» In State Senate District 19 Democratic runoff, Gutierrez has steady lead.
Campos squeaking by Ramos in bid for House District 119
Former state Rep. Roland Gutierrez was holding onto a steady lead Tuesday night over attorney Xochil Peña Rodriguez in the Democratic runoff election for Senate District 19.
The sprawling 17-county district runs south and west from San Antonio along the Mexican border to encompass Del Rio, Fort Stockton and Alpine.
The winner will face Republican Pete Flores. Flores, a retired game warden, was a surprise winner over former U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego in a September 2018 special election to replace Sen. Carlos Uresti, who resigned in June 2018 during a scandal that ultimately resulted in fraud and money laundering convictions.
Rodriguez, a San Antonia native seeking her first elected office, is the daughter of former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez.
Gutierrez, an immigration attorney, was a six-term state representative from eastern Bexar County when he left the office to seek the Senate seat.
Meanwhile, in the seat that Gutierrez vacated, Elizabeth “Liz” Campos was maintaining a slim lead over Jennifer Ramos in the Democratic runoff election for House District 119 in Bexar County.
The winner will face Republican George B. Garza, who ran unopposed in his primary. The
seat covers the eastern side of the county.
A former aide to Gutierrez when he was on the San Antonio City Council, Ramos was appointed to his seat when he left to run for the Legislature and later won two subsequent reelections. Campos worked for Uresti from 2002 to 2010.
In the Senate District 19 race, Democrats are hoping to regain what had been a historically reliable seat. By beating Gallego in the special election runoff, Flores became the first Republican to win the District 19 office in 139 years. Republicans pointed to the victory as tangible evidence Texas was not turning blue, as Democrats hoped.
During his campaign, Gutierrez has highlighted his legislation establishing the National Center for Warrior Resiliency at UT Health San Antonio, intended to help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He also said he would close an anticipated education funding shortfall by pushing to legalize cannabis.
Rodriguez, who is married to a teacher, advocated for better educational opportunities and improved access to health care, particularly in the large district’s rural communities.