By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A total of 3,295 Val Verde County voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s Democratic Party Primary Election.
In one of the most closely watched local races, Val Verde County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. defeated former Del Rio Mayor Bruno J. Lozano to win the Democratic Party nomination for the office of Val Verde County judge.
Owens finished the race with 1,998 votes, while Lozano received 1,139 votes.
Owens will now face former Val Verde County Commissioner Precinct 3 Robert Beau Nettleton, the Republican Party nominee, in the November general election.
Val Verde County Court-at-Law Judge Sergio J. Gonzalez was unopposed in his bid for the Democratic Party nomination for the office he currently holds. Gonzalez received 2,734 votes in the primary and is unopposed in the November general election.
Rachel Magallanes also ran unopposed in the Democratic Party primary and secured her party’s nomination for district clerk by earning 2,428 votes.
Magallanes currently works as chief deputy clerk in the office of District Clerk Jo Ann Cervantes, who has announced she will retire at the end of her term this year. Magallanes will face Republican Party nominee Mary Jane Ross, an auditor in the county auditor’s office, in the November general election.
Val Verde County Treasurer Aaron D. Rodriguez will also face a Republican Party challenger in November. Rodriguez was unopposed in the Democratic Party primary, receiving 2,543 votes to clinch his party’s nomination. Rodriguez will face Republican Party nominee Michelle Fagan in November.
Val Verde County Surveyor Abner Martinez won the Democratic Party nomination to the office he currently holds, garnering 2,476 votes in the primary. Martinez is unopposed in the November general election.
Val Verde County Commissioner Precinct 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez is the Democratic Party nominee for the office he currently holds. Vazquez earned 391 votes in the primary, defeating Rose M. Castro, a staff member at Val Verde Regional Medical Center, who received 229 votes. Vazquez will face retiree Rey Robles, the Republican Party nominee, in November.
Another incumbent county commissioner, Val Verde County Commissioner Precinct 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores, defeated former Val Verde County Clerk Generosa “Janie” Ramon for the Democratic Party nomination to the office he currently holds. Flores received 564 votes in the primary election, while Ramon received 384 votes. Flores will face schoolteacher John I. Wardlaw, the Republican Party nominee, in November.
Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 Jesse James Trevino once again became the Democratic Party nominee for the office he currently holds. Trevino received 635 votes in the primary. Trevino will face Republican Party nominee Mario Bosquez, a security officer at the federal courthouse in Del Rio, in the November general election.
Del Rio Police Department officer Roberto “Bobby” Hernandez was unopposed in his bid for the Democratic Party nomination for the office of justice of the peace for Precinct 2. Hernandez received 531 votes in the primary and will face the sitting Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 J. Randel Dissler in November.
Loida S. Arellano won the Democratic Party nomination for justice of the peace for Precinct 3, defeating Juan Roberto Martinez, a sales manager at Harbor Freight. Arellano, a funeral director, received 437 votes, while Martinez received 329 votes. Arellano will face Ashly Vicuna, the Republican Party nominee and chief deputy for the sitting Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 Pat Cole, in the November general election. Cole has announced she will retire at the end of her term this year.
Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 Hilda Castillo Lopez was unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination, receiving 757 votes in the primary. Lopez is also unopposed in the November general election.
The final contest on the Democratic Party primary ballot was for Val Verde County Democratic Party chair. Incumbent chair Rosalinda Hernandez won the race to continue serving in the office, receiving 1,837 votes to the 821 votes garnered by her challenger, Abril Hernandez (no relation).
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
