Editorial: Thoughts on the Blake Farenthold Campaign (against incumbent Solomon P. Ortiz); ED MISHOU - this is the independent candidate.

Editorial: Thoughts on the Blake Farenthold Campaign (against incumbent Solomon P. Ortiz); ED MISHOU - this is the independent candidate.

Blake Farenthold -- there are many red flags regarding his candidacy. Some are unconfirmed reports that have been obtained via a dialogue with the voters and the players and the specialists. Many in the Corpus Christi area are familiar with the Farenthold family history and the fact that they were largely responsible for getting Solomon P. Ortiz elected to the 28^th Congressional District 28 years ago. Many feel that family connection may still be there.

Farenthold did not enter the race until the last minute and some believe it was just to keep William "Willy" Vaden, who was running against Ortiz in the previous elections from posing an even bigger threat this year. Some, who have known Farenthold since his childhood, are very leery of his past ethics and honesty. His campaign rhetoric is based on generalities with little substance. Evidence of his campagin activities in the southern part of the district is very shallow and the anecdote is that he has written off all but his small core group down there which is for all intents and purposes to write off Cameron County and that is tantamount to writing off the election. The latter adds some credence and weight to the thought that he only entered the race to keep Vaden out.

Farenthold only won the runoff election by a very small margin. Many seem to think he has done little to recover those voters who did not support him. There remains, I understand, a lot of ill-thought and suspicion regarding his conduct during the primary and runoff elections. There seems to be a lot of smoke and some observers are confident that beneath it all there may be some fire but it is not too obvious to pick up on and tap into it successfully.

If Ed Mishou (a well-like independent who is nimble minded and has a hefty base) was not in the race, running as an independent, Farenthold would more likely not score any better, or even as well, than Vaden did in the last two, but with Ed Mishou in the game, Farenthold might just drop to third. A memory lingers during the Republican Primaries. Vaden walked up to Farenthold, and then addressed the audience jestingly: “Do you want a ‘poodle’ like Farenthold or someone… (or someone that will be assertive in this campaign?)”.

Finally, why would the Republicans voters select a candidate with absolutely no qualificaitions or experience over the other two more viable candidates?