"You know his wife is a Republican?" said a lady in the checkout line at H.E.B. who recognized me as that "blogger guy." I immediately thought of James Carville, wondering if I should somehow get a hold of him to tell him about his wife's party affiliation.
My friend Juan Montoya of the El Rrun Rrun blog labels Vela as a "political chamelion par excellence," as if to imply that he changes his colors to fit in with those around him.
It's a harsh charge, to be sure, to be labeled a fake Democrat. Ernie Hernandez, Gilberto Hinojosa, Conrado Cantu and even Abel Limas have been called a lot of things, but no one to my knowledge ever called any of them a Republican. On the other hand, candidates have been known to change parties and somehow survive. County Judge Carlos Cascos uses the line: "The party left me. I didn't leave the party." Cascos also makes a case for those who want to listen, that party affiliation alone may not be the best criteria to pick candidates.
Ultimately, voters decide what you are. In the recent primary 40% of those asking for Democratic ballots voted for Filemon Vela in a crowded eight Democrat field. Perhaps those voters are closet Republicans. No matter. If Vela wins the runoff, he becomes the Democratic nominee to face either Adela Garza or Jessica Puente Bradshaw, who, for all we know, may be closet Democrats.
Adela Garza is the closet Democrat not Jessica Puente Bradshaw. Please be clear on that point.
ReplyDeleteI constantly heard Bradshaw supporters say that she will win in November because she can appeal to independents and disaffected democrats...guess she'll do that by attacking them at any chance she gets, just like her supporters? great strategy for a big tent!
DeleteI like Filemon Vels because he is a good man. Being a democrate or republican is not like an illness. It is a philosophy. Now what we are talking about here is corruption. The valley is full of corruption. Some democrats some republicans. We need to do away with corruption. The more decent the person the less chance of too much corruption. WE got to a point where the corruption was out in the open similar to Mexico. WE have a few run offs get out and vote and then make sure no one cheats remember there is a five thousand dollar reward for catching a vote cheater. I will be pole watching.
ReplyDelete"I will be pole watching."
DeleteWhere at, Fred? Stilettos or Jaguars?
Would you consider influencing Solomon Ortiz with a trip to China to get his dad's name on the federal courthouse corruption?
DeleteIt doesn't matter whether he calls himself a republican or democrat, if he's willing to do that he'll do much worse when he gets into office. Think about it. Let's rid ourselves of people who claim to be "public servants," but who, in reality, only serve themselves. Wake up, pendejos.
Solomon Ortiz & his staff did nothing free. This is why, after 28 years, we still have no Veteran's hospital. We have spent $21 million on an imaginary bridge to nowhere, but not a penny or a single brick laid for the Veteran's Hospital. Why? Because none of the veterans's had a big enough MORDIDA to entice Ortiz to get off his lazy ass and do something about it. Hey, his time is MONEY people. When the Federal Courthouse was to be named, Ortiz must have seen an obvious opportunity - two excellent judges, both dead, whose kids will pay up? Only the Garza's kids didn't have boatloads of money, while the Vela's because of Filemon Jr's phenomenal success, surely had money. Ooooh, a rich lawyer I can shake him down! must have thought Ortiz. Here's the deal. No mordida, and your dad gets forgotten forever in history. Mordida, and maybe I will put in a few calls to get his name on the building. Of course, Solomon wasted no time naming the Corpus Christi convention center the Solomon P. Ortiz Convention Center after himself. Thank God we got rid of that piece of shit Solomon Ortiz.
Deletetotal incompetence and legalized extortion.... seems all Solomon Ortiz and his people ever stood for.
DeleteOh but there is a school here named after crook Salomamon Ortiz.
DeleteBISD......STOP DRINKING THE KOOLAID and naming schools after crooked do nothing politicians. Think about the future y no andar de lanbiscones con los politicos sucios.
