Chavez having second thoughts?
The story in the El Paso Times was very peculiar.
State Rep. Norma Chávez, D-El Paso, told an audience in Austin this week that she was running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Eliot Shapleigh.
Chávez, reached later by telephone, backed away from the declaration she made at a dinner in front of members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, lobbyists and others.
She said it was not an official announcement because she was still gauging support, talking with consultants and waiting for results from polls to see whether she had the backing to run for the Senate.
“It was an announcement but not an official announcement,” she said. “The lobbyists and my colleagues know that. None of them will take it serious. They’re all asking me when are you going to announce? When are you going to announce?”
I think that the problem here can be summed up in four words words: county attorney Jose Rodriguez. He is well regarded in El Paso, and he has run countywide. Chavez runs in one of El Paso’s five House districts. She is so strong in her own district, the segundo barrio, that she didn’t lose a single precinct the last time she was challenged. She also has significant influence in the area known locally as “the valley,” the far eastern areas of El Paso County near the Rio Grande. But that’s 2/5 of the county, not a majority. I would not expect Chavez to run well in Joe Moody’s district, in the affluent northwest part of the county where I-10 heads for New Mexico, and her relationship with Marisa Marquez, who represents central El Paso, is openly hostile.
What is “an announcement but not an announcement?” It is an admission that she may have jumped the gun by indicating her interest in succeeding Eliot Shapleigh in the Senate too soon. Almost immediately, a host of hopefuls indicated their own interest in running for Chavez’s seat. Now she may have to choose between a risky race for the Senate, or a safe race for reelection against multiple challengers.
Tagged: eliot shapleigh, jose rodriguez, norma chavez.
Joe says:
Or retirement — which would serve Texas best. Ms. Chavez is the kind of laughingstock D who would make me seriously consider voting for a sensible R again if I lived in her district — and I do NOT vote R ever these days. Her silly, juvenile feud with Ms. Marquez well defines what Chavez brings to her office these days.
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U R not my Friend says:
Norma had one of the worst PR sessions in recent memory (public texting feud with a freshman rep from the same delegation; foiled at numerous attempts to kill a county ethics bill; throwing a lavish party to celebrate her graduation, followed by repeated refusals to release info re: which lobbyists paid for what). Certainly poor timing for her to have to run countywide.
Also, Paul, you might want to take a look at the shape of district 29. Part of the valley (and part of Chavez’s district) isn’t district 29 – it’s part of Uresti’s. So running strong there wouldn’t mean anything.
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i like tacos says:
What a great example of telling your supporters one thing and the public something else. She is trying to have it both ways and this won’t help her at all in pursuing Shapleigh’s seat.
Don’t worry Chavez we wont take the announcement seriously just like we won’t take you seriously in your run for the senate.
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Jeff Crosby says:
Yes, Rodriguez has great influence, so much that his wife got 16% of the vote in the Mayor’s race.
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Even Keener Observer says:
Please. The El Paso Times has never liked Norma. Only in the EPT does a text message become front-page news. But somehow disparaging remarks made about soldiers by a El Paso city representative and county commissioner in a Playboy article does not. Hell, it does not become news at all.
EPT’s story lacks context. It was a private reception. Although there was lobby and staff, this was really a members’ event. She was among members. When members get together at a private event God forbid they have some fun. You know that Paul.
The Times reporter who wrote that story was not even at the event. Mark Smith, your EP connection, was not even at the event or anybody from the defunct Newspaper Tree. This was all second-hand, and the EPT probably got their information from Jose Rodriguez who was escorted to this event by County lobbyists.
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keener still observer says:
Chavez is not weak in 29. She is strong in her district, and in Marquez’s would not have got elected without her help. Rodriguez had no political machine of his own and none to inherit from Shapleigh.
Even Keener observer is right about EPT’s vendetta against Chavez.
Anyone who knows her understands she is a vote counter – when the polling is done, she’ll take stock and make an official announcement. And she’s win. And thats good for El Paso because unlike Shapleigh or Rodriquez she has a track record of achievement in austin.
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Anonymous Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Achievement?
You mean the time that members went to then Speaker Craddick with a complaint that he do something about her foul mouth?
Or…the potty parity bill she tried to pass?
Or…the time she fought Sen. Truan over authorship of the Cesar Chavez optional state holiday?
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MonkeyMan Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
The political landscape is littered with the bodies of B-rate politicians who claim the press is out to get them. C’mon! Throughout life, you have to find a way to work with what you have — you don’t fight with your teacher in grade school or college professors, you put up with your in-laws, and if you’re an elected official, you don’t declare war against the local newspaper (ask Craig Washington, if you can find him).
