Many Texas Democrats choose to perpetuate the myth that a voter’s ethnicity can  predict which party they support.  Democrats claim to represent Hispanic Texans, but that claim doesn’t match up with how Hispanics in Texas vote.  Hispanics, like all Americans, are not a politically cohesive group and hold a plurality of political beliefs.

In 2010, the Republican Party of Texas elected more Hispanics to statewide office than the Democrat party. There are presently six Hispanic Republicans in the Texas Legislature, two Hispanic Republicans on the Texas Supreme Court, and numerous Hispanic Republican officeholders throughout the state. Nationally, a significant number of majority Hispanic Congressional districts have elected conservative Republican members, including:  CD 21 Florida (75.6% Hispanic), CD 27 Texas  (73.2% Hispanic), CD 25 Florida (71.6% Hispanic), CD 18 Florida (66.9% Hispanic), CD 23 Texas (66.4% Hispanic), CD 2 New Mexico (51.8% Hispanic) and CD 28 California (51.2%  Hispanic).

On Jan. 20, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the court drawn Texas redistricting
maps and rightfully chastised the San Antonio court for its judicial activism.  The lower court erred by adopting the arguments of partisan factions seeking to redraw the maps produced by the Legislature. The San Antonio court's disregard for the Legislature's map was in fact disregard for the will of the people of Texas, who spoke through their elected representatives. 
  
Before  the Supreme Court ruling, two Federal judges voted to change the boundaries of District 117. Honorable Jerry Smith, the other Federal judge who heard the case  and voted against changing the district, wrote “any purported challenge to the Bexar County districts is without foundation,” and “we should not use past elections as a crystal ball to predict how future elections will turn out.” He went on to explain that the court “is prevented from making such complex political predictions tied to race-based assumptions,” and “nothing in the State’s plan will hinder Hispanic opportunity to register and vote in greater numbers than before.”

While the San Antonio federal court clearly has jurisdiction to review redistricting  maps to ensure compliance with constitutional protections, it cannot override the political will of the people of Texas when no such violations have been found. Racism in America is still a reality, but partisan factions should not use the Voting Rights Act to push a partisan agenda. The Texas Democratic Party has lost sight of the goal of the Civil Rights Movement—that we abandon superficial racial barriers and come together as a unified American people. Liberty, freedom and optimism are what truly define what it means to be an American, not race or political affiliation. 

John V. Garza represents District 117.

Von Ormy Mayor Art Martinez de Vara has been elected Vice-President of the Texas Municipal League Region 7 for 2012. Organized in 1913, the Texas Municipal League exists to serve the needs and advocate the interests of its member cities.  By 2011, TML’s membership had grown to 1,115 cities. Over 18,000 mayors, council members, city managers, city attorneys, and city department heads are member officials of the League by virtue of their cities participation.

 TML Region 7 covers 27 counties in Southwest Texas, including the San Antonio, Laredo and Del Rio metropolitan areas.  "This is an exciting time to serve as a TML officer in Region 7," Mayor Martinez de Vara said, "Region 7 comprises the vast majority of the Eagle Ford Shale play and most of our cities are experiencing unprecedented growth which provides both challenges and opportunity to our municipal leadership."

The Eagle Ford Shale oil play is bringing an increased strain on the region's water resources, infrastructure and roads.  Mayor Martinez de Vara said, "In 2012, I look forward to working with our member cities to develop public policy that will benefit our region, protect our natural resources and ensure sustainable economic development."

TML Region 7 covers 27 counties, including Bexar, Webb, Val Verde, Atascosa, Duval, McMullen, LaSalle, Dimmit, Frio, Zavala, Maverick, Karnes, Wilson, Medina, Uvalde, Kinney, Gonzales, Wilson, Guadalupe, Comal, Kendall, Bandera, Real, Edwards, Kerr, Gillespie and Blanco.

Von Ormy is located in Southwest Bexar County and is the newest City in Bexar County, being formed in 2008.  Von Ormy has 1300 residents and is 2.2 square miles and lies along I-35 between Loop 410 and Loop  1604 in southwest Bexar County.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
City of Von Ormy
www.vonormytexas.com
Von Ormy Texas on facebook
Mayor Art Martinez de Vara on Facebook

By Staff Writer

To contact the campaign:
info@joseforcommissioner.com

By: South Bexar Republican Staff Writer