When A Really Bad Democrat Sneaks Into Congress, It's Serious And It's Harmful-- Vicente González

Members of Congress don't call bloggers and apologize much. But just over a year ago Blue America was backing Sonny Palacios for an open south Texas seat, TX-15, a long narrow district that heads north from the Rio Grande through McAllen and Edinburg, up Route 281 and zigging and zagging up to Seguin east of San Antonio. It's a pretty safe Democratic district. Obama won it both times with 57% and Hillary beat Trump by about the same margin. My congressional friend though, was backing a very wealthy right-wing hustler, Vicente González. González, desperate to win the crowded primary pretended to be a progressive and put a million dollars of his own money into his campaign.

The run-off between Palocios and González was May 24. Sonny is a proud outspoken progressive, a proactive leader with valuable experience as a community leader, school board member, attorney and single father. González is hard to pin down. To one audience he'll claim to be progressive and to another he'll call himself a conservative Democrat. He told a students event that he had voted for Bernie Sanders and a few days later sent out a mailer saying he was a Hillary Clinton endorser. He's very much like Trump in that way... He says whatever pops into his mind based on who the immediate audience is. People in McAllen are calling him the "Trump of South Texas." And, like Trump, he talks a good game about women but his actions speaker louder since, like Trump, exploiting women is part of his business model. He swore in the McAllen Municipal Court (case number 2010-00096858) that he owned the Longhorn Saloon, a topless bar and strip club, which was eventually closed down due to illegal prostitution and drug trafficking on the premises. You cannot run for Congress and claim to be a champion of women’s rights when you're enriching yourself by prostituting vulnerable women.

González persuaded my friend to endorse him. By that time he had self-funded to the tune of $1,650,000 into his campaign and he swamped Palacios, burying him in dishonest advertising. Not long after my friend endorsed him, local radio hosts mentioned to González on the air that "You were endorsed by the Progressive Caucus... I've heard you say once before you see yourself as a conservative Democrat." He immediately responded, "I do in a lot of ways but I guess they agreed with some of my views... I'm not changing my principles... I appreciate the endorsement but my views are my views." Those views aren't remotely progressive, not even pro-Choice. And he's a 100% NRA shill. "I govern from the middle. You know I'm not for raising taxes... I believe we should have the strongest military in the world-- always-- and we should lead the world militarily." One of the interviewers, the more overtly Republican one, listened to him speaking and asked "Why are you running as a Democrat?" He said he's been a Democrat all his life and reiterated that he's a conservative and then said "There are a lot of great candidates on the Republican side as well. I'll reach across there aisle and work with them." Too bad they didn't ask him to name any. The only other congressional candidate he's ever contributed to is right-wing Blue Dog, Filemon Vela, who routinely votes against every progressive proposal... as González has been doing as well.

So, that apology... "You were right on this one. González took my campaign contribution, committed to progressive positions in the CPC questionnaire, and then reneged on joining the CPC and seems to be headed towards being even worse than you told me he would be when you warned me not to endorse him. Not too proud to acknowledge when I'm wrong. He and his team lied to us. It's as clear as that."

González joined the Blue Dogs and has begun running up a truly horrible voting record. ProgressivePunch has already given him an overall "F" rating. His crucial vote score is 57.14, slightly worse than Dan Lipinski. Alas, though, this isn't the kind of district where the idea of primaries is built into the collective DNA. America is going to be stuck with González for a long time-- unless or until he gets caught doing something illegal.

How Much Should Anyone Care About Political Endorsements?

Florida has an especially bad congressional delegation-- but this is the bottom rung

Earlier today I blamed voters, particularly Bernie voters, for not paying attention to primary races for Congress, for skipping the vote on down-ballot candidates altogether or for even blundering into voting for atrocious Blue Dogs and New Dems who are the polar opposite of everything that motivated them to come our to vote for Bernie. In Oregon's 5th district, for example, Bernie swept every county and clobbered Hillary by double digits. On the same day, Berniecrat Dave McTeague was on the ballot, running against the head of the Blue Dogs, Kurt Schrader, the TPP-backing right-wing congressman who actually introduced an amendment to cut benefits for seniors living on Social Security and Medicare. It's inconceivable that any Bernie backers would want to see this asshole reelected. But they voted for him. He won 67,124 (72.6%) to 25,289 (27.4%) and swept every county Bernie won in.