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Keenest Observer Ever? says:
Based on the previous responses, it’s clear that Norma received her Google alert email about this post.
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I am "Anonymous" in a Larry David kinda way says:
Members complaining to Craddick about a member having a foul mouth? No wonder Craddick was Speaker for as long as he was. Members were too scared to complain about Craddick’s handling of the House. But a member who may uses a “f” bomb, among many others, “WE MUST PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE HOUSE!!! NEVERMIND THAT THERE ARE LOBBYISTS IN THE SPEAKER’S HALLWAY WHILE WE ARE ON THE FLOOR!!! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR NORMA SAY ‘F***”!
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MonkeyMan says:
Chavez doesn’t have a “PR problem” — she’s a walking disaster that rightfully gets negative press. A “PR problem” is when something you do is mischaracterized. That’s not her problem.
She’s a flake, and simply got caught being fast and loose with her story. She’s just not ready for prime time, probably pushing her capacity in the role she serves now. Perhaps when she got off the litium-laced El Paso water, she forgot her previous statements.
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Texian Politico says:
Please fix the font issues on this site. I don’t know why it was changed, but it isn’t good. The font size for the comments is perfect, but for the posts it is too small.
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anonymous says:
She lives with her parents and is bi-polor. She has $11,000 in her account and is a pathological liar. She’s not running.
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Steve Bresnen says:
Neither El Paso lobbyist attended the MALC event or contributed to the EPT story. Drag someone else into it, if you must.
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drag Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Oh yes sir Mr. Bullock….not
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keenobserver says:
El Paso attorney Naomi Gonzalez announced her run for Norma’s seat on October 22nd. At least one UTEP employee has indicated he will also run, but has not yet made it official. This will complicate Norma Chavez’s decision making.
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Anonymous says:
No one said an El Paso lobbyist contributed to the story. One commenter said Jose Rodriguez did.
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Briscoe Democrat says:
Burka, I know Bullock was the state’s 38th lieutenant governor from Jan. 15, 1991-Jan. 19, 1999, and Perry was the 39th lieutenant governor from Jan. 19, 1999 until Dec. 21, 2000, so does David Dewhurst count as the 40th or 41st lieutenant governor ?
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MonkeyMan Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
You missed Rodney Ellis and Bill Ratliff, as per the Legislative Reference Library.
Perry vacated the office when he succeeded George W. Bush as Governor of Texas on December 21, 2000. Senator Rodney Ellis, President Pro Tempore, served as acting lieutenant governor from December 21, 2000 to December 28, 2000.
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Patti Page Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
What’s your point? Bullock is a legend while Perry will be known as the “good-hair governor who kept talking about secession who rode Bush’s coattails”.
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WUSRPH says:
Rep. Chavez should be concerned about how she might do in the Upper Valley and Northeast of El Paso County.
She might remember that Bill Moody is the FIRST DEMOCRAT to represent that part of the county in the Legislature since Luther Jones retired in 1980. And he has been in office only a year! (PS Jones introduced Moody’s parents. His mother was Jones’ in-district aide at the time.)
It is also the area when people read the El Paso Times! (People in the Lower Valley and Paul Moreno’s old district tend not to read any newspaper or read a Spanish language paper often from Juarez. Politicos who want to reach those lat least used to buy ads on Juarez radio stations.)
She also can expect NO help from Paul Moreno or his friends in Mid-County. Rodriguez, on the other hand, is the kind of Hispanic candidate who can at least cut into enough of the Anglo vote in the Upper Valley to win countywide.
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
WUSRPH, maybe Perry should pull a Mark Sanford to put an end to the controversies of this month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fazff4C4HJ8
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Anonymous says:
font is horrible
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Anon, Perry could pull a Mark Sanford and still get reelected.
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zzazza pachonga says:
There is enough in Norma Chavez’s closet to beat ten politicians running for re-election.
Norma runs for another term in the House and Jose goes to the Senate, for reasons that are well known to Norma – reasons she does not want to read about in political mailers hitting all over El Paso or blaring on El Paso radio stations 24/7.
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MonkeyMan Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Agreed.
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T says:
The most relevant question with respect to georgraphy is what percent of the democratic primary vote comes from areas where Norma is strong. What does it matter if they don’t like her on El Paso’s Republican westside? Most will not vote in the Dem primary (even though that’s where most races are decided).
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