I write this post every cycle where I predict in advance that some candidate will make some bonehead move and its almost always about the word "for" on a sign.
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Campaign laws in Texas say you have to include the word "for" so that you don't mislead the voter into thinking you're the incumbent. Its misleading and so the legislature took steps to make sure candidates wouldn't do that.
It happens every election cycle. Someone always screws it up. But when its screwed up on a billboard, its an expensive D'oh!
Maria Ramirez is running for the 8th Court of Appeals and has a billboard sign as you are approaching downtown coming in from the Eastside of the El Paso on the I-10. As you can see in this picture, this is her D'oh!
There is no "for" in sign, which would give people the impression that she's the incumbent. Well aside from being pretty funny, there are actually some pretty stiff penalties from the Ethics Commission if there is a complaint logged against her for the sign.
Interestingly 6 years ago I wrote about this EXACT same problem with another judicial candidate in the EXACT same location. Seriously, you can't make this up.
The mistake is magnified when you consider that judicial candidates, in her case she's actually a municipal court judge, are running for an office in which their primary responsibility is to interpret the law and they get such a simple thing like complying with state laws relating to signs wrong.
Its really a poor reflection.
I think its also a pretty expensive mistake to fix because she's going to have to fix the billboard and that isn't going to be done without a charge.
As you can see Frank Macias had the same problem and had to get it fixed as you can see in this before and after.
I think he avoided a penalty from the Ethics Commission because he fixed the sign right away once it was pointed out.
Now to bring the D'oh parade full circle, Frank Macias is the step father to Gregory Gonzalez, the guy who had a car parked at the courthouse with his campaign sign that had a expired inspection sticker.
Gotta love campaign season in the 915.