Despite the Inept "Brownsville Herald," Brownsville Voters "Euphoric" After "Kicking Ass," Blocking Outside Interloper from Controlling Elections

Brownsville's electorate is sometimes accused of being a body of "low information" voters because they elect and re-elect those who steal from them, use taxpayer money to enrich their cronies, give away taxpayer assets and stealthily sign ill-advised exorbitant utility deals. 

These same lard-ass politicos  ride annually in convertibles and on flat bed trucks during Charro Days to the applause of the masses, uneducated because the Brownsville Herald, English or Spanish edition, does not monitor the misdeeds of local politicos, unless something goes to trial and is unavoidable.

The Brownsville Herald even played its normal pussified, cheerleader role when Mike Hernandez III, a car dealer from Dallas tossed a reported $140,000 to influence the TSC and Brownsville Navigation District elections.  Not only did the "Herald" not make that report, it simply parroted the platitudes on the OP 10.33 website in its articles.  Since when does an outsider throwing that much money at local elections not raise red flags?  If any city in the United States needs a newspaper, it is Brownsville, reportedly the country's poorest. 

Before the local paper said one word about Mike Hernandez III, the local bloggers had identified the man behind the cryptic OP 10.33 billboards, reported on his ties with local corruption and identified clearly the candidates he was supporting financially.  Near election eve, the "Herald" did a front page story on Mike Hernandez III touring the historic El Jardin Hotel and deciding NOT to buy and restore it.  How many get that kind of coverage for NOT doing something?  LOL!  

But, what if the local blogging community misjudged Mike Hernandez III?  What if he REALLY wanted to do good things FOR Brownsville and we screwed it up?  In the words of blogger Bobby Wightman-Cervantes, Hernandez election night proclamation tells us ALL we need to know about the car salesman turned king maker:  

"We supported one candidate from TSC(meaning Trey Mendez) and he won."

This statement from Mike Hernandez III is total bull shit. He initially supported his OP 10.33 secretary, Beatriz Hockaday, to run against Trey Mendez for TSC trustee.  Multiple birdies spoke into his ear, possibly including Carlos Marin, explaining that Hockaday could not defeat Mendez.  

MH.III also chose not to mention his obvious financial support for Ed Rivera and Raul Villanueva, yet their faces are prominently displayed on his OP 10.33 billboards, pushing them for the Brownsville Navigation District. Daniel Pizana also got Mike Hernandez money in his TSC trustee run.  So, in spite of all the self-righteous platitudes expressed on the OP 10.33 website, we learn that Mike Hernandez III is, among other things, a liar.

The 2016 TSC and BND elections may have taught us a couple things.  The absolute, unequivocal rejection of ALL of the OP 10.33 candidates shows that Brownsville voters do not appreciate outside interference in their elections. The election results may also be evidence that SOMEBODY reads the local blogs.

Brownsville voters seem almost giddy after kicking OP 10.33 ass.  Note this comment received from a TSC official:  

"Jim, we still haven't come down from our cloud after this win.  Good things happen when we are united.  This election reminds me of the Fly Frontera fiasco."

Dr. Tony Zavaleta, involved in a runoff with Evelyn Cantu for TSC Trustee, Place 3, added this comment to our article reporting the OP 10.33 defeats:

"Rock on Jim.  Viva Brownsville."  Zavaleta used the term "carpetbaggers" in describing the OP. 10.33 group.

Alonzo Cantu, Owner of Lone Star Bank and
Huge Construction Company in McAllen

"Did Carlos Marin simply panic?" was another observation, made privately by a local policy guy trying to figure out why Marin would willingly "share" control with Mike Hernandez III.

One theory is that Lone Star Bank owner, Alonzo Cantu, the so-called "Godfather of McAllen," is looking at options in Brownsville for development.

As one commenter explained:  

"McAllen has been developed to a high degree with property pricing pretty stable, not leaving much room for a huge profit.  Mr. Cantu views Brownsville as underdeveloped with higher risk/reward possibilities.  

A regional Metropolitan Planning Organization, as opposed to the current Brownsville MPO, might open the door for Cantu to play a leadership role in development in and around Brownsville. If and when a regional MPO is formed, Tony Martinez and Mark Lund will have a voice at the table, but not be at the table's head.   This is why Martinez is so opposed to a regional MPO."
Obviously, it's not just the "little people" who are worried about outside "interference."