The Problem With Voting For The Guy With The Spanish Last Name

I got into an on air discussion with my buddy on the left, Jaime Abeytia, about straight ticket voting. I told him that El Pasoans have a tendency to vote either straight ticket or vote for the guy with the Spanish last name.

They look at a ballot that has two names. Not knowing a darn thing about either candidates, realistically who follows Judicial races? The voter sees an Anglo last name and a Spanish sounding last name. Eight to nine out of ten times an El Pasoan will vote for the Spanish last name.

Several of you might be saying: What is wrong with that?

I'll make this short and sweet.

Si Uno Vota Simplemente Por La Raza...........
Nos Sale Otro Como Barraza!!!!!

I'll translate for the non Spanish Speakers.


If someone votes simply on the bases of race, we will get another one like Barraza.

This is referring to Judge Manuel Barraza who is currently serving time in a federal prison after being arrested and eventually convicted for taking bribes and asking for sexual favors for favorable rulings. But of coarse it doesn't rhyme in English as it does in Spanish.

Manuel Barraza defeated Judge Don Minton in 2008. He was arrested and charged after being on the bench for only three months. Barraza's campaign pushed the fact that he had over 30 years of experience as a defense lawyer when he ran. Look at him now. I bet he wishes he had gotten himself a better defense lawyer.

So make sure you vote for the right candidate. Don't vote straight ticket and don't take it for granted that the man or women is going to do a better job because he or she is of Hispanic or Latino descent.

As a Latino I would love to see more Latinos, who could better represent us get elected. But at the same time I hate to see a low life like Manuel Barraza ride the race card and make us all look bad. 

Keep Good Judges In Office; Keep Judge Antcliff in the 168th!!!!!!

Setting the Record Straight

No, I'm not saying Antcliff's opponent will be arrested and sent to prison like Barraza. What I am saying is that this Judicial race is very similar to the one between Barraza and Minton. You have a sitting Judge, who is Anglo,  who has  a proven track record and  has been appointed to several courts by the Governor. Then you have a lawyer, with no judicial experience, has a Spanish sounding last name and has no reason to run against the current judge. Except for the fact that he is a Democrat in a Democrat dominated county and if El Paso keeps doing what it has traditionally done, he has a very good chance of doing it. So don't get your panties in a wad and say that I promised that a Judicial candidate would end up in prison if elected.