Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Twelve candidates have filed for places on the March 2024 Republican Primary Election ballot seeking local elected offices.
Republicans are the only candidates who filed for the offices of 63rd Judicial District Judge, 63rd Judicial District Attorney, County Commissioner Pct. 3 and Constable Pct. 3.
Voters in Kinney and Terrell counties will also vote for the judge and district attorney positions, since the 63rd Judicial District comprises those two counties in addition to Val Verde County.
Members of the Val Verde County Republican Party gathered with County Republican Party Chair Sharon Pettit at Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q restaurant Monday afternoon to await the 6 p.m. filing deadline.
Other Republican candidates for area offices were present as well, including John McLeon, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination for Texas State Representative, District 74; Brandon Herrera, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination for U.S. House of Representatives, District 23; and Robert Garza, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination for Texas State Representative, District 74.
Filing for county offices to be decided by voters in 2024 began Nov. 11 and ended Monday.
According to information published on the website of the Texas Secretary of State, 63rd Judicial District Judge Roland Andrade has filed for re-election to the seat he currently holds, and 63rd Judicial District Attorney Suzanne West has filed for re-election to her office. Andrade and West filed as Republicans, and according to the information on the Secretary of State’s website, no Democrats or other Republicans filed to challenge either of them.
Republicans were also the only candidates who filed for the County Commissioner Pct. 3 seat being vacated by Beau Nettleton at the end of 2024 and for the Constable Pct. 3 seat.
Pettit told the 830 Times four persons have filed for a place on the ballot to seek the Republican Party nomination for County Commissioner Pct. 3.
They are Raul J. Alatorre, Fernando Garcia, Eddie Amezcua Jr. and Miguel Zuniga.
Pettit said Wednesday Zuniga has filed his application, but noted that final approval of that application is pending.
No one filed as a Democrat or Independent for the County Commissioner Pct. 3 seat, so the winner of the March 2024 Republican Primary Election race for this office will likely be unopposed in the November 2024 General Election.
Two candidates filed for places on the Republican Primary Election ballot for the office of Constable Pct. 3, Pettit said.
They are Michael Wancho and Donnie Fernandez, who was appointed to the post following the death of the incumbent constable for the precinct, Steve Berg.
Both men will vie for the Republican Party nomination for the office, and the winner will likely run unopposed in November, since no Democrat or Independent has filed for the office.
Others who have filed as candidates on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot for March 2024 include Alfinio “Al” Flores, who filed for County Commissioner Pct. 1, a seat being vacated at the end of 2024 by the incumbent Democrat, Martin Wardlaw.
No other Republican filed for the position, so Flores is likely to win the Republican Party nomination for the seat. He will then face the winner of a seven-way race on the Democratic Party ballot, as well as a possible Independent candidate, in the November General Election.
Rogelio “Roger” Hernandez, a newcomer to the county political scene, filed for a place on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot for the office of County Sheriff. Hernandez, who is unopposed on the Republican ballot, is likely to win the party’s nomination for the seat, and then will face the incumbent Democrat, Joe Frank Martinez, in November.
Another political neophyte to file as a Republican was Maricar Ortega-Chattler, who submitted an application for a place on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot for the office of County Tax Assessor-Collector. Ortega-Chattler is unopposed on the Republican Party Primary Election ballot and is likely to win the party’s nomination. She will then face the winner of a two-way race on the Democratic Party Primary Election ballot in November.
A final Republican who will likely win his party’s nomination, but who will face a Democratic Party incumbent in November is Jacques De La Mota, who has filed for a place on the ballot seeking the nomination for the office of County Attorney. De La Mota is unopposed on his party’s ballot, but will face the incumbent, Democrat David Martinez, in November.
