For those of you not in the know, State Rep Mary Gonzalez wanted a former staffer (a staffer at the time) to run for County Commissioner against Commissioner Vince Perez a couple of years ago, according to a source in her office.
Eventually, according to the source, Gonzalez pulled the rug out from under the would-be candidate and so it never happened.
So it raises a few eyebrows down here in the valley at the revelation that one of Rep Gonzalez's staffers is sending signals of his intent to run for office against another political rival of Gonzalez. Josh Carter is a Gonzalez staffer and in apparently the worst-kept secret since Commissioner Escobar wanted to be Judge Escobar, is sending signs that he is going to run for the El Paso Community College Board of Trustees.
I've written it before but when someone is going to run for office, or is running for office, they will suddenly start going to meetings they didn't go to before and start posting staged photos that are meant to look like they are not staged on social media. They also start cleaning up their social media and become more mindful of what they are posting. Always trying to look like a leader.
So what does that have to do with good ol' fashioned valley payback?
He would be running against Gracie Quintanilla.
Yes, she's Chente's wife.
For those of you not keeping score at home, Chente ran for his old seat against Mary Gonzalez in the primary.
Chente originally helped Gonzalez in her original bid to replace Chente when he retired from the state legislature to run for County Commissioner against Vince Perez about 5 years ago.
In the last cycle when Chente ran for his old seat, he and Forma Group turned up the heat a bit against Gonzalez through a series of negative mail and television ads.
Not sure if she intends to allow Mr. Carter to continue to work for her office once the session starts and his campaign would be in full swing, but if she did it would not be out of the ordinary. Several elected officials have previously allowed their staff to run for office while they maintain their employment.
Gotta love politics in the valley...
Eventually, according to the source, Gonzalez pulled the rug out from under the would-be candidate and so it never happened.
So it raises a few eyebrows down here in the valley at the revelation that one of Rep Gonzalez's staffers is sending signals of his intent to run for office against another political rival of Gonzalez. Josh Carter is a Gonzalez staffer and in apparently the worst-kept secret since Commissioner Escobar wanted to be Judge Escobar, is sending signs that he is going to run for the El Paso Community College Board of Trustees.
I've written it before but when someone is going to run for office, or is running for office, they will suddenly start going to meetings they didn't go to before and start posting staged photos that are meant to look like they are not staged on social media. They also start cleaning up their social media and become more mindful of what they are posting. Always trying to look like a leader.

He would be running against Gracie Quintanilla.
Yes, she's Chente's wife.
For those of you not keeping score at home, Chente ran for his old seat against Mary Gonzalez in the primary.
Chente originally helped Gonzalez in her original bid to replace Chente when he retired from the state legislature to run for County Commissioner against Vince Perez about 5 years ago.
In the last cycle when Chente ran for his old seat, he and Forma Group turned up the heat a bit against Gonzalez through a series of negative mail and television ads.
Not sure if she intends to allow Mr. Carter to continue to work for her office once the session starts and his campaign would be in full swing, but if she did it would not be out of the ordinary. Several elected officials have previously allowed their staff to run for office while they maintain their employment.
Gotta love politics in the valley...