The Caller's own Jaime Powell writes "A Republican may lead District 33 for first time"

A Republican may lead District 33 for first time

By Jaime Powell Caller-Times
August 13, 2006



Nueces County Republicans say they have a shot at electing the first Republican to the Texas House District 33 seat because of strong candidates for the nomination and a split in the Democratic Party over its nominee.

Former Nueces County Commissioner Joe McComb and local certified public accountant Raul Torres notified Republican Party Chairman Mike Bertuzzi that they want to be considered for the seat, vacated when longtime state Rep. Vilma Luna announced her resignation last month.

Luna was unopposed in the March primary election, but her resignation means precinct chairs from each party get to nominate someone to appear on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Republican precinct chairs will meet Tuesday night to determine their party's nomination, Bertuzzi said.

With the Democrats fighting over who will get their nomination, and the acrimony that decision is likely to create, it leaves an opening for a Republican to get into 33, which always has been held by the Democrats, Bertuzzi said.

"I think we have everybody in the same boat rowing in the same direction," Bertuzzi said.

"Does their fight help? It has to. Whoever our candidate ends up being, they should be able to mount a good campaign."

McComb, 59, a lifelong Republican ran for state representative in the 1970s against incumbent L. Dewitt Hale and lost by a percentage point. He went on to serve as a Corpus Christi city councilman for eight years before winning the Precinct 4 Nueces County commissioner seat in 1994, where he served another eight years.

"I think they need somebody up there who has experience at the city and county level and somebody who has some business experience that is also committed to this community," McComb said.

Torres, 51, is a local certified public accountant who has not held public office but ran for the Corpus Christi Independent School District Board and Nueces County clerk in 2004.

He said he wanted to run against Luna in 2004, but was told that she was so popular that she could not be beaten.

"It's a policy-making position I really have an interest in," Torres said. "It's a position that can have an impact on our lives."

Contact Jaime Powell at 886-3716

or powellj@ caller.com