some turf space.

Posted by: Rob Humenik on October 20, 2003 2:29 PM

Michael and I had come to pretty much the same conclusion, and for about the same reason. Glad we're all finding out we're all on the same page, because I feel like it increases our chances of being right in a crowded field with no incumbent.

And the news about Longoria and Perry so doesn't surprise me. Yuck.

Posted by: Ginger on October 20, 2003 8:39 PM

Garcia is a good person and public servant, but is that enough of an endorsement to represent our community on city council. Why did the cron endorse Davila-Martinez if Garcia had all these other organization backing him? I'm going with the experienced elected offical and LIBERAL Dem.

Posted by: M. Picolindo on October 24, 2003 11:53 AM

Fascinating comment by Diane Mosier. One that deserves clarification.

"Gonzalo Camocho, who would not declare himself to be a democrat at our last democratic club meeting. Gonzalo has been a U.S. citizen for one year and told me that he has never voted. I asked him point blank if he leaned toward democratic or republican issues and he said that he is neither. He is very nice and well meaning but we felt that he not quite ready for the rough and tumble of city politics."

Note that I don't belong to any political party thus pretty impossible to declare myself to belong to any of them. Last thing I want to do is sign up with a party and later change my mind about it.

In reference to the last greater heights democratic meeting - first democratic meeting i attended due to the suggestion of a friend. Diane Mosier was not only surprised that I was there but actually asked me to leave. I have created many organizations, many of them controversial, but I have never asked anybody to leave but encouraged people to stay and share their points of view and differences.

To those of you that don't know. Only US citizens can vote. There is a significant difference between a legal resident and a US citizen. Nevertheless, I have lived in the US for 21 years, even graduated from high school in Minnesota.

Actually, the point blank sentence Mrs. Mosier is talking about was "Gonz, are you a democrat or republican? diane mosier" and it was a response to an email I sent to Mrs. Mosier indicating that I was running for District H because the current city council member was unoppossed. Note that the date of her email was 8/12/03 (still have it).

Mrs. Mosier is correct. I was not prepared to be asked to leave the heights democratic meeting in what I considered to be a very impolite and rude manner. If that is what Mrs. Mosier means by indicating that I am not ready for the "rough and tumble of city politics" she is correct. I know I can do better than that.

Yes. It was last year when I became a US citizen. Also the first opportunity I had to vote I voted. Not only that, the first opportunity I had to run for city council I did. I ran for city council because of the issues and because the incumbent city council member was unopposed. Isn't exercising our rights what American is all about?

I am a US citizen. I am very proud of it. I intend to use my right to vote every possible time. Also, I will run for public office every time I feel I need to do so.

Gonzalo Camacho

Posted by: gonzalo camacho on November 17, 2003 1:58 AM

Longoria has endorsed Davila Martinez. How much do you want to bet that the Perry Homes money Longoria received is in her campaign account?? So much for a "liberal" Dem who is backing Sanchez and is backed by Gabe Vasquez.

Posted by: Sandra Puente on December 5, 2003 12:09 PM