News

SAENZ TO PENA: ‘PUT SOUTH TEXAS FIRST AND YOUR AUSTIN REPUBLICAN FRIENDS LAST’

Democratic Challenger Calls On Incumbent to Return Latest $50,000 Donation From Republican Leadership

(EDINBURG) — Democratic challenger Eddie Saenz today called on his embattled opponent to return tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash that he pocketed this week from Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick and three major Republican donors.

“These special interests are working against South Texas,” Saenz said.  “Their money fuels everything from Swift Boating our presidential candidates to siphoning millions of tax dollars out of our public schools for their private-school voucher schemes.  It’s time to assure voters that you will put South Texas first and your Austin Republican friends last.”

A defunct political action committee was revived in Austin this week and seeded with $250,000 from Republican Craddick, $50,000 of which has been sent to Peña to run negative ads against Saenz.  The PAC is also funded by three of the Republican Party’s top donors.

Saenz said one of the PAC’s funders also showed up on Peña’s latest campaign report via a $10,000 cash donation from Houston builder Bob Perry, the single-largest contributor to the Republican Party of Texas and the man who funded the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth attacks against Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004. More…

Edcouch Mayor and City Council Backs Eddie Saenz for Texas House

(EDCOUCH-ELSA) – Edcouch Mayor Joe R. Guzman and City Council members Maria de la Cruz, Roy Garcia, Jesus Borrego, and Guadalupe Garcia today announced their official endorsement of community leader and Democratic challenger Eddie Saenz in the race for State Representative District 40.

“Our city needs resources and leadership in Austin,” Mayor Guzman said. “Eddie understands that we need help to be proactive and find solutions.”

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality seized control of the local sewer plant, and community leaders said they would were unable to get any help during the crisis from the incumbent state representative in Austin.

Saenz, a civil engineer with a long history of helping cities, school districts, and other public entities improve their operations, has been in informal talks with the mayor and other community leaders to explore ways to improve use of the area’s infrastructure resources.

Owner and chief executive officer of one of South Texas’ leading civil engineering firms, Saenz is also chairman of the Board of Governors of the Edinburg Regional Medical Center and Edinburg Children’s Hospital, an award-winning network of acute-care hospitals specializing in children’s care and cardiovascular health. He served as chairman of Avance, a non-profit organization whose focus is to strengthen families. Avance helped initiate the CHIP enrollment process in the valley.

Saenz is a former chairman of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Border Infrastructure Coalition Transportation Committee, and the Edinburg 2020 Action Committee. A graduate of McAllen High, he earned his degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1982. He is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. He and his wife and child live in Edinburg.

EDCOUCH-ELSA COMMUNITY LEADERS ENDORSE EDDIE SAENZ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

(EDCOUCH-ELSA) — One of the Delta Region’s leading families today endorsed Democrat Eddie Saenz in his race for State Representative District 40, saying that the region needs change in Austin to help citizens and small businesses deal with the economic downturn.

“Eddie Saenz offers our communities a unique opportunity to turn the page from the politics of the past,” said Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District board member Richard Ozuna. “He is a friend who understands that our health, education, and infrastructure challenges will not be fixed by playing politics in Austin instead of taking care of our needs back home.”

Ozuna and his parents, Gilberto and Orfelinda Ozuna, represent one of the leading families of public services in Hidalgo County. Mr. Ozuna was a distinguished member of the Edcouch City Council. More…

LA JOYA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS LINE UP WITH EDDIE SAENZ FOR TEXAS HOUSE

Local Community Leaders Endorse Democrat as “Full Partner in Austin”

(EDCOUCH-ELSA)– Following on the heels of La Joya Mayor Billy Leo’s endorsement two weeks ago, all five members of the La Joya City Council today lined up with Democratic challenger Eddie Saenz in his race for the Texas House of Representatives District 40.

“Our community has suffered from not having a full partner in Austin,” said council member Mary Salinas. “Eddie Saenz will be that partner for La Joya and all the communities of our district.”

Salinas and council members Isidro Casanova, Angie Garza, Lee Roy Alaniz, and Robert Jackson gave Saenz their endorsement and said they will do what they can to help him win the March 4 Democratic primary. More…

EDCOUCH-ELSA SCHOOL LEADERS ENDORSE EDDIE SAENZ FOR TEXAS HOUSE

Local School Board Members Say Democratic Challenger Supports Public Education And Will Fight Private-School Voucher Scheme Pushed By Austin Politicians And Their Local Allies

(EDCOUCH-ELSA) — Four leading members of the Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District today endorsed Democratic challenger Eddie Saenz in his race for the Texas House of Representatives District 40, saying that his strong support for teachers and opposition to private-school voucher schemes will provide the principled leadership area public schools need in Austin.

“South Texas can count on Eddie Saenz to be a true friend of public education,” said board member Richard Ozuna. “He won’t just talk the talk. He will walk the walk.”

Ozuna and board members Saul Garcia, Juan Ybarra, and Mingo Rodriguez offered Saenz their enthusiastic endorsement and pledged to help turn out a record number of voters on his behalf in the Delta region. (see attached photo)

Garcia pointed out that Saenz’ opponent, incumbent Aaron Pena, has taken at least $47,500 from Austin lobbyists in the past five months, including more than $25,000 in direct contributions from special interests representing the Republican Party of Texas, GOP House Speaker Tom Craddick, and San Antonio millionaire James Leininger, all of whom are pushing a plan to siphon millions of tax dollars out of public schools to pay for a private-school voucher scheme. More…

HOW TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Today, we mark the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose courage and leadership secured the voting rights of millions for a generation.

