𝗜𝗦 𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗢 "𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗘" 𝗚𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗭 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗔 𝗕𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗘? 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙!

Ernesto "Ernie" Gutierrez (center)

Paraphrasing the late Texas coach Darrell Royal: "If a dog's gonna bite, he'll bite as a pup," Royal's justification for starting the legendary Earl Campbell as a freshman.

The comment above danced around in my mind while attending a lavish event for BND trustee candidate Ernesto "Ernie" Gutierrez at a nicely landscaped 3600 sq. ft home on Canteras Drive, Rancho Viejo, where 100-200 guests treaded carefully around a beautiful pool with a raised infinity hot tub. (No pics as my I-phone battery went dead)

Thirtysomething Ernesto "Ernie" Gutierrez, Candidate for BND Place 1 trustee, isn't all THAT young, but perhaps more genteel than the hardscrabble folk normally associated with the Port of Brownsville, offering a handshake with uncalloused hands.

While not presenting a comprehensive business plan, Gutierrez spoke in generalities like "attracting industry," "transforming the regional economy, etc."

If maritime, cargo and port experience can transfer via osmosis, the Gutierrez pachanga had enough of that; former port commissioner/banker/ John Reed, a communicative real estater from the Brownsville Cheezmeh era, Wally Cisneros, an owner of a Matamoros factory who contantly chomped on a (Cuban?) cigar with another one waiting in the pocket of his guayabera, a very loquacious West Brownsville woman I kept encountering, Yolanda Begum and a Port of Brownville site operator now growing his late father's business. (All of the above want Gutierrez to succeed and think he will.)

As I made my exit, sport coat in hand, I was shocked to meet my two extremely disreputable nephews from an extended in-law family at the door, joking they were both running for BND trustee. (The oldest has spent most of his adult life incarcerated, the younger a con artist extraordinaire and YouTube presence you can do without.  The only explanation for their attendance would be that they were schoolmates of Ernesto, likely stealing his lunch money.)

While it occurred to me to go back inside to warn the guests to hide their purses and protect their wallets, I set my "driving directions" to my address and drove home.

Addendum:  One of Gutierrez' opponents, Beto Torres, told me that Gutierrez was not a U.S. resident.  Well, Gutierrez gave me an address of a substantial Brownsville home he shares with his wife and kids.  I don't view his residence as an issue.

BTW, my i-phone battery is now replaced, so I'll post some pics below:

Rancho Viejo Mayor Maribel Guerrero, Ernesto "Ernie" Gutierrez