January 12, 2008
State Rep. Paul Moreno flexed his muscles a bit Saturday, gathering a group of former and current elected officials to take photos and endorse his candidacy.
The gathering focused on Moreno's status as the "conscience of the House" and his identity as a core Democrat in El Paso and statewide. The officials included people who have been at political and policy odds but put those differences aside to honor Moreno, who has begun to make his public stand to keep his job.
That work includes the formation of a PAC to raise money for him, reported in the El Paso Times Friday, and formation of a strong campaign team. Those present at the event Saturday included lawyer Enrique Moreno, a formidable behind-the-scenes player, and former El Paso County Judge Alicia Chacon, who introduced Moreno and each speaker.
While Moreno has been criticized for failing to pass legislation or use his seniority -- almost 40 years in the House -- to attain a leadership position, those at the event Saturday, even some who privately have critiqued Moreno's performance, called Moreno a quintessential Democrat and an asset to El Paso.
"I don't think there's anyone who exemplifies the Democratic Party better than our good friend Paul Moreno," said U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes. "We want him to stay in that office as long as he wants to stay."
The other speakers were state Reps. Chente Quintanilla and Joe Pickett, state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, and Mayor John Cook. Other public officials attending included city Reps. Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega, County Commissioner Veronica Escobar, County Clerk Delia Briones, EPISD board members Carlos Flores and Lisa Colquitt-Munoz, and EPCC board members Arturo Huerta and Nicholas Dominguez. Lawyers Lina Ortega, Paco Dominguez and Lyn Coyle also attended, as did former Lulac President Belen Robles.
"People can critique him all they want, but Paul is the voice of the Democratic Party in Austin," Quintanilla said. "We're going to take over the House ... and Paul is going to be right there."
Cook said he'd like to nickname the legislator Paul "Kill Bill" Moreno, because Moreno, while known for not passing legislation, also is known for working against bills considered "bad" by Democrats.
Shapleigh said that the dominant issue in the next legislative session will be leadership in the House, and "Moreno was strongly against Craddick from the beginning."
Tom Craddick, the Republican of Midland, is House Speaker, and faced an insurrection in the last session because of his strong hand -- critics call it a dictatorship -- over the House. Multiple races around the state -- including the Republican primary pitting Dee Margo against state Rep. Pat Haggerty -- have focused on the issue of whether candidates support or oppose Craddick.
Moreno did not refer to that issue in his brief remarks. He called the group of people standing behind him "the pillars of El Paso," and said all of them "love El Paso. Maybe this is the beginning of something." Moreno said he would like to get the group together for a social event, and let them hash out their differences in a neutral, private setting.
The issue of whether Marquez would stand strongly against Craddick stems from comments made by legislators in Austin to the El Paso Times, and from the persistent discussion among El Paso politicos tying Marquez to state Rep. Norma Chavez, who voted for Craddick for House leader but said she had to do it in order to assure funding for the Texas Tech School of Medicine, which was funded this session.
Chavez, who does not have an opponent in the primary, has said she would not vote for Craddick again, and has denied she is behind Marquez's campaign. Chavez has stated publicly she believes that this is a political season that will favor women, and has referred to the "pink ballot" led at a national level by Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton.
Marquez, who was quoted in the El Paso Times as saying she would not vote for Craddick for House leader and would vote for a Democrat, said Saturday that she did not meet Chavez until after she announced the campaign. Marquez that she was not fazed by the show of support for Moreno.
"The people are speaking, and on my walks they say he (Moreno) hasn't done anything," she said. Marquez said that change is a theme resonating locally and nationally. "The power lies ultimately in the people, not in politicians," she said. "Everyone can endorse one another but it's the people who will go to the polls."