If the rumors swirling around the Cameron County Courthouse are to be believed, there will be a major game of judicial musical chairs played out this coming primary on March 2018.
We have already learned that 197th District Court Judge Migdalia Lopez is retiring after her term expires and won't be on the primary ballot. Already, at least three attorneys have made noises that they are interested in the seat. They are Carlos Masso, Gerry Linan, Adolfo Codova, and even Elizabeth Garza.
Of the four so far, only Cordova has not sought an elected public position in the past. Masso is currently a Brownsville Navigation District commissioner and has sought the Cameron County District Attorney's position twice before. Linan has run for Pct. 2 county commissioner and Garza has made a run for county judge. Cordova is a magistrate at the county jail. Will it be name recognition or fresh faces voters will favor?
The question now becomes: Will any of the sitting incumbent county court-at-law judges (the name of Laura Betancourt comes to mind) try to make the jump to district instead. Cameron County Court-at-Law #1 judge Arturo McDonald has just announced for reelection for the seat he now holds.
Well, here's a few more tidbits to chew on. Some lawyers are saying that Judge A.C. Nelson in the 138th District Court and Judge Benjamin Euresti in the 107th District Court are not going to seek re-election.
(On the other hand, they may be pulling a "Menton Murray" and asking for campaign contributions promising that this will be the last time they run, only to run and run again.)
But if they are serious and don't run for reelection, than expect a wholesale shifting of the deck chairs on the CC Titanic to occur.
We have already learned that 197th District Court Judge Migdalia Lopez is retiring after her term expires and won't be on the primary ballot. Already, at least three attorneys have made noises that they are interested in the seat. They are Carlos Masso, Gerry Linan, Adolfo Codova, and even Elizabeth Garza.
Of the four so far, only Cordova has not sought an elected public position in the past. Masso is currently a Brownsville Navigation District commissioner and has sought the Cameron County District Attorney's position twice before. Linan has run for Pct. 2 county commissioner and Garza has made a run for county judge. Cordova is a magistrate at the county jail. Will it be name recognition or fresh faces voters will favor?
The question now becomes: Will any of the sitting incumbent county court-at-law judges (the name of Laura Betancourt comes to mind) try to make the jump to district instead. Cameron County Court-at-Law #1 judge Arturo McDonald has just announced for reelection for the seat he now holds.
Well, here's a few more tidbits to chew on. Some lawyers are saying that Judge A.C. Nelson in the 138th District Court and Judge Benjamin Euresti in the 107th District Court are not going to seek re-election.
(On the other hand, they may be pulling a "Menton Murray" and asking for campaign contributions promising that this will be the last time they run, only to run and run again.)
But if they are serious and don't run for reelection, than expect a wholesale shifting of the deck chairs on the CC Titanic to occur.