By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A total of 2,885 Val Verde County Republicans cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary election, selecting a slate of nominees for local offices.
Two Republican nominees will go unopposed in the November general election: 83rd Judicial District Judge Robert E. Cadena and Val Verde County Clerk Teresa Esther Chapoy.
Cadena was also unopposed in the Republican Party primary election. He garnered 2,303 votes from Val Verde County Republicans, according to a summary of the unofficial election results released by Chapoy on Tuesday.
Chapoy won the Republican Party nomination as she seeks re-election to the office she currently holds. Chapoy defeated challenger Adriana Acosta, a schoolteacher, posting 1,310 votes to Acosta’s 1,222 votes.
Former Val Verde County Commissioner Precinct 3 Robert Beau Nettleton won the Republican Party nomination for the office of Val Verde County judge. Nettleton ran unopposed in the primary election, earning 2,126 votes. He will face incumbent and Democratic Party nominee Val Verde County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. in the November general election.
Also running unopposed in the primary was Mary Jane Ross, who is seeking the office of district clerk. Ross, an auditor in the county auditor’s office, garnered 2,125 votes in the primary. In the November general election, Ross will face Democratic Party nominee Rachel Magallanes, who currently works as chief deputy in the district clerk’s office. There is no incumbent running for the office as District Clerk Jo Ann Cervantes has announced she will retire at the end of her term this year.
Michelle Fagan, who is seeking the office of county treasurer, was also unopposed in the Republican Party primary election. Fagan received 2,140 votes. She will face incumbent and Democratic Party nominee County Treasurer Aaron D. Rodriguez in November.
Two Republicans sought the Republican Party nomination for the office of county commissioner for Precinct 2. Rey Robles, who listed his occupation as retired, won the nomination over Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez, an investigator. Robles posted 222 votes, while Rodriguez had 194 votes. Robles will face incumbent and Democratic Party nominee Val Verde County Commissioner Precinct 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez in November.
Schoolteacher John I. Wardlaw was unopposed in his bid for the Republican Party nomination for the office of county commissioner for Precinct 4. A total of 396 Val Verde County Republicans cast ballots for Wardlaw. He will face incumbent and Democratic Party nominee Val Verde County Commissioner Precinct 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores in the November general election.
Val Verde County Republicans also selected three nominees for justice of the peace offices.
Mario Bosquez defeated Christian Martinez for the Republican Party nomination for justice of the peace for Precinct 1. Bosquez, a security officer at the federal courthouse in Del Rio, received 176 votes to Martinez’s 135 votes. Bosquez will face incumbent and Democratic Party nominee Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 Jesse James Trevino in November.
Sitting Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 J. Randel Dissler won the Republican Party nomination, defeating Danny Musquiz, a teacher and co-owner of a local business. Dissler received 271 votes to Musquiz’s 163 votes.
In the race to become the next justice of the peace for Precinct 3, Ashly Vicuna defeated Maria “Mari” Acosta. Vicuna, who serves as chief deputy for the sitting judge, Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 Pat Cole, earned 987 votes, while Acosta, who works as Del Rio city secretary, received 417 votes. Vicuna will face Democratic Party nominee Loida S. Arellano in November. Cole has announced she will retire at the end of her term this year.
In the final local race on the Republican Party ballot, Sasha Grace was elected the new Val Verde County Republican Party chair. Grace received 2,078 votes and ran unopposed. The sitting chair, Sharon Petitt, decided not to seek re-election this year.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
