[[{“value”:”
Ricardo Samaniego’s beat John Cook in the Primary Runoff Election of May 22, 2018 by only 238 votes and then ran unopposed in the General Election of November 6. He ran as a fiscal conservative committed to restraining spending and firmly opposed to building an arena in Union Plaza. In the campaign finance report covering the period between February 25 and May 12, 2018, his two biggest contributors were Ricardo Castro ($22,000) and J.P Bryan ($15,000), with much smaller contributions from a gaggle of supporters. In those days, Samaniego projected himself as a man of the people.
Since his election as County Judge more than eight years ago, he backstabbed nearly all of his original supporters and became the lapdog of our local Oligarchy. He voted for $894 million in bonds (including certificates of obligation and tax notes), increased his own salary by 45.3%, committed public funds to the Debt Plaza and other wasteful projects, and verbally assaulted the people who originally got him elected.
Samaniego’s most current campaign finance report, covering the period from July 1 to October 1, 2026 includes contributions from Douglas Schwartz ($2,500), Jim Cardwell ($2,500), Miguel Fernandez ($2,500), Richard Aguilar ($5,000), J. K. Robison ($2,500), Bobby Bowling ($2,500), Patrick Gordon ($2,500), Edward Houghton ($2,500), Paul Foster ($2,500), Frederick Francis ($2,500), Richard Castro (2,500), Raymond Palacios ($2,500), Woody Hunt ($2,500), Stanley Jobe ($2,500), and Clinton Wolf ($2,500).
We have never seen such a radical and complete transformation in a local politician.
Every El Pasoan who opposes high taxation and government waste should support Minerva Torres Shelton for County Judge, no matter what. That includes Democrats and progressives who do not want our local Oligarchs to tighten their grip on El Paso County.
Vote the lapdog out!
“}]] Read more: Read More