Primary Election is March 1, 2022, polls open 7 am and close at 7 pm.
Early voting begins today and runs through February 25, 2022.
UPDATES: This article was last updated on February 18, 2022 at 05:20pm Easter to correct errors.
The March 1, 2022 elections are important to El Paso’s voters. Texas has open primaries. It means that all El Paso voters can cast a vote. Each party chooses their party’s candidates. Voting in one party’s primary DOES NOT commit you to vote for a particular party in the General Election.
About the “selective quick narrative”: The quick narrative is just that, our quick observation about the candidate and their candidacy based on online sources. We have not tried to interview or conduct deep research into the candidate. Where available, we have added a link to the candidate’s campaign website so that voters can perform their own due diligence on the candidates.
We are only listing contested races. Republican candidates can be found at the end.
If you prefer, you can download a printable copy of our Voters Guide by clicking here.
Democratic Party Primary Candidates
Governor: We wish to point out that El Pasoan Beto O’Rourke is running in the Primary. He is likely challenging Greg Abbott in the General Election.
Beto O’Rourke
Website: https://betoorourke.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: O’Rourke has an uphill battle considering that Texas is a Red State. However, in the Primary, O’Rourke can show how much or how little statewide support he had going into the General Election in November. O’Rourke must show strong support from the Democrats to have a chance of prevailing in November.
United States Representative, District 16
Veronica Escobar (5)
Website: https://veronicaescobar.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Escobar will likely beat Deliris Berrios in the Primary.
DMB Deliris Montanez Berrios (6)
Website: https://dmbforcongress.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Berrios opposes Rose v. Wade and abortions “with some exceptions such as rape.” Berrios is unlikely to prevail in the Primary.
Member, State Board of Education, District 1
Melissa N. Ortega (65)
Website: https://www.drmelissaortega4txsboe1.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: The San Antonio Express News endorsed Ortega on February 10 over her two opponents. Ortega, according to the newspaper, supports quality charter schools but promises to scrutinize them.
Omar Yanar (66)
Website: http://omaryanar4texas.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Yanar founded a public-charter school in El Paso. Charter schools are controversial and his founding one may put him at a disadvantage for an education post. The San Antonio Express agreed by choosing Ortega to endorse instead of Yanar, because Ortega is promising to scrutinize charter school applications.
Laura Marquez (67)
Website: https://www.laurafortxeducation.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Marquez says that she is running “as a parent, former para-professional educator, and community advocate.” Marquez was endorsed by the Texas AFL CIO.
State Representative, District 75
Rene Rodriguez (76)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Rodriguez is a Socorro At-Large Council Member. This appears to be the first time that Rodriguez is running for a state-wide office. (picture corrected on February 18, 2022)
Mary E. Gonzalez (77)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Gonzalez won her District 75 seat in 2012. She won again in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
State Representative, District 79
Claudia Ordaz Perez (86)
Website: https://ordazperez.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Claudia Ordaz Perez moved to run against Art Fierro instead of running against Lina Ortega because Ordaz Perez was redistricted into Ortega’s district in the last Texas legislation. Read more: https://elpasopolitics.com/2021/11/02/claudia-ordaz-running-against-art-fierro/
Art Fierro (87)
Website: https://artfierrofortexas.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Fierro sued to have Claudia Ordaz Perez removed from the ballot. Fierro was rebuffed by the court. Read more: https://elpasopolitics.com/2022/01/10/update-court-rejects-art-fierros-request-to-remove-claudia-ordaz-perez-from-ballot/
Justice, Court of Appeals District 8, Place 2, Unexpired Term
Lisa Soto (90)
Website: https://www.sotoforjustice.org/
Selective Quick Narrative: This appears to be Soto’s first time running for office.
Veronica Teresa Lerma (91)
Website: https://www.lermaforjustice.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: On February 11, long-time defense attorney Theresa Caballero posted her recommendations for four attorneys on her Facebook page. Caballero wrote that the Court of Appeals District 8 is “the most important race in El Paso” currently. Caballero wrote that she supports Lerma, adding that she has “never seen her opponent in the courts.”
District Judge, Judicial District 327
Chris Daniel Anchondo (112)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Theresa Caballero’s second endorsement is Anchondo. Caballero wrote that Anchondo “has been a hard fighting advocate in the courts for years and will bring that sense of justice to the bench.”
Monique Velarde Reyes (113)
Website: https://epdefense.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Reyes is a sole practitioner whose legal practice seems to be focused on traffic violations. (narrative corrected on February 18, 2022)
Alexandria Serra (114)
Website: https://serralawpllc.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Serra is a criminal defense attorney who moved from Kansas to El Paso. Serra worked for the El Paso Public Defender’s Office before starting her own firm. Serra also runs a statewide traffic ticket online legal service.
