Hegemony: Power, Culture & Ideology: Danny Guerra is Congressman Solomon Ortiz's Second Staff Resignation in Two Months. Why Did Danny Resign?.

Hegemony: Power, Culture & Ideology: Danny Guerra is Congressman Solomon Ortiz's Second Staff Resignation in Two Months. Why Did Danny Resign?.

Danny Guerra is Congressman Solomon Ortiz's Second Staff Resignation in Two Months. Why Did Danny Resign?.

Congressman Ortiz Selects Denise Blanchard as Chief of Staff

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Congressman Solomon Ortiz has selected Denise Blanchard as his chief of staff.

Blanchard was formerly deputy chief of staff and district director. She was promoted to replace Fernando Gomez who resigned.

Blanchard, a Brownsville native and Ortiz' long-time Director of District Operations, has worked for Ortiz for more than 16 years. Her experience includes constituent services, district office operations, and a political understanding of South Texas. She began service with Ortiz in 1991, becoming District Director in 1995. Previously, she worked with the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, the Brownsville Economic Development Council and the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport.

This is Ortiz's second staff resignation in two months.

Ortiz’s long-time communications director, Cathy Travis, resigned Dec. 31 to continue her writing career. Ortiz hired Dallas-native Danny Guerra, 25, to replace Travis. Guerra wrote previously for political news magazine Congressional Quarterly. According to The Brownsville Herald, he also worked previously with several Texas legislators.

And Let us Not Forget

Representative Ortiz to replace his long-time chief of staff, 'Lencho' Rendon with 'Nando' Gomez.

Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, also announced the promotion of Denise Blanchard, director of district operations to deputy chief of staff, the post Gomez held.

Ortiz said that Gomez, “is very level-headed. He is not the type that gets angry. He always looks at the issue before he makes a decision and he always counsels with the staff.”

Ortiz said Gomez of Gregory worked in Washington, D.C., for eight years as legislative director for former U.S. Rep. Martin Frost, as Ortiz’s legislative director in 2005, followed by promotion to deputy chief of staff. Ortiz said Gomez handles military matters. Gomez also worked in Austin for the state Legislature.

and more

"These guys will be the bridge between legislation on Capitol Hill and my constituents in South Texas," Ortiz said. "They work well together and are universally respected on Capitol Hill and in South Texas. Both deeply understand and are committed to the needs of people in my congressional district."Did somebody say bridge?

Ortiz said both Gomez and Blanchard are also likely to follow in Rendon's footsteps, playing an active role in local politics.

South Texas Chisme: Nueces County Sheriff proves he is a Republican

South Texas Chisme: Nueces County Sheriff proves he is a Republican

"People have a perception of who you are based on how you look," Kaelin said. "It is time to let the public know that there has been a change."

We at Los Kenedenos have received information (unconfirmed) that one of the new patrol vehicles has been totaled.

Why didnt anyone let the public know that one of these brand new cruisers has already been totaled.

If this is true (and it is believed to be true), why has the Good Sheriff not let us know of the bad news.

We need to hear the bad news immediately.

Watts said, Noriega should debate McMurrey. McMurrey has challenged Noriega to debates, but Noriega's camp has declined so far

Jan. 9, 2008, 6:37AM
Win by Clinton could affect Senate race here
Ex-candidate Watts says Dems may be less likely to spend in Texas

By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

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AUSTIN — The ability of the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee to raise national party money for the general election campaign in Texas may be hindered if Hillary Rodham Clinton is the party's presidential nominee, one-time senatorial candidate Mikal Watts said Tuesday.

"If Hillary is the nominee, that will have an effect on whether the national Democrats will play in Texas," Watts said.

"The prevailing thought is the Republicans don't have anybody who will motivate their base to get out. There are some who think Hillary will do that," he said.

Watts said he has seen Texas polling that shows "right-wing Republicans" react more negatively to Clinton than they do to Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama or John Edwards.

"I think whoever is the Democratic nominee will be the president, but it's a different story cobbling together 270 electoral votes and doing well in Texas," Watts said in an interview with the Houston Chronicle.

Watts, a millionaire trial lawyer, dropped out of the race in October, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family than he could if he continued to run statewide. He left state Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston as the presumptive Democratic nominee to take on Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

But since that time, Noriega has picked up three opponents: Corpus Christi school teacher Ray McMurrey and perennial candidates Gene Kelly of Universal City and Rhett Smith of San Antonio. Because voters apparently confused him with the late actor, Kelly won the Democratic Senate nomination in 2000.

"I don't see either McMurrey or Gene Kelly getting any traction," Watts said of the current primary. "It's pretty clear he (Noriega) will be the nominee, and he's the person best equipped to take on John Cornyn."

Watts said he does not think it will hurt Noriega in the eyes of national donors and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee if Noriega has to win the nomination in a runoff.

"It slows him down for a month. Obviously, he'd rather be the nominee earlier rather than later. But my advice to him would be to save his resources for Cornyn," Watts said.

Watts said he donated $100,000 to the DSCC in late December. He said the committee chairman, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, will decide on whether to help fund Noriega's campaign based on polling done in the summer.

"They are fiduciaries of money and they're trying to pick up Senate seats. So they'll spend the money where it will be most effective," Watts said. "Rick will be in a good position to make his case for that money, but there are a lot of pick-up opportunities across the country."

At present, Noriega has raised about $1 million. Cornyn in October had $6.6 million in the bank.

As preparation for the general election, Watts said, Noriega should debate McMurrey. McMurrey has challenged Noriega to debates, but Noriega's camp has declined so far.

"I don't think debating hurts anybody. Rick and I were prepared to have a series of debates," Watts said. "You're going to want to have debates with Cornyn, and you're going to want to be able to say you took on all comers in the primary and Cornyn ought to in the general."

Noriega campaign manager Sue Schechter said the debate argument with McMurrey is a matter of "semantics." She said Noriega and McMurrey have had repeated joint appearances at local Democratic forums, but that McMurrey has not shown up for all of them.

"Our challenge would be for him to start showing up at these events where we are both invited," Schechter said.

r.g.ratcliffe@chron.com

Nueces Democrats: Robert Zamora:A Man of Strength & Stability ; Winning Back The Nueces County Democratic Party For All South Texas Democrats

Nueces Democrats: Robert Zamora:A Man of Strength & Stability ; Winning Back The Nueces County Democratic Party For All South Texas Democrats


Zamora Announces for Party Chair

Updated: Jan 1, 2008 12:31 AM

A local attorney has announced he is running for chairman of the Nueces County Democratic Party.

There has been talk that several people might run. On Monday, attorney Robert Zamora officially announced that he has filed for the position, which is now held by Alex Garcia Jr.

"I have not only experience as a lawyer operating my own business for close to 30 years," Zamora said. "What I would like to do is lend the energy and the experience that I have to the operation of the Democratic Party here in Nueces County.

The race will be decided in the state presidential primary in March.