For my 10,000th post: Dead man (Democrat) wins election in Texas

[MelissaB]

Last edited Mon Nov 12, 2012, 08:36 AM - Edit history (1)

Texas State Senator Wins Election After Death

Democrat Mario Gallegos won re-election to his Texas state Senate seat on Tuesday. Gallegos, who had served since 1994, overwhelmingly beat his challenger, Republican newcomer, R.W. Bray. But the victory is, to say the least, bittersweet.

Sen. Gallegos won his re-election bid three weeks after his death.

Gallegos died on October 16 of complications related to liver disease, but his family kept a close eye on the election results in hope of keeping his seat Democratic.

Theresa Gallegos, Gallegos’s widow, told ABC News that the family felt compelled to proceed with his election because, as she said, “It was his legacy, first of all. He worked so hard for his community and we were all involved in his work.”

..snip

The re-election of Gallegos has prompted Texas Gov. Rick Perry to schedule a special election sometime in December.

According to Theresa Gallegos, it was her husband’s wish to have Texas State Representative Carol Alvarado succeed him. She tells ABC News that Alvarado has expressed interest in serving in the Democratic senatorial seat.

More here: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/11/texas-state-senator-wins-election-after-death/

[Manifestor_of_Light]

1. Mel Carnahan all over again!

.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Congratulations on your milestone, my dear MelissaB!

And thank you for this excellent, moving story. I hope that Gallegos' wishes will be carried out, and that Alvarado gets to succeed him.

[MelissaB]

6. Thanks CaliforniaPeggy! I racked up most of my post in the old GD and Election Reform

when I was doing the "daily thread". Ah... memories.

[onestepforward]

3. It looks like Carol Alvarado will run for his seat.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Alvarado-announces-plan-to-seek-Gallegos-seat-4016303.php

-snip-
The morning after his posthumous election night victory, the late state Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston, got his dying wish when his choice to succeed him signaled her intention to seek the seat he had held since 1994.

State Rep. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, who was re-elected to her House seat without opposition Tuesday, announced her candidacy for Gallegos' Senate seat in an email Wednesday.
-snip-

Very sad about Sen. Gallegos. I hope his dying wish comes true.

On a happier note, congratulations for your 10,000 post!

[MelissaB]

5. Excellent news!

Thanks!

[Phentex]

4. Congratulations and

Thanks for a very interesting story.

Go, Alvarado!

[Gothmog]

7. Mario Gallegos is a hero here in Texas

Mario Gallegos was responsible for blocking voter id in 2009 when he was very very sick. Voters voted for Senator Mario Gallegos out of respect for his memory and to keep this seat in Democratic hands.

[MelissaB]

8. I'm fairly new to Texas

and didn't know about the voter id in 2009. Thanks!

[NoPasaran]

9. It's quite a story

Gallegos had had liver surgery and was really quite ill. He had a hospital bed installed in the sergeant-at-arms office just outside the Texas Senate chamber so he would be available to block Voter ID coming to the floor.

The Texas Senate operates under a rule that two-thirds of the 31 members must agree to take up a piece of legislation. Although his doctors warned him he was risking his life, Gallegos was on hand as the eleventh Democrat to block legislation.

The term "hero" has been cheapened quite a bit in the last decade. Senator Gallegos showed us what real heroism was in defense of voting rights.

[LisaL]

10. That's amazing.

[MelissaB]

11. Indeed he was a hero! Thank you for taking the time to share this and educate a new Texan.