The Mayoral Candidate Debate, sponsored by the Political Science Association and Student Government Association, occurred Oct. 12 at the Texas A&M International University Center for Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.
This political forum allowed candidates to express their ideas and outlook for Laredo to TAMIU students as well as the general public. Among the five candidates running for Mayor include Incumbent Raul G. Salinas, Juan Ramirez, Jose A. Valdez Jr., James Joel Newman, and Gene Belmares.
Each candidate was given an equal amount of time to express their visions if elected for Mayor. The structure of this forum included an opening statement as well as five rounds of questions posed by the moderator, Jorge Antonio Aguilar.
Among the opening statements, Salinas reiterated his continued passion to serve the people; Jose Valdez mentioned how his actions will speak louder than words; James Joel Newman stressed the importance of honesty when dealing with the issues; Juan Ramirez expressed his determination towards working for improvements in Laredo; and Gene Belmares asserted the issues that our community has faced and what can be done.
The five rounds of questions, presented by Aguilar, included various subjects on how candidates would efficiently prepare citizens for a future catastrophe, prevent bullying and teen suicides in the community, ideas to increase Laredo’s revenue, bring new businesses, and future efforts to keep infrastructure up with population growth. Every candidate had a different perspective when answering each round, ultimately with Laredo’s best interests in mind.
Following the five rounds, Aguilar introduced a section where each candidate was given the opportunity pose a question to only one opponent. An interesting turn of events commenced when majority of the questions posed by the candidates were well prepared in regards to the Metro system, citations given for parking violations on Zaragoza St. in front of La Posada Hotel, and initiatives the Mayor has started and finished. The audience saw how each candidate carefully answered the question posed by an opponent.
The debate’s purpose as Erika Lopez, Vice President of the Political Science Association, expressed, “was not only to inform our students but to inform the people about the candidates.” Although there was an interesting twist at the end Lopez further mentioned, “Overall each person got an understanding of who each candidate was.”
Election Day is on Nov. 2, 2010; however, their will be an Early Voting site on-campus on Oct. 26-27 from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.