Soon after, in a remote Texas primary runoff (TX-15) that pitted a proven progressive, Sonny Palacios, against a hard-core conservative Democrat, Vicente Gonzalez, some hustler sold the Congressional Progressive Caucus on endorsing Gonzalez, which they cavalierly did, helping throw the race to him. Gonzalez, a corrupt attorney, self-funded his campaign to the tune of $1,650,000, swamping the progressive. CPC members I spoke to told me his money was a factor in favor of endorsing him. A day or two after the endorsement local radio hosts mentioned to Gonzalez on the air that "You were endorsed by the Progressive Caucus... I've heard you say once before you see yourself as a conservative Democrat." He immediately responded, "I do in a lot of ways but I guess they agreed with some of my views... I'm not changing my principles... I appreciate the endorsement but my views are my views." Those views aren't remotely progressive, not even pro-Choice. "I govern from the middle, You know I'm not for raising taxes... I believe we should have the strongest military in the world-- always-- and we should lead the world militarily." One of the interviewers, the more Republican one, listened to him speaking and asked "Why are you running as a Democrat?" He said he's been a Democrat all his life and reiterated that he's a conservative and then said "There are a lot of great candidates on the Republican side as well. I'll reach across there aisle and work with them." Too bad they didn't ask him to name any. The only other congressional candidate he's ever contributed to is right-wing New Dem, Filemon Vela, who routinely votes against every CPC proposal... as, no doubt Gonzalez will.

The CPC, overly eager to please corrupt party bosses, bent over backwards to get on board with truly horrible, conservative candidates, several of whom had already been endorsed by the New Dems, even though they were running against actual progressives. Yesterday one of the most conservative Dems to serve in the Senate in recent memory, Evan Bayh, jumped into the 2016 Senate race-- who cares about primaries in Indiana?-- and was widely cheered as a savior, even though he is a slimy lobbyist with a vile corporate agenda and was one of the strongest proponents of two of the worst initiatives during his years in the Senate: the Iraq War and the TARP bailout of the banksters.

Also yesterday, the furthest right Democrat in the House, Gwen Graham made the news by endorsing fellow New Dem Patrick Murphy for senator against Alan Grayson. She expects to see him in the Senate where he could help her run for governor in 2018. She spent her single term in the House voting more frequently with the GOP than any other Democrat and opposing more progressive proposals than any other Democrat. Ironically, her conservative father, Bob Graham (and a Murphy backer), endorsed Grayson's right wing, good ole boy Republican-wing-of-the-Democratic Party primary opponent, Charlie Stuart, in 2008 even though Grayson had already won the primary in early voting. Gwen Graham is the worst kind of backward anti-working family Democrat that the royalists puke up from time to time-- like Patrick Murphy himself, another overly entitled unaccomplished child of a rich person. The pompous asshole was wagging his tale and issued a typically insincere political statement that "Gwen represents the best of our state-- hardworking, honest, and always working for what is best for Florida families. Her support means the world to me and I look forward to working together to continue standing up for our shared values." Their main shared value, judging by their voting records, is promoting the Keystone XL and destroying everything Elizabeth Warren, Bernie and other progressives have accomplished in holding Wall Street banksters accountable and in check. Murphy and Graham have both worked hard to disembowel Dodd-Frank.

The good candidates are here; the bad ones aren't:

No Room For Chumps Or Trumps In Congress

Blue America endorsed Sonny Palacios in a crowded TX-15 primary early in February. It's an open blue district-- Obama won 57% both times-- and the March 1 primary yielded two Democratic candidates, Sonny and the wealthy conservaDem Vicente Gonzalez, who put $1,000,000 into his own campaign. He outspent all 5 other candidates in the primary combined. Don't believe me when I say this guy is trying to buy the election? Look:

We endorsed Sonny because his platform and campaign promises matched his public record. When we've talked with him over the months he's been all about challenging "the political status-quo on issues-- from voter rights, protecting Social Security, a full employment economy, a universal national healthcare and economic justice and a government controlled by citizens, not corporate elites." He has been a strong advocate for public education and a means of advancement for people in South Texas. And he's been strong on women's equality and LGBT equality in a race where speaking up is not always the most politically convenient thing to do.