Cori Harbour-Valdez (115)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Harbour-Valdez was part of the defense team for the federal case against Patrick Crusius, who is being tried in federal and state courts on charges of killing 23 people on August 3, 2019. Harbour-Valdez was working under the lead attorney David Lane who was “abruptly” removed from the case on September 8, 2020. Harbour-Valdez left the case after Lane was removed.
Judge, County Court at Law No. 2
Julie Gonzalez (124)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Gonzalez won the seat in 2010. She won again in 2014 and in 2018. She is running to keep her seat.
Sara Priddy (125)
Website: https://www.judgesarapriddy.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Theresa Caballero in her Facebook endorsements wrote that Priddy “is experienced,” adding that she supports her.
Judge, County Court at Law No. 3
Monica Lupita Perez (128)
Website: https://lupita4cc3.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Perez appears to be running for office for the first time. Perez says that she is a “first generation American” and spent much time in Juárez growing up. She has been a practicing attorney working at Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson and Galatzan.
Jorge Rivas (129)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: About Rivas, defense attorney, Theresa Caballero wrote that Rivas’ “experience and his respect for his colleagues and their roles and difficult jobs makes him well suited” for the office.
Melissa Baeza (130)
Website: https://www.melissabaeza.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Baeza is a construction lawyer working for ScottHulse.
County Clerk
Ruben Sandoval (160)
Website: https://www.sandoforelpaso.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Sandoval is running to unseat the incumbent Delia Briones, who he worked for at the County Clerk’s office for four years.
Delia Briones (161)
Website: https://deliabriones.com
Selective Quick Narrative: Briones was first elected in 2006. Briones says her experience is the reason to reelect her.
County Commissioner, Precinct No. 2
Judy Gutierrez (164)
Website: https://www.judygutierrez.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Gutierrez previously ran for city council against Alexsandra Annello. She previously worked for the city as chief of staff for the last four District 2 city representatives.
David Stout (165)
Website: https://davidforelpaso.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Stout opposes the proposed sports arena in the downtown footprint that includes the Duranguito neighborhood. Although Stout touts support for undocumented migrants, he voted to continue to accept payment from the U.S. Marshal’s Service for the County of El Paso to continue to jail migrants on behalf of the federal government. He was joined by the rest of the commissioners.
Carlos Soto (166)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Soto does not seem to have an active campaign.
County Commissioner, Precinct No. 4
Carl L. Robinson (169)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Robinson won his county commissioner seat in 2018 after serving as a city representative. Robinson beat Republican Andrew Haggerty.
Sergio Coronado (170)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Coronado has been on the Canutillo School Board since 2002. Coronado first served between 2002 and 2014 and then again starting in 2018. Coronado is an attorney in solo practice.
Dorothy “Sissy” M. Byrd (171)
Website: https://sissybyrd.com
Selective Quick Narrative: Byrd’s initial application for a position on the ballot was initially rejected. After our original article ran, Byrd told us that “an error was corrected and my application was accepted.” It is unknown what the error was that was corrected. Read the original article here: https://elpasopolitics.com/2021/12/13/election-news-carl-robinson-opponent-application-rejected/
Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 2
Edmond S. Robinson (177)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Previously worked as an El Paso deputy sheriff.
Brian J. Haggerty (178)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Haggerty has been the Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace since 2018. He is a real estate agent and a retired fire fighter.
Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 5
Carmen G. Muñoz (187)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: We could not find any information on Muñoz.
Lucilla “Lucy” Najera (188)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Najera writes on her Facebook page that she is a private investigator. Najera previously ran for justice of the peace in 2018.
John-John Chatman (189)
Website: http://john-chatman.org/
Selective Quick Narrative: Chatman currently holds the seat he won in 2015. His political signs were defaced by unknown individuals earlier this year.
Eileen Ashley Marlin (190)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Marlin says that Chatman has kept his office closed.
Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 6, Place 1
Ruben Lujan (193)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Lujan is the incumbent.
Yolie Rodela (194)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: We could find any information on Rodela’s candidacy.
Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 6, Place 2
Nina Serna (197)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Serna is the incumbent. She first ran for the office in 2014.
Rosalie “Rosie” Dominguez (198)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Dominguez was the Justice of the Peace for Precinct 6,Place 2 in 2010. She is challenging Serna to recover her seat.
Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 7
Stephanie Frietze (201)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Frietze says that she is the only Democrat running for the seat. She previously ran for school board.
Humberto “Beto” Enriquez (202)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: We could not find any information on this candidate online.
(#) = ballot position
Republican Party Primary Candidates
County Commissioner, Precinct No. 4
Blanca Trout (303)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Trout was originally planning on running as a Democrat but later changed to Republican. Link to original story here.