Most people vote for the person and not the party, but Fil Vela has no integrity and is not being honest and can not be trusted. How can you run as a Democrat and yet your wife is running as a republican against a great Judge Roy Valdez and you give nearly $100.000.00 to republicans to run against Democrats and your listed in Austin as a treasure for a republican candidate for state representative in Corpus.Trust me, Fil will go back to the republican party whether he wins or loses(which I Think he will lose) Imagine if he wins(which he won't) he'll use his position to target the Democratic elected officials. The real Judge Filemon Vela was a great man and TRUE DEMOCRAT and was loved dearly, seriously imagine what he would think of what his son has done to the Democratic Party. SHAMEFUL. All must be aware of a wolf in sheeps clothing, VOTE NO TO FIL
ReplyDeleteOkay, we will take your anonymous word as a bellwether of a persons character. /sarcasm
DeleteThe Republican claim falls flat because, in the free world, you CAN have differing views within a family, friendship, marriage, etc...I always look at a candidates platform - it much better defines who they'll be as a politician...it's what gets them nominated and they'll stick to it.
Original poster - good luck with this tripe, it rings hollow.
Filemon, we are all behind you! 40% of us...you already received enough votes to defeat the GOP candidate if all of the people who voted in that primary return and vote for their GOP nominee.
Vela will win by a landslide. The story is most of the other Democrat Candidates for Congress are endorsing Filemon Vela. His opponent only barely crawled ahead of Ramiro Garza (who is a genuinely likeable person) near midnight. Denise couldn't get 15% of the vote... even as the only woman among 8 candidates!! Seems those "Iron Ladies" including the Cadriel rapist-murderer's cousin, Erin H Garcia grossed out the women voters. Yowza!
DeleteIs Roy Valdez a great judge?? never heard of him. Is he great because he does special favors for the Democrats when their lawbreaking lands them in a courtroom? Doing "Special Favors" seems to be how the Cameron County Democrats label a "good" democrat nowadays. dale las mordidas and the pilon!
DeleteHa... an anonymous poster bashing an anonymous poster because he posted anonymously. What an ass. Only in CaBronsville. Special favors, ask Filemon Jr. about that, or just ask Solomamon. Judge Reynaldo Garza, he was a truly distinguished jurist, but we in CaBronsville allowed corruption to eclipse his great achievements because corrupt assholes like Filemamon and Solomamon tarnished his name. We just go rid of one asshole and you want to replace him with another. Pendejos.
DeleteI was about to believe that, except the Garza family and the Vela family get on splendidly. Both families love, respect and miss their beloved patriarchs who have passed away. It is sad though, when the political opportunists of failing candidates try to butt in and suggest otherwise. Oh I get it, we're supposed to believe that the Garza's hate the Vela's, and by process of elimination choose Denise? Um, no. Stay classy, failing campaigns. Surely you have better material than that!?
DeleteI wasn't bashing a poster for posting anonymously. Read it again. I was pointing out how ridiculous it'd be to give any weight to character judgments by a person without knowing their identity ("has no integrity. is not being honest, and can not be trusted." Really??). The poster could be a pathological liar or just angry. Who knows?
DeleteAnonymousJune 1, 2012 7:29 PM
DeleteWhere does it say that a Demoncrat is the only option, idiot? And where does it say that the Garzas hate the Velas? You are ignorant. I merely pointed out the stature of Reynaldo Garza as a jurist is far above Vela. He was the first hispanic appointed to a federal bench and the first hispanic to graduate from the UT Law School, a federal judge and a court of appeals judge. What was Vela, a federal judge.....that's it. Anyway, I didn't mean to disparage Judge Vela, only his son for his corrupt methods of getting his father's name on the federal courthouse, which is indicative of what he will do when he gets elected by the ignorant demoncrats. Just saying.........pendejo.
