(Ed.'s Note: Like a barnacle, or mistletoe, JP 2-1 Linda Salazar has beenin public "service" for the majority of her adult life. From court administrator to justice of the peace, Salazar has been on the public dole for three decades. Now, as the Cupoid of Cameron County JPs, she averages about 600 marriages a year. At $250 a pop, that's more that's $120,000, more than double her annual $53,000 salary.
Her most recent effort to install one of her sons – Mark Anthony Cortez – as a trustee on the board of the Brownsville Independent School District failed miserably when the voters rejected his candidacy in favor of Drue Brown. Even Catalina Presas-Garcia got more votes than he did. Salazar has been the subject of several Texas Commission Judicial Conduct complaints. On several occasions, she sat in on cases involving her son, a no-no for those sitting on the bench.
Now we understand that at least two candidates will challenge her at the ballot box in 2020. One is Cindy Hinojosa, an intelligent, educated and dedicated Democrat who happens to be married to Texas Democratic party chairman Gilberto Hinojosa. Salazar has never faced a formidable opponent like Hinojosa and she is hearing the footsteps already.
Another is Fred Arias, a retired federal lawman who recently announced on his Facebook page that he wants her robe. Is this the beginning of the end for Salazar? We have a feeling she might not get to celebrate 32 years in 2020.)