David Adams (304)
Website: https://davidadams2022.com/
Selective Quick Narrative: Adams owns and operates A-1 Construction Remodeling and Roofing. Adams uses Make El Paso Better slogan, an obvious play on Make America Great Again (MAGA) used by Donald J. Trump for his presidential campaign.
Adam Fatuch (305)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: “The United State is at DefCon 2…troops are ready to go to war in two hours.” (Facebook video post, February 2, Vote Adam Fatuch for El Paso County Commissioner Pct. 4)
Victor Navarrete III (306)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: “Running because my wife told me I should run…want to do our very best during this turbulent times of unpredictability, instability to leave a better place to our child.” (Youtube Talk El Paso, February 8, 2022)
Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 7
Ida Baeza Gardner (309)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: Previously ran for the same office in 2018. Lost to Stephanie Freitze (D) in the General Election 56% to 44%.
Crystal Urquidi (310)
Website: none
Selective Quick Narrative: “I have had the opportunity to work for a JP for over 7 years…attended several yearly trainings in which I obtained my masters clerk certification…if elected to office my familiarity with the duties of a JP would only build with the training that the State of Texas mandates.” (Facebook post: “Crystal Urquidi, Republican Candidates, for Justice of the Peace PCT #7,” January 21, 2018)
(#) = ballot position
Republican Party Primary Propositions
Proposition No. 1
In light of the federal government’s refusal to defend the southern border, Texas should immediately deploy the National Guard,
Texas Military Forces, and necessary state law enforcement to seal the border, enforce immigration laws, and deport illegal aliens.
For (320)
Against (321)
Proposition No. 2
Texas should eliminate all property taxes within ten (10) years without implementing a state income tax.
For (324)
Against (325)
Proposition No. 3
Texans should not lose their jobs, nor should students be penalized, for declining a COVID-19 vaccine.
For (328)
Against (329)
Proposition No. 4
Texas schools should teach students basic knowledge and American exceptionalism and reject Critical Race Theory and other
curricula that promote Marxist doctrine and encourage division based on creed, race, or economic status.
For (332)
Against (333)
Proposition No. 5
Texas should enact a State Constitutional Amendment to defend the sanctity of innocent human life, created in the image of God,
from fertilization until natural death.
For (336)
Against (337)
Proposition No. 6
The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature should end the practice of awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats.
For (340)
Against (341)
Proposition No. 7
Texas should protect the integrity of our elections by verifying that registered voters are American citizens, restoring felony penalties
and enacting civil penalties for vote fraud, and fighting any federal takeover of state elections
For (344)
Against (345)
Proposition No. 8
Texas should ban chemical castration, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and genital mutilation surgery on all minor children for
sex transition purposes.
For (348)
Against (349)
Proposition No. 9
Texas parents and guardians should have the right to select schools, whether public or private, for their children, and the funding
should follow the student.
For (352)
Against (353)
Proposition No. 10
Texans affirm that our freedoms come from God and that the government should have no control over the conscience of individuals.
For (356)
Against (357)
(#) = ballot position
As usual you try to come across as though you’re authoritative in your work but its filled with errors. That isn’t Rene Rodriguez. That is Alejandro Garcia. You can’t even use google correctly but act like you’re a reporter.
Luis Aguilar never forced a run-off election with Velarde. They never ran against one another. He was defeated by Selena Solis, Velarde wasn’t even in that race.
If you are going to offer a guide, present accurate information or don’t do it at all.
And who cares what Theresa Caballero thinks? Ask attorneys with credibility.
Good evening my name is Ida Baeza Gardner and I am a candidate for the Justice of the Peace Precinct 7. I noticed that candidates have a selective quick Narrative and photo… and I don’t.
Is there still time to update my information? If so can you please post the reason I am running again for this position? The reason is:
I believe the Justice of the Peace Court is the court of the people. I want to be the Justice of that court. I have worked in the court system since 1990, in that time I have learned the needs of this community and want to serve the community in the role of Justice of the Peace.
My promise to this community is to continue to dispense justice fairly, respectfully, and properly while upholding the Constitution and the laws of the State of Texas.
Please let me know where I can email a picture to.
Thank you,
Ida Baeza Gardner (telephone number removed by author)
My name is Edmond Robinson and I am running for Justice of the Peace Precinct 2. I am a retired Sheriff Deputy and currently a teacher. My photo is available however it was not posted. I am unable to post on this comment. If anyone has any questions please reach out to me at EdmondRobinsonForJP2@gmail.com
I will get back to you as soon as I receive the message.
Candidates can send corrections or updates to news@elpasopolitics.com. We will update the guide regularly.
Thank you,
Martín
Why was there no mention of Irene Armendariz-Jackson?