But, today, we face a renewed challenge to those voting rights from judges in Washington, politicians in Austin, and their representatives here in South Texas who are pushing for a Voter I.D. bill designed to make it harder, not easier, for low-income or elderly citizens to exercise their legitimate rights at the ballot box.

This is my simple pledge: I will be present and accounted for on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives to make sure they don’t succeed.

Last year, my opponent Aaron Pena took a walk when his Republican allies in Austin passed a Voter I.D. bill by a single vote.

There is overwhelming evidence that the Republicans’ proposed Voter I.D. scheme is a solution in search of a problem. Despite false claims that an estimated 1.2 million undocumented immigrants could be casting ineligible ballots and tainting Texas elections, the politicians in Austin pushing for the controversial restrictions have been unable to document a single case of an illegal immigrant impersonating a legitimate voter. More…

SAENZ TO PENA: ‘DO THE RIGHT THING AND GIVE BACK TAINTED SWIFT BOAT CASH’

Challenger Says $10,000 His Opponent Pocketed Is Grave Insult to South Texas Democrats and Veterans

(EDINBURG) – Democratic challenger Eddie Saenz today called on his opponent Aaron Pena to return thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he accepted from rightwing Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, the man who funded the infamous Republican-led personal smear campaign against Vietnam War hero and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

“Do the right thing and give back this tainted cash,” Saenz said in a public statement to his opponent. “To take money from the same man who swift-boated John Kerry is an insult to every Valley veteran, every South Texan who believes we need a veteran’s hospital here, and every hard-working Democrat who believes we need a Democratic president in the White House.”

Saenz said his opponent’s campaign finance report, filed this week, shows that he accepted a $10,000 campaign donation from Perry on November 8, 2007. More…

SAENZ REPORTS MORE THAN $140,000 RAISED IN CAMPAIGN FOR A NEW DAY AND A NEW DIRECTION

Democratic Challenger Says He Has Resources to Make the Case For Positive Change

(SULLIVAN CITY) — Community leader, health care advocate, and civil engineer Eddie Saenz today reported that he has raised more than $140,000 in his campaign for the Texas House of Representatives, saying that the contributions he has received from ordinary citizens shows that District 40 families and small businesses are ready to turn the page and move in a new direction.

“I am deeply touched by the level of support I’m receiving from people who are willing, like me, to invest in a new day for South Texas,” Saenz said. “Their generosity matches my personal commitment to make the case for positive change and reverse the damage done by my opponent’s support of the politicians in Austin.”

Saenz’ report for the period ending December 31 shows that he has raised $140,835 since launching his campaign last September, with an average donation of $800 from 45 individual contributors and including a $105,000 loan from the candidate.

Saenz is running against incumbent Aaron Peña, whose political mentors in Austin stripped hundreds of thousands of eligible children of their Children’s Health Insurance Program benefits and then voted against fully restoring the program when public pressure forced them to partially restore coverage. Peña joined 74 Republicans and seven Democrats in voting against full funding and then voted to deny expanding eligibility to additional children whose parents work but earn too little to afford health insurance on their own. More…

SAENZ: “OUR COMMUNITY HAS THE COURAGE TO CHANGE”

Democratic Challenger Says District Doesn’t Have to Put Up With Failed Leadership of the Past

(EDINBURG) — With eight weeks to go before the March 4 primary election, Democratic challenger Eddie Saenz today called on voters to reject the failed leadership of the past and joined his campaign for a better future.

“South Texas doesn’t have to put up with the failed leadership of the past,” Saenz said. “We can have more jobs, better schools, safer neighborhoods, and greater opportunity. All it takes is new leadership and the courage to change.”

Saenz said his opponent continues to put his own political ambition above the needs of families and small businesses in District 40 by supporting Republican politicians who have stripped thousands of eligible children of their health care, have allowed utilities to raise residential rates an average of 54 percent, and are threatening to impose a voter identification bill on legitimate citizens before they can vote. More…

STATEMENT BY EDDIE SAENZ ON VOTER I.D. CHALLENGE BEFORE U.S. SUPREME COURT

(EDINBURG) — Democratic candidate for the Texas House Eddie Saenz this afternoon released the following statement on the challenge pending today before the U.S. Supreme Court to a voter identification law adopted by Indiana. Court observers predict the Republican court will uphold the law.

“Today’s challenge to the hated and unwarranted voter I.D. law passed by Indiana lawmakers reminds us back here in Texas that we have to stand up against the Austin Republicans who would take away our civil rights at the polling place — and the local allies who would let them get away with it.

South Texas knows very well that last year, my opponent Aaron Pena took a walk when a similar bill by his Republican friends passed the Texas House by a single vote. Juan ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa and other courageous senators on the other side of the State Capitol had to stop it from becoming law.

But now those same Republican politicians are promising to try again to pass a voter I.D. law next session to make it more difficult for elderly, low-income, and minority Texans to vote. More…