May Election filing ends

By DAVID LOPEZ
Special to the NEWS

The City of San Benito and the San Benito CISD have both accepted applications from candidates for the May 6 general election.

Rene Garcia, a Social Security Administration claims specialist and current commissioner for Place 1, is resigning from his position to challenge incumbent Rick Guerra, a retired firefighter who is running for reelection for mayor. Former mayor Ben Gomez, a parent specialist at SBCISD, is also running for the seat.

Looking to fill in Place 1 on the city commission are Eddie Abrego, the former Greyhound basketball coach, and current San Benito High School principal, and Tom Goodman, a vacation rental manager who made the news last year as a spokesperson for a group aiming to remove City Manager Manuel De La Rosa from office, primarily for what the group claimed were unfair housing policies.

Vice-president of Texas Funeral Associates and member of the city’s Economic Development Corporation board, Deborah Morales, is again running for Place 2, as she did in 2020, challenging incumbent Rene Villafranco, who is also seeking re-election.

Places 3 and 4, filled by Pete Galvan and Carol Lynn Sanchez, are not up for reelection this year.
At San Benito CISD, four seats are up for election. The fourth seat, currently held by trustee Orlando Lopez, a vascular specialist seeking a third term, is up for election against Julian Joseph Rios, manager of Chuy’s Custom Sports and chairman of the city’s EDC.

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