Voters reelected incumbent Democrats Vincent Perez, Claudia Ordaz and Heriberto “Eddie” Morales to the Texas House of Representatives in Districts 77, 79 and 74, respectively. Tuesday.
These victories were part of the strongest night for Democrats across the state in 30 years.
Additionally, they also provided significant early leads to Democratic challengers James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa in their statewide races for U.S. Senate and Texas governor, respectively. If successful, they will be among the first members of their party to win Texas races in decades.
Perez received 81% of the early votes while his challenger Humberto Perez received 19%. Ordaz had 74% of the early votes to 26% for Jesse Romero. Morales received 73% to 27% for Robert Garza.
Ordaz and Vincent Perez could not immediately be reached for comment.
In the race for the U.S. Senate, 75% of early voters in El Paso picked Talarico over Republican Ken Paxton, who received 24% of the early votes. In the Texas governor’s race, Hinojosa had 72% of the early vote in El Paso to the 26% for incumbent Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
State Representatives
These elected officials consider and pass laws, resolutions and constitutional amendments. They should raise constituent issues in legislative debates. They help write the state budget, participate in impeachment proceedings, conduct oversight of state agencies and monitor the implementation of laws.
They serve two-year terms and earn $7,200 per regular session (140 days) along with $221 daily per diem allowance, which equals $38,140.
They will be sworn in on Jan. 12.
Incumbents Mary González from District 75 in East El Paso County, and Joe Moody from District 78, which includes much of the Upper Valley and West El Paso County and much of Northeast El Paso, ran unopposed and will be sworn in again in January.
District 74
This district spans 11 counties including a small piece of El Paso and borders 770 with Mexico.
Democratic incumbent Heriberto “Eddie” Morales and Republican challenger Robert Garza are attorneys.
Voters elected Morales into office in 2021. He previously served as a city attorney for Eagle Pass and Brackettville. He is a builder, real estate investor and co-owns a family tortilla factory.
Morales promoted a pragmatic approach to border security, more state funds for infrastructure for the district, stronger schools, more access to job training, accessible and affordable healthcare. He has fought the installation of a wall in Big Bend National Park.
Garza has served on the Del Rio City Council including four years as mayor and city attorney for five years. He also has served on the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District Board, and four years as director and president of the Val Verde County Appraisal District.
He campaigned for border security including the completion of the border wall, public safety with more coordination between state and local law enforcement, lower property taxes, and enhanced educational opportunities to strengthen communities.
District 77
This district covers Central and Downtown El Paso and parts of the Lower Valley.
Democratic incumbent Vincent Perez and Republican challenger Humberto Perez agree that the state should pay for what it mandates. Vincent Perez added that decisions about what is needed should be left to the affected communities.
Vincent Perez is a public and governmental affairs consultant who previously served as an El Paso county commissioner. Voters elected him to the House in 2024. He has spoken out against tax breaks for big companies and private school vouchers, and for more funds for public schools. He is a strong supporter of the proposed law school at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Humberto Perez is a parent, plumber and Army veteran. He said he is pro-life and wanted to be a voice for school choice, parental rights, fiscal responsibility, as well as a supporter of military veterans when it comes to housing and mental health services.
District 79
This district includes parts of Northeast and East El Paso and Fort Bliss. Voters chose between Democratic incumbent Claudia Ordaz and Republican challenger Jesus Romero.
Ordaz, 40, sought a third term. She previously represented District 76, which covered the Lower Valley, until redistricting in 2022. She previously served on the El Paso City Council.
She has worked on issues focused on childcare, women’s healthcare (including fertility care), and ways to strengthen animal cruelty laws, and continues to develop ideas that could benefit animal shelters.
Ordaz supports private and home schools, but would not want to expand the voucher program until public schools are properly funded.
Romero, 73, a first-time candidate and a security officer, is a Navy veteran and a retired Realtor. His campaign priorities included economic development efforts to bring in more manufacturing businesses.
Governor
The governor signs and vetoes bills, calls special sessions, appoints members to state and judicial offices, as well as boards, task forces and commissions. The state leader also is the chief budget officer for each biennium and is in charge of the state’s military forces.
The governor, who serves a four-year term and is paid $153,750, is sworn in after the Texas Legislature starts its regular session on Jan. 12, 2027.
Abbott, 68, campaigned for job growth, education, border security and housing affordability initiatives, as well as property tax relief measures. He has promoted school vouchers and limits to administrative spending in public schools.
He also has had to deal with the fallout from the data centers. He initially called Texas a destination for data centers until the public outcry against them due to the amount of water and energy they consume. At that point, he issued guidelines for data center operations that addressed water consumption and responsibility for electric infrastructure.
Abbott was a lawyer and jurist before he became governor in 2015.
Hinojosa, 52, is a civil rights lawyer who was elected to the state house in 2016. Her district represents Austin. Her campaign prioritized education funding and suggested ways Texans could keep more of the money they earned.
She wanted to reallocate state resources to public schools and would seek legislative approval to send every Texas household a $1,500 check that would come out of the state’s $17 billion “rainy day fund.” The married mother of two sons also promoted the suspension of a gas and diesel tax, and efforts to better regulate health insurance companies in terms of profit-seeking and expanded patient access.
U.S. Senate
U.S. senators propose, draft, debate and vote on federal laws and the budget. They review federal agencies, conduct investigations and conduct confirmation hearings for people nominated by the president for cabinet posts, judgeships and ambassadors. They ratify foreign treaties and can be part of impeachment trials.
Newly elected and re-elected senators could be sworn in as soon as noon Jan. 3, but because that is a Sunday, it is possible Congress could choose a different date. The last Sunday swearing in was Jan. 3, 2021.
Senators, who serve six-year terms, receive an annual salary of $174,000.
Paxton, 63, campaigned for tax breaks for health care and housing-related expenses, and the doubling of the child tax credit. He promoted school prayer and opposed transgender rights.
His stump speeches included his accomplishments as attorney general including settlements of $3.4 billion with opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies, and $1 billion with Meta in reference to child safety.
Paxton, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, became the nominee after defeating incumbent John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff in May. Paxton has said that he supports the president’s agenda to include border security and deportation of undocumented immigrants.
He has held elected office in Texas since 2003.
Talarico, 37, defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett for the Democratic nomination in the March primary. He is a state representative for the Austin area. His campaign focused on affordability of fuel, healthcare, groceries and utilities, and fighting government corruption. He is a Presbyterian seminarian and a former public school teacher.
The post El Paso reelects 3 state representatives as Democrats gain ground across Texas appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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