EDDIE SAENZ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE - NEW DAY, NEW DIRECTION

Thanks to all of you who put in such long hours and great ideas for positive change.

South Texans voted in record numbers in this election. And though we came up a little short in our race, I will continue to work for universal health care, a teacher pay raise, and more affordable college tuition for middle-class families.

Sincerely,

Eddie Saenz

POSITIVE CHANGE vs. MORE OF THE SAME

We have run a positive campaign of good ideas and specific plans to move toward universal health care, raise classroom teachers’ salaries to at least the national average, make college tuition rates affordable for middle-class families again, bring down soaring electric costs, clean up the toxic fumes in our children’s old diesel school buses, and stand up against the Republicans who want to impose a voter I.D. bill next session.

While our opponent has done little more than level false negative attacks, we’ve put our money where our mouth is, funding our own campaign with help from friends and supporters right here in South Texas, not Republican special interests in Austin.

Tomorrow, you get get to choose between positive change and more of the same.

We believe that the community we love has the courage to change, stand up for our civil rights, show up for work when people are counting on us, and keep our commitments. It’s a new day and a new direction. More…

SAENZ: ‘AWOL AARON MISSES CANDIDATE DEBATE’

Embattled Incumbent Fails to Show But Pockets Tens of Thousands More From Republican PAC Under Criminal Investigation, Pro-Voucher Advocates, Swift Boat Funder, Anti-Lawsuit Group

(EDINBURG) — Embattled incumbent Aaron Pena failed to show up for a scheduled candidate forum on Monday but did manage to cash new campaign checks from a Republican political action committee under criminal investigation for violating state statutes prohibiting “legislative bribery,” pro-vouchers advocates, the GOP donor who funded the Swift Boat for Veterans attacks against Democrat John Kerry, and the leading group trying to limit Texas citizens’ access to the court system they pay for with their taxes.

“I’m not surprised that my opponent failed to show up last night to defend his record of failing to show up to defend his district,” Saenz said.

The candidates forum, sponsored by the Edinburg Review, was held Monday evening at the Dustin M. Sekula Memorial Library. Pena sent an aide instead of participating himself.

Last week, the national media criticized Pena for abandoning Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign with just days to go before next Tuesday’s presidential primary. Washington Post political reporter Dana Milbank even told an MSNBC television audience, “Clearly, this is not a man you want in your foxhole.” More…

SAENZ: “AARON PENA’S LATEST FLIP-FLOP BETRAYS HILLARY CLINTON AND HER SOUTH TEXAS SUPPORTERS”

(EDINBURG) — Democratic House challenger Eddie Saenz today said that Aaron Pena’s appearance at a rally for Barack Obama and published comments against Hillary Clinton are the latest in a long line of flip-flops and outright betrayals of the voters of South Texas.

“Senator Clinton has now learned what our community learned long ago — you can’t trust Aaron Pena,” Saenz said. “His word means nothing when his personal ambition gets in the way.”

Saenz noted that Pena has spent months representing himself as one of Sen. Clinton’s top Rio Grande Valley supporters and was even introduced by her during a rally last week in McAllen. Yet, he appeared earlier today at a rally for Clinton’s opponent, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, and was quoted in the respected political newsletter Rio Grande Guardian saying that “it appears to be increasingly evident who is going to win.”

Pena was referring to Obama in the quote. http://www.riograndeguardian.com/rggnews_story.asp?story_no=28#
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SAENZ TO PENA: “SOUTH TEXAS VOTERS DESERVE AN HONEST ANSWER — WITH REPUBLICANS RAISING MORE CAMPAIGN CASH FOR YOU TO FUND NEGATIVE ATTACKS, EXACTLY WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?”

(EDINBURG) – Democratic House challenger Eddie Saenz today called on his beleaguered opponent, Aaron Pena, to explain why Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick is making fundraising calls this week to raise campaign cash that Pena plans to use in negative attack ads.

“My opponent has his Republican political boss making money calls on his behalf,” Saenz said. “South Texas voters deserve an honest answer — exactly who is Aaron Pena working for?”

Pena last month pocketed $50,000 from Craddick in a controversial cash transfer that is now the subject of a criminal charge filed with Travis County prosecutors. A few days later, Pena wrote two checks totaling that same amount, plus and additional $10,000 from Swift Boat funder Bob Perry, to a Republican consulting firm that is working for other candidates recruited by the Republican establishment in Austin to run against Democrats.

This week, Craddick has been calling Republican donors, asking them to “double down” by sending even more money to Pena, who seconded the nomination of Craddick as House Speaker last year and then voted with the Republican on key legislative measures. More…

A NEW DAY IS JUST A VOTE AWAY!

On this second day of early voting, South Texans are streaming to the polls to vote for positive change and a new direction.

“The momentum is countywide. We are busy countywide,” says Hidalgo County Elections Administrator Teresa Navarro. http://www.themonitor.com/news/county_9207___article.html/voters_early.html

Join us in working for a new day and a new direction! More…