"I have two daughters whom I adore," he told us recently. "I tell everyone publicly and at every town hall, that 'I will be damned if anyone or any politician is going to tell my daughters what to do with their bodies.' Those women health rights are human rights and those decisions solely belong to them. I will fight for every woman across this nation and for their human rights! I have also fought locally on the Edinburg CISD school board, as a school board member, to help protect the LGBTQ community in the schools. To eliminate discrimination and bullying the school district adopted the LGTBQ community as a protected class. ECISD now empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential. I was happy to march with the Stonewall Democrats during the MLK march last month. I will fight to make this American Dream an equal opportunity for all. I am PRO-Rights!"

The run-off between Sonny and Gonzalez is May 24. Sonny is proud outspoken progressive, a proactive leader with valuable experience as a community leader, school board member, attorney and single father. Gonzalez is hard to pin down. To one audience he'll claim to be progressive and to another he'll call himself a conservative Democrat. He told a students event that he had voted for Bernie Sanders and a few days later sent out a mailer saying he was a Hillary Clinton endorser. He's very much like Trump in that way... He says whatever pops into his mind based on who the immediate audience is. People in McAllen are calling him the "Trump of South Texas." And, like Trump, he talks a good game about women but his actions speaker louder since, like Trump, exploiting women is part of his business model. He swore in the McAllen Municipal Court (case number 2010-00096858) that he owned the Longhorn Saloon, a topless bar and strip club, which was eventually closed down due to illegal prostitution and drug trafficking on the premises. You cannot run for Congress and claim to be a champion of women’s rights when you're enriching yourself by prostituting vulnerable women.

Nor is that the only way he exploits people. As a shark-like attorney, he kills clients with hard-to-understand fine print that has his standard 40% attorney's fee ballooning to over 90% of settlements. When one client complained he threatened to have her deported.

During the McAllen Citizens League Forum at the Salvation Army, Gonzalez clearly stated that he wanted to cut federal funding for education. He doesn't have any children so hires actors to play his children when he attempts to portray himself as a family man in ads, but this is a district where voters understand the importance of more support for public education, not decreased support.

The picture up top portrays not just a frightening similarity to Trump's self-absorption, but a disrespect for what the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance symbolizes-- and from a candidate, again, like Trump, making grandiose, empty promises to veterans. Nor has he even bothered to vote much-- just three times since 2002-- at least in Texas. Since he has homes in New York, Aspen, Spain,and Cancun, maybe he's been voting there.

Gonzalez's tag line in Spanish reads: "Vicente Con la Gente"-- literally "Vicente is with the people." Like Trump, he is clearly not with anybody but his own self-interest and the people that he pays off. He would make a terrible member of Congress at a time when we're trying to rebuild and reform a severely broken institution.

Gonzalez, like Trump, has done well in the primary and has made it into the runoff but there was 56.73% of the district that did not vote for him and it is unlikely that voters will change their minds in the May 24th runoff. Sonny Palacios overcame four other candidates, without over-spending in his campaign and won a spot on the runoff without a million dollars and without a bunch of paid-for endorsements. Sonny Palacios in Congress would be good for South Texas and help upgrade the institution. If you'd like to contribute to his campaign you can do it by clicking on the thermometer here:

Blue America Endorses Sonny Palacios (TX-15)

TX-15 is a long skinny piece of gerrymandered south Texas-- they call it a "fajita strip"-- that starts in the suburbs northwest of San Antonio and at Seguin and meanders down to the Rio Grande Valley. It includes all of Duval, Guadaloupe, Jim Hogg, Brooks, Live Oaks and Karnes counties and portions of Hidalgo and Wilson counties. Most of the people live in the McAllen/Edinburg area, in deep blue Hidalgo County. Over half the votes from TX-15 come from Hidalgo and although Obama only beat Romney 57-42% districtwide, he took Hidalgo 70-29%. The district is over 80% Latino. They first elected moderate Democrat Rubén Hinojosa in 1996 and this past November announced his retirement. According to the U.S. Census the median income is $40,400 one of the lowest in the country. 25.4% of the families fall below the national poverty rate.

