San Benito CISD Place 1 Trustee-elect Fatima Huerta, Pl. 3 incumbent Yliana G. Rodriguez, and Pl. 2 trustee-elect Anna Cruz are shown outside the John F. Barron Administration Building Saturday moments after their Election Day win. (Staff photo by Jerry Rodriguez)
By JERRY RODRIGUEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Citizens of San Benito cast their ballots on Election Day Saturday, and what followed was the dawn of a new-look San Benito CISD Board of Trustees, according to uncanvassed votes.
For the Place 1 seat, challenger Fatima Huerta defeated three-term incumbent Bob Tumberlinson 1,477 votes to his 1,277.
“I feel excited and happy,” said Huerta. “I am going to make sure that we have the right resources. I am here to serve my community.”
Tumberlinson chose not to comment on the outcome of the race.
Anna Cruz, who gathered 1,603 votes, was able to pull off a victory over Anna Llanes for the Pl. 2 post. Llanes took 1,130 votes.
On her victory, Cruz said, “I am delighted and thrilled and humbled. I love San Benito, and I will try to do my best for the students, teachers and parents of the district.”
“I don’t know why the voters voted that way,” Llanes said when asked why she believed voters elected her opponent. “I mean you should ask them.”
On whether or not she plans to run again in the future, Llanes said. “I don’t know. We will just have to see how the school board carries itself.”
In the Pl. 3 election, incumbent and School Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez was the victor with 1,633 votes over challenger Dr. Wilma Garza Smetter, who earned 1,101.
“I am going to work on education,” said Rodriguez. “I am here for the students.”
Smetter said, “I may have lost the election, but I’ve gained a lot of new friends. I will continue to be the voice for those people who came out and voted for us.”
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the May 16 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
6 comments
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Wow, Brother and sister on the same school board. I guess in two years they will bring in all the cousin too. Why not? San Benito will vote for anyone with no education, no marriages, no property ownership, no taxes they pay because they own no property, We’re the laughing stock of the state.
Don’t forget that the School Distric is going to be run by an Ex-Super And a man that is the father of one of them (Board-Member) who think he is the one running the School Dristric..” Ridiculous “
Just let the Brother and The Sister Speak….Pleople of SB will find out how educated they are. If they are quiet during any of the Future Boardmeetings is because they don’t have a clue of what the meetings about. June Agiular, when she opens her mouth in the past meeting she is just reading..
Same For Yilliana Rodriguez, she sits up there with this scare face…. Wow!!! And they would make fun of Mr.Manuel Gonzalez, this people are worst…I bet all your going to here on the public comment From the Father of June Aguilar, is all good!! No complains..And don’t forget the ” your doing a wonderful job” when they are sitting up there clueless…
Worse than Sarah Palin? hahaha! lmao!! That’s a good one Richard. I think San Benito voters are either ignorant or just plain stupid. Hello! These inexperienced uneducated board members will drive the school district to the ground, and at the end, the students of San Benito CISD will suffer. So grab your popcorn everybody and turn on the news. Let the circus begin! lol!! Oh…and don’t say I told you so!!!
Touche Richard! What a joke! SBCISD is in for a wake up call!
So let me get this straight. In the last two elections the voters of San Benito have elected a 19 year old with no experience, a special ed teacher assistant (brother) with no experience, and now a college student (sister) with no experience and re-elected a president who I hear is worse than Sarah Palin to the board of trustees? These are the people who have been entrusted to manage a $100 million dollar budget? My goodness, only in San Benito.
—Richard (Harlingen, Texas)