It's early in the election cycle but rumors are already flying about who is going to run for what office. Of course there are a myriad of candidates that have already announced their candidacy for various offices. There are also quite a few names being tossed around, some strategically and some just to mess with people's heads, as potential candidates for offices include Sergio Lewis, Veronica Escobar, Larry Medina, Mike Torres, and Mike Apodaca. I've even heard a couple of rumors of the return of Alejandro Lozano to the political circles.

Not that he ever went that far away. It was only earlier this year that he took an election beat-down even worse than former NE city Rep. Melina Castro's.

A high-ranking source within the local Democratic Party leadership tells me that a man named Jaime Perez has called the office inquiring about a run at a state office. My source was not able to officially confirm whether or not it was Jaime O. Perez, but it would be an interesting development if it was JOP.

Why?

Because Perez lives in the same district as state Rep. Norma Chavez. That fact alone makes me doubt that it's the same Jaime Perez of Chief-of-Staff-for-County-Judge-Anthony-Cobos fame, but then again it's not exactly something that you wouldn't expect from Perez, who often runs for the sake of drawing attention to specific issues.

Personally I doubt it's the same Jaime Perez because Perez supported Chavez on one of her campaigns and rarely, if ever, is critical of the People's Rep. [Editor's note: The previous sentence initially stated that Perez ran a Chavez campaign. It was altered at 8:15 p.m. Thursday (July 30, 2009) to reflect comments from Chavez (see below, in Readers Respond).] In fact, Perez came to her defense during the Ethics Bill debate.

And then there's embattled Cobos, who had a fund-raiser last night at Cafe Central. Attendees tell me that Cobos was introduced by Chuy Reyes, brother of our own Congressman Silvestre Reyes. Also in attendance was County Commissioner Dan Haggerty, but no word on whether or not he made another sexist remark.

Interestingly, attendees said that Cobos stated he hasn't decided whether or not he is running yet and had to talk it over with his wife. Well, his indecision explains why the invitation to his fund-raiser doesn't list what office for which he is running. That's funny. He doesn't know if he's running or not, but he knows he wants people to give him money at a fund-raiser.

I love El Paso politics.

But people don't have fund-raisers for no reason in this town. So the question is, will Cobos run for re-election as county judge of El Paso County, or does he perhaps have his eye on another office? Cobos has been trying to be a bit of a power broker in the outlying areas and it may be possible, though improbable, that Cobos is eyeing another countywide office.

I think Cobos' fund-raiser may have been nothing more than an attempt to test political waters and gauge his support.

Unifying Factions?

There is a move afoot in Texas to remove prominent Americans from Texas text books like Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall. As you might guess state Rep. and former UFW organizer Norma Chavez is leading the fight against any such removal.

This is a fight that should have every Latino elected official in El Paso and anyone who supports social justice, come off the bench and fight. The question is, will they? And probably more important, will they follow Chavez?

It will be interesting to see if state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh will take a strong stand with Chavez to stop the removal of Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall from text books in Texas.

This is a time when factions should be dissolved and it will be interesting to see if egos get put aside.

Holguin, Diamond & a Star

Just one last note on the city awarding Tom Diamond with a Star on the Mountain Award. Some have wondered why he received the Star Award and not the Conquistador Award. City Rep. Eddie Holguin, who nominated Diamond for the award, requested that he be awarded the Star as opposed to the Conquistador award given his years of advocacy on behalf of the Native American community in El Paso.

Giving an award called the Conquistador Award to someone who advocates for Native Americans would be a disgrace.

Hopefully Mayor John Cook will do away with such a controversial name for an award in favor of the Star on the Mountain Award.

Assuming it's not shut down completely.

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Abeytia writes the Lionstar blog and is a political animal who spends way too much time traveling the wilds of El Paso politics. Reach him at lionstar@thelionstarblog.com.