Danny Valdez
Encyclopedia
Danny Valdez is the County Judge of Webb County
in south Texas
, United States. Valdez is the 22nd person to hold the elected office since Webb County was established in 1848. He served four years with the United States Navy
and twenty-four years as a justice of the peace
before becoming county judge on January 1, 2007. His second term as county judge began on January 1, 2011.
Valdez narrowly won Democratic
renomination in the April 13, 2010, runoff primary. He defeated Tano Tijerina, a Laredo businessman and a former baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers
. In a low turnout contest, Valdez received 14,227 votes (51.2 percent) to Tijerina's 13,575 ballots (48.8 percent). In the primary election
held on March 2, Valdez had also led Tijerina by a narrow margin. Two other candidates were eliminated in the primary: former 406th District Judge Andres Ramos and former County Judge Louis H. Bruni, Valdez's predecessor in the office. Valdez faces no Republican
opponent in the November 2 general election.
, Martin High School
, and Laredo Junior College
. He worked as a Webb County personal recognizance bond officer before his election as a JP in 1982. His son, born in 1988, is also named Danny Valdez.
camp and an inner-city recreation center. He also co-chairs Laredo's annual "Toys for Tejanitos
Drive" to benefit needy families, and he chairs an annual fishing derby for physically challenged students. Valdez started the Special Student of the Month Program that recognizes physically challenged students from area high schools. He also started an annual fishing derby for mentally-challenged youngsters from area high schools. He chairs the Annual Avery Johnson
Basketball Camp which allows students to sign up for the camp and perform community service in lieu of paying a camp fee. He has also awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships to Laredo Independent School District
students.
. There were no second-party challengers for county judge. The Texas Observer, an Austin-based political magazine, attributed Valdez's win to his humble background, his tireless grassroots campaigning and his image as an honest, decent citizen.
Louis Bruni quickly returned to the Democratic Party to challenge Valdez on March 2, 2010. Judith Gutierrez, meanwhile, failed in a bid to return to her previous county commissioner seat in the April 13 runoff. The incumbent Rosaura "Wawi" Tijerina, an aunt of Tano Tijerina, who had remained neutral in the Valdez-Tano Tijerina contest, won renomination, the equivalent to reelection in heavily Democratic Webb County.
Webb County, Texas
Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The official 2010 population for the county is 250,304. In 2000, its population was 193,117, and in 2006 its population had been estimated to have reached to 231,470. Its county seat is Laredo...
in south Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States. Valdez is the 22nd person to hold the elected office since Webb County was established in 1848. He served four years with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and twenty-four years as a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
before becoming county judge on January 1, 2007. His second term as county judge began on January 1, 2011.
Valdez narrowly won Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
renomination in the April 13, 2010, runoff primary. He defeated Tano Tijerina, a Laredo businessman and a former baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. In a low turnout contest, Valdez received 14,227 votes (51.2 percent) to Tijerina's 13,575 ballots (48.8 percent). In the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
held on March 2, Valdez had also led Tijerina by a narrow margin. Two other candidates were eliminated in the primary: former 406th District Judge Andres Ramos and former County Judge Louis H. Bruni, Valdez's predecessor in the office. Valdez faces no Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
opponent in the November 2 general election.
Early life
Valdez was born the second child of Eliseo and Lucinda Valdez. He has two brothers, Eliseo, Jr., and Rudy, and a sister, Geraldine. He was reared in the Canta Rana neighborhood in Laredo's west side and attended Farias Elementary School, Christen Middle SchoolChristen Middle School
L. J. Christen Middle School is a middle school located in Laredo Independent School District in Laredo, Texas. Grades sixth through eighth grade are taught there. It serves students living in central Laredo.-History:...
, Martin High School
Martin High School (Laredo, Texas)
Raymond & Tirza Martin High School, known as Martin High School, is a secondary institution of learning located in the Laredo Independent School District in Laredo, Texas. Grades 9th through 12th are taught there. It serves students living in central Laredo...
, and Laredo Junior College
Laredo Community College
The Laredo Community College, or LCC, was established as Laredo Junior College on September 28, 1947, by the Laredo Independent School District in Laredo, the seat of Webb County in south Texas...
. He worked as a Webb County personal recognizance bond officer before his election as a JP in 1982. His son, born in 1988, is also named Danny Valdez.
Justice of the peace
Valdez took an interest in working with the youth during his time as a justice of the peace. He worked with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to bring inmates to Laredo's middle and high schools to tell their life stories so as to educate and warn students about the dangers of making the wrong choices. Valdez worked with the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust to develop a Boy ScoutsBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
camp and an inner-city recreation center. He also co-chairs Laredo's annual "Toys for Tejanitos
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
Drive" to benefit needy families, and he chairs an annual fishing derby for physically challenged students. Valdez started the Special Student of the Month Program that recognizes physically challenged students from area high schools. He also started an annual fishing derby for mentally-challenged youngsters from area high schools. He chairs the Annual Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is a former American professional basketball player and current head coach of the National Basketball Association team New Jersey Nets. He has also coached the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance and four consecutive 50+ win seasons...
Basketball Camp which allows students to sign up for the camp and perform community service in lieu of paying a camp fee. He has also awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships to Laredo Independent School District
Laredo Independent School District
Laredo Independent School District is a public school district based in Laredo, Texas . The district serves the south central portion of Laredo.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency....
students.
Election as county judge
Not wanting to lose his Justice of the Peace position, Valdez did not declare his candidacy for county judge until January 1, 2006, giving him a little more than three months before the Democratic primary. He faced a multi-term county commissioner, Judith Gutierrez, and two millionaires, then County Judge Louis H. Bruni and businessman Carlos Y. Benavides, III. Valdez sailed to victory with 37 percent of the vote in the initial primary and 62 percent of the vote in the runoff against Benavides. Bruni ran fourth, failed to garner a runoff berth, and later switched to Republican affiliation and lost a race for the Texas State Senate in 2008 against Democrat Judith ZaffiriniJudith Zaffirini
Judith Zaffirini is a Democratic member of the Texas State Senate representing the 21st District, which includes her home city of Laredo. On January 9, 2007, Zaffirini became the second in seniority in the 31-member Texas Senate, where she has served since 1987...
. There were no second-party challengers for county judge. The Texas Observer, an Austin-based political magazine, attributed Valdez's win to his humble background, his tireless grassroots campaigning and his image as an honest, decent citizen.
Louis Bruni quickly returned to the Democratic Party to challenge Valdez on March 2, 2010. Judith Gutierrez, meanwhile, failed in a bid to return to her previous county commissioner seat in the April 13 runoff. The incumbent Rosaura "Wawi" Tijerina, an aunt of Tano Tijerina, who had remained neutral in the Valdez-Tano Tijerina contest, won renomination, the equivalent to reelection in heavily Democratic Webb County.