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On eve of election, Rene Guerra fights back on Irene Garza issue
By Jacob Fischler
EDINBURG — One day before their campaigns end, neither candidate for Hidalgo County district attorney campaigned much — at least nominally. Former 92nd state District Court Judge Ricardo Rodriguez worked from his law office in Edinburg during the day. And incumbent DA Rene Guerra held a news conference at the Hidalgo County Courthouse to attempt to clear his name after a national news story broadcast Saturday looked unfavorably upon his 2004 handling of a 1960 murder case. He said the conference was not a part of his campaign. “I’ve asked you all to be present today because of the news story that appeared on 48 Hours on CBS national news on Saturday night,” he said to reporters. Guerra stood behind a long mahogany table stacked high with file folders and audio tapes in the Grand Jury Room of the county courthouse. He said the files and tapes contained evidence in the unsolved case of Irene Garza, the 25-year-old McAllen beauty queen murdered in 1960. Guerra came under fire when the case was reopened and went to an Hidalgo County grand jury in 2004, but the grand jury failed to indict. Some criticized Guerra’s office for soft-pedaling the prosecution, while also appearing callous to the victim’s family. Guerra hoped the evidence would show his prosecutors made a good faith effort in the case. “All he did is just use the county courthouse to get out his message, with taxpayer money,” Rodriguez said. “That’s why his campaign finance report shows he doesn’t spend any money, because he uses the resources available to him as district attorney. And it’s not fair.” According to campaign finance reports, Rodriguez outspent Guerra $485,000 to $155,000 between July 1 and Feb. 22. Though Guerra claimed the event was not campaign-related, he acknowledged the case has become a campaign issue, particularly after the national broadcast on the CBS program. “I believe this is the third campaign where the Irene Garza case has surfaced in the middle of the campaign,” he said. Without promising to bring the case back to a grand jury, Rodriguez has said he would investigate what evidence is in the case file and make his own judgment. Both candidates expressed optimism at their chances to win Tuesday’s Democratic Party primary election. “We feel confident, we feel nervous,” Rodriguez said. “This is the day we were waiting for.” He declined to say explicitly that he thought he’d win. Mark that as one more difference between him and Guerra. “I think I’m going to beat him,” said the DA of 32 years. More than 33,000 people already cast their ballots during the early voting portion of the Democratic primary in the county, according to county elections department data. Early voting ran Feb. 18 to Friday. Historically, between 12,000 and 15,000 people vote on Election Day, said Kelly Rivera Salazar, the county’s Democratic Party chair. Though media focus has been trained largely on the DA’s race, Salazar said she will be watching all the races — including contested races for Precinct 2 county commissioner, 92nd state District judge, three justice of the peace spots, county court-at-law judge, county clerk and party chair. The contest in Precinct 2, which covers all of Pharr and San Juan as well as most of Hidalgo and McAllen, is likely to go to a runoff, Salazar said, with none of the three candidates likely to garner a majority Tuesday. “When all three candidates are active, it’s very difficult to avoid one,” she said of a runoff. Like the DA’s race, the Precinct 2 election pits a longtime incumbent, four-term Commissioner Hector “Tito” Palacios, against a well-financed newcomer, former Pharr City Commissioner Eduardo “Eddie” Cantu. Former Pharr Mayor Ricardo Medina is also running. He did not return a phone call Monday seeking comment. In a Monday interview, Cantu compared the dynamic in his race to the one at the top of the county ticket. “I think people in these two races see incumbents who have been there a long time and sometimes voters want change and they want new blood, new energy, new ideas,” he said. “Ricky Rodriguez and myself are both looking for the same thing.” He said he expected to be the top vote-getter in the Precinct 2 election, but was less certain he’d clinch it on Election Day. Palacios, by contrast, said he expected to win a fifth term on the Commissioners Court without a runoff, though he added his campaign team would be ready for another election. “I’m going 100 miles an hour,” the 76-year-old said Monday night. The winner of another three-way race will face Republican Jaime Tijerina in a general election contest to win a full term as the 92nd state District judge. Gov. Rick Perry appointed Tijerina to fill the rest of Rodriguez's term after Rodriguez stepped down from the bench to run for DA. Of the candidates in that race, Pharr Municipal Judge Luis Singleterry took an early fundraising lead. Former state Rep. and Weslaco Mayor Miguel Wise has demonstrated the most electoral success in the past. McAllen attorney Rey Ortiz is something of a wildcard candidate who has campaigned on his wide-ranging experience in law and business. “Hopefully the voters will see that: experience, experience, experience,” Ortiz said. “I feel fine, like I told my campaign committee – I used this analogy: It’s like running a marathon. I’m at 26 miles, tomorrow’s point-2 and I’m going to finish.” Ortiz has literally run marathons in the past, and his campaign signs show him running. Wise declined to make a prediction. “You know I have no idea, I wish I had that crystal ball,” he said. “I certainly hope that I will make the runoff.” Tuesday’s weather, which is expected to be cold and rainy, could affect the outcome, he added. “I think the weather’s going to play a bizarre part in this election,” he said. In a race that is almost certain to go to a runoff, seven candidates are vying to be a justice of the peace in Precinct 2. Attorney Jaime “Jerry” Muñoz is the top fundraiser and Eloy Treviño — the son of Rosa Treviño, who holds the seat now and is not running for re-election — perhaps carries the most name recognition. Three challengers are angling to take Homer Jasso’s seat as a justice of the peace in Precinct 4. Jasso was appointed to fill the term left after Mary Alice Palacios, an aunt of Rodriguez’s, was removed from bench upon her 2011 conviction for official oppression. In Precinct 1, Place 2, Jose “Smiley” Alvarado, 39, is challenging 24-year-veteran Justice of the Peace Jesse Morales, 70. Four candidates have filed to fill the vacancy for Democratic Party chair left with Salazar not seeking re-election to a two-year term. And two people have filed to take on County Clerk Arturo Guajardo in the election most likely to avoid a runoff. Contact: jfischler@themonitor.com
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