The district is blue enough so that it's safe to assume that whomever wins the Democratic primary will be the new congressman, although there are 3 whack job Republicans running (as well as 7 Democrats). How do I know the 3 Republicanos are what jobs? Although I included the video of a bipartisan candidate forum up top for another reason, I did watch the Republicans answer the questions; they're all whack jobs; one, Tim Westley said "God prompted me to run" and he sounds like to should be in a mental institution. One Hispanic Republican even said he'd support Trump if he were the GOP nominee; talk about self-loathing! Actually, the reason I embedded the video is because EMILY's List endorsed the woman candidate, Dolly Elizondo and is asking their members to contribute to Dolly's campaign. They're not telling their members that Dolly is a conservative, anti-Choice Democrat who uses the excuse of Catholicism for being against women's Choice, an issue she tries skirting around in the debate. (Watch her responding to a question at the 39 minute mark.)

Q: What is your stand on abortion and in Washington how would you take on this debate?

Dolly: I am opposed to abortion; I'm a Catholic...

Thanks, EMILY's List, always so eager to endorse conservative women that now they're even endorsing anti-Choice women! As far as I can tell the only progressive on that debate stage was Sonny Palacios who I've been talking to on the phone and who assured me he has every intention of joining the Congressional Progressive Caucus when he's elected to Congress. Blue America endorsed him and because his primary is March 1, he can use some help fast, something you can do right here. We asked Sonny to talk about his experience on the Edinburg school board and how that will inform his work in Congress. He told us that his family has deep roots in the Hidalgo County community and an equally deep love for public service. "My family values inspired me to be involved and take part in our community," he told us this morning.

Real Progressive Representation In South Texas?

-by Sonny Palacios
Candidate for Congress, TX-15 I wanted to serve my community where I believed there would be the largest impact and most meaningful and that was in the public school system. I ran and won a position on the innovative Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District school board in 2010. I am currently serving my second term. The school board has created a vast amount of projects that have gained us a great deal of recognition, not just locally and across Texas, but nationally as well. I aim at empowering youth, students, parents and educators. In my role on the Edinburg CISD school board, I helped lead the board from different executive positions throughout the years and with our team created new innovative projects and policies.

During my tenure at ECISD, I implemented a wide range of projects, including:

• developed a full bullying and suicide awareness campaign
• took on new green/ energy saving initiatives
• developed a new high school
• worked on successful project Labor agreements
• improved playgrounds, classrooms and safe routes to schools
• hired new teachers
• gave district-wide raises
• created a district-wide clinic with local hospital partnership
• sought to expand and protect the LGBTQ community among students and employees
• created new athletic director to focus on women’s sports
• built performing arts building
• grew district fund balance and created all this without raising taxes.

I was extremely proud that the Huffington Post recognized ECISD for our work on providing affordable healthcare to their students and families districtwide, providing a new school-based health center attached to the district headquarters. This was made possible by partnering with a private local hospital. For many Edinburg families this has been the first time they were able to receive care near their home, school, and work, and regardless of their immigration status. Thanks to additional support from another local health system, the 945-square-mile district will soon have two mobile clinics making scheduled visits to school campuses farther from the clinic site.

I also had the honor in working with our school district to take out the “Morality Clause” in our employment process. Until recently, an employee could get fired for being openly gay. I had them remove the clause to protect our employees even though our state Texas Education Agency still actively uses it. I went a step further and asked the school district to protect the LGBTQ community in the schools. To eliminate discrimination and bullying the school district adopted the LGTBQ community as a protected class. ECISD now empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential.

Now I want to take my leadership role a step up and impact the quality of lives for the families of the 15th Congressional District of Texas. My experience as community leader, elected official, attorney and father has prepared me to be a strong candidate and I believe I can serve this seat well and fight for South Texas families.

As I travel the 15th district, I hear and see a lot of constituents in small rural towns who need the help and want someone to pay attention to the needs of their communities. I want to be their new leader and help bring solutions and resources to rural American communities that have been left behind. I plan to be more responsive to all the counties and cities of the 15th Congressional District and I intend to show more accountability and transparency and bring the word “represent” back to the title U.S. Representative.

I don't recall a South Texas congressman in the Congressional Progressive Caucus. I get the feeling Sonny Palacios will be a valuable addition to that body and I hope you'll give him a hand winning this very much under-the-radar election. This is the Blue America ActBlue page where you can contribute to Sonny Palacios for Congress.