Posted on 01/04/2006 8:49:41 PM PST by LdSentinal
District Judge Rose Vela's intention to run for the 13th Court of Appeals was well known in local political circles, but her intentions to run as a Republican instead of a Democrat apparently shocked many party stalwarts.
One of her reasons for switching parties was to save herself from a bruising primary battle with incumbent Federico "Fred" Hinojosa that might become negative, she said Tuesday. She also said she had established roots in the Republican Party while growing up in a military family, voting for Ronald Reagan for president.
The decision still took some soul searching, she said, hoping the move will clear the way for a battle with Hinojosa based on qualifications, without mudslinging. "I'm a strong believer that judicial races should be held to a higher standard, held in a respectful manner," she said.
But her party switch still took Democrats by surprise.
"Rose Vela's announcing as a Republican was a huge surprise to me as well as others within the party," said Nueces County Democratic Party Chairman Solomon Ortiz Jr. "I think that the Vela family is going to do what they think is in their best interest in that race."
Hinojosa also said he was shocked when he heard that Vela, whom he knows through her service as a district judge, was running.
"I was surprised that she filed as a Republican," he said. "And everybody that I have talked to last night and today was surprised. I don't even think that the Republicans knew that she was going to file as a Republican. I am looking forward to being my party's nominee to the bench. Since neither she nor I has an opponent, we will be gearing up for a campaign against each other in November."
Challenging Hinojosa in the general election could prove to be tough, because no Republican has ever been elected to the 13th Court of Appeals.
"It's definitely an uphill battle for me," Vela said.
When she married her husband Filemon, a politically connected attorney and lifelong Democrat from the Rio Grande Valley, she decided to run for district judge in Nueces County as a Democrat. Running as a Democrat seemed like the best option by far, she said.
"Politics here was all Democrats at the time," she said. "Getting involved in politics, I ran on the Democratic ticket and I was elected."
The 13th Court of Appeals is responsible for reviewing all appeals from the trial courts in the 20-county area which includes Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, Cameron, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Hidalgo, Jackson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Lavaca, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Wharton and Willacy counties.
Hinojosa, who was appointed in 1991 by former Texas Gov. Ann Richards to the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi, is also popular with voters. He was elected in 1992 to fill an unexpired term and re-elected in 1994 and 2000 for two full six-year terms.
But Vela is not totally unfamiliar with the appeals court process. When she graduated from law school at St. Mary's, she worked in the 4th and 13th circuits as a briefing attorney, developing a taste for the appeals process.
"Both of those jobs were the inspiration for me to want to be an appellate court judge," she said. "I have never made it any secret that I wanted to be an appellate court judge."
To beat Hinojosa, she hopes to draw Republican voters and keep the Democratic friends that she has gained over the years, she said.
"I really hope my friends in the Democratic Party understand and I hope that our friendship will transcend party politics," she said
Cool.
Wait. I thought Tom Delay's problems were going to cause a RAT revival in Texas.
It sounds like a move of expediency, not a move based on any kind of ideals. Who needs another RINO?
"It sounds like a move of expediency, not a move based on any kind of ideals. Who needs another RINO?"
'She also said she had established roots in the Republican Party while growing up in a military family, voting for Ronald Reagan for president.'
She sounds like she was a DINO while in the judgeship because it was previously futile running as a Republican. We badly need to make a breakthrough in old-line Hispanic Democrat areas to build the party in Texas, where we have serious deficiencies.
What is the sound made when a brand new baby RINO is born?
I wish her well.
You're right. She was a DINO (Democrat in Name Only)...
She's on the ground. I'm not. She knows the situation. If she thought there was absolutely no chance, i.e. a Republican running against charlie rangel, she would not be running. I assume she senses at least some crack in the rat hold on her area. That sounds like a good thing. I say to her "Welcome home"!
I wish Judge Vela the best of luck.
If Vela loses the judicial race, or perhaps especially if she wins, I think she could make an interesting candidate in the 27th congressional district that has been held by pro-life Democrat Solomon Ortiz, Sr. for many years now and stretched from Nueces County to Brownsville. While his son Solomon Jr. (the Nueces County Democrat Chairman quoted in the article) would probably be the frontrunner when his father retires, it would provide a pretty good pick-up opportunity for a Hispanic Republican, since the district is like 65% Hispanic but gave President Bush 55% in 2004.
I will give her the benefit of the doubt regarding change of party; however, it must be said that all this "bandwagon jumping" is more for the individual politican's benefit (especially financial) that anyone else.
Switcher Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Republicans have a hard time winning down here. You pretty much have to be a DINO.
"Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, Cameron, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Hidalgo, Jackson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Lavaca, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Wharton and Willacy counties.
She has enough blue counties to make it."
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