Posted on 03/06/2014 12:01:09 PM PST by Paine in the Neck
In the deeply Democratic Rio Grande Valley, the primary is the election that matters. And in local races like county commissioner and district attorney a sliver of votes can make a difference between winning and losing the election. Many times, paid campaign workers called “politiqueras” deliver the votes that put a candidate over the top.
Politiqueras—who are paid to turn out voters, especially in low-income neighborhoods and colonias—have been part of elections in the Rio Grande Valley for decades. But the recent suicide of a school board president in the small town of Donna and the indictment of three politiqueras for allegedly buying votes in a Donna school board election with beer, drugs and cash has rattled the Valley’s political world.
(Excerpt) Read more at texasobserver.org ...
I’m Shocked!
I wouldn’t be surprised to find precincts in the valley that go 100% for a democrat.
Or more!
But the curious thing here is that this is 'Rat on 'Rat corruption so I'm wondering who dropped a dime on who and why.
Back in the 70s when I was working in politics in San Antonio, the political operatives in the Mexican American precincts were mostly men. Perhaps it was different in the Valley. But it was always a “vote for cash” proposition from the days of LBJ and the famous Box 13 to my era.
The politico guy asked for cash for what was euphemistically called “walking around money” and then he was supposed to round up the voters and make sure they got to the polls and voted right. The going rate for a vote in those days was $5. Having a bar-b-q rally with lots of beer didn’t hurt either.
You were never sure whether the guy would actually deliver or whether he might take cash from your opponent as well. I didn’t trust them so I didn’t use them. But I never doubted that they COULD deliver some votes for somebody, especially if they had political ties going way back.
The practice was exclusively was aimed at low information Mexican American voters for the Democratic candidates.
They don’t need it now days.
The Demonrats just bombard the Idiots with Obama phones with text messages of threats on election day that the Republicans are gonna take their EBT, free booze money and phone away.
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