You're being idiotic if you think Adela Garza or Jessica Puente Bradshaw stands a chance this year. 80% of voters voted in your "Demon crat" primary. Seriously, are you really spending your time bashing Vela to help Garza or Bradshaw?? Save your energy puto. Those two have already discredited each other to the point the Democrats aren't bothering to pay attention. If you want to help a Cameron County Republican get elected, then do what you can for Chuck Mattingly, with Masso and Saenz struggling as they are he has a decent shot to make it. But he needs all the support to do it
DeleteThose who are for everything stand for nothing.
ReplyDeleteI'm voting for Vela. Denise was there for 20 years and look at where we're at.
ReplyDeleteNo joke... Cameron County Democrats are worthless! Solomon Ortiz & Denise Blanchard robbing this people for 28 years, Abel Limas, Gilberto Hinojosa, Conrado Cantu. With that crowd of "Democrats" its an honor to be labeled a Republican
DeleteVela for sure! Our entire family too.
ReplyDeleteLike Filemon Vela, I was labeled a "Republican" when I put a Carlos Cascos sign in my yard and donated money to a few good candidates who were NOT part of the Gilberto Hinojosa 'clika'
ReplyDeleteSo now I'm a "Republican".... LOL!!! A "Republican" who is pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-tax cuts for the 1%, pro-unions, pro Dream Act, pro Immigration Reform, pro-Obama, pro-Clinton, anti-Bush, anti-Romney.... I'm a Republican huh!! Some Republican. The party makes enemies of the real Democrats.... the Democrats in the Valley who WILL vote against dishonest Democrat candidates, and WILL support honest candidates of any stripe.
Because we value integrity, more than paying homage to some wacko from the looney-tunes Cameron County Democrats.
No one ever goes to their "Democrat" meetings anymore, half the precinct chairs positions are VACANT. and they wonder why Cascos and other "Republicans" win over and over again. sheesh!
Filemon Vela is no more a Republican than Obama is a socialist. I remembering him laboring in Democratic campaigns when he was in high school. Yes, his wife is a Republican, but I bet some of you have disagreed with your spouses on some issues. Filemon can bring a little higher quality of discussion to the table and it is about time.
ReplyDeleteAs bad as some of our Democratic candidates have been, it is not surprising that he has had to look elsewhere from time to time. But the wicked witch is dead. Filemon left him in the dust and he finished fifth. It is morning in Cameron County. Ding dong! The Wicked Witch is Dead. Only, Filemon had the moxy and strength to guarantee that would happen. Welcome home Fil. We are with you.
Ding dong ding dong .... GO ED!! Loved your ad in the paper!! It was great to see a Democrat taking a stand against corruption, awesome job
DeleteFil is listed as a Treasurer for a Republican. So much for him being a Democrat, Ed.
DeleteI'd like to know why the brainwashed Cretan took his time to attend the Vela victory party at the phoenix grill?? Filemon Vela is a great man of integrity. Obviously these writers making negative comments haven't had the pleasure of knowing Filemon and what he stands for or the core values he has had instilled by two very fine parents.
ReplyDeleteJudge Filemon Vela was a good man, and his son Fil is taking advantage of his name. Well Judge Reynaldo Garza was a great man, and your gonna see That family come out an endorse Denise; Judge Vela vs Judge Garza...Judge Garza wins by landslide and so will Denise. You say Fil will get all his 40% votes, well I Dought it, but if so, Denise will get the other 60%
ReplyDeleteLOL!!!! wow sure dude, ok whatever you say. of course she will get 60 percent :p lol. put down the bottle and get some sleep! remember, alcohol and blogs is a no no. dont' drink and drive either,
Deletevalley taxi (956) 541-3030
The Bush people and the Clinton people had a husband and wife team one working for George while the other was working for Bill. What is the BIG DEAL?
ReplyDeleteI like the way Mr. Vela comes across BUT at this time I am leaning more towards Adela Garza and Yolanda Begum unless I see proof they also carry dirty baggage.