Peña Won't Seek Another Term in Texas House
State Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, says he can't win re-election under new court-drawn redistricting maps and won't seek another term in the Texas House. It would have been his first election as a Republican. Along with state Rep. Allan Ritter of Nederland, Peña switched parties after the 2010 election, giving the GOP a supermajority of 101 members in the 150-member House.
He's the 23rd incumbent in the House to decide not to seek another term next year. The maps he says would defeat him were ordered earlier this week by a panel of three federal ...
Comments (33)
Tex Viet Vet via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Some win, some lose. But, in a map drawn by repulbicans, only repuplicans win. Don't forget Toxic Tom Delay's "permanent" majority. That's why their map has failed scrutiny. Deal with it.
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So his pandering to the right did not work out?
Lee Dunkelberg via Texas Tribune on Facebook
cobarde
Tim Tukaram Spotswood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Redrawing the map so often is waste. Make a map using major highways, rivers, towns etc and boundaries and leave it alone. We don't redraw the country every time we want to rig a presidential race.
John Carhart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
As I recall, was'nt it a "Democratic" district in 2010 (before you changed parties)?
Denise Allen Mitchell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
"In a map drawn by repulbicans, only repuplicans win"...quoted from Texas Viet Vet above. And one less republican in the house is fine with me!
jpt51
Aaron
What Goes Around Comes Around...
T.G. Caraway via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Poor Aaron:( Breaks my pea pickin heart! One less ahole in the Texas Leg.
Tom Sullivan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Adios mofo
jpt51
What will the court do to prevent another coups d'état, (a la Tom DeLay) gerrymandering the state again in 2013?
Money talks in Texas. Rick Perry and his bandits will do anything for the right price.
Brad Davis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
FAT
Chris Bazan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There is a god and he doesn't like fat liars
Vibeke Mendonca Lee via Texas Tribune on Facebook
His statement about making drawing a map that would assure reelection for every incumbent is the most asinine and self serving thing I have ever heard. This is not why we redistrict, bozo. Not even ashamed formaking that kind of statement. Good riddance.
Herb Gonzales via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Right,vibeke,it has to do with Consititutional requirement related to census and changes in population,Duh,think people,think.
Herb Gonzales via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Now,the question,is it manipulated and draw and quartered according to preferences,well,Yes.
Pamela Baggett-Wallis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Looks like he bet on the wrong horse.
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Gee, did he think about this when he did his switch to GNOP???? Nope, his new buds promised to protect him with a bogus redistricting, but now the courts have cut thru this crap.
John Escamilla
No quid pro quo? Lol. They carved up a custom made district for you, dude. Tried to, at least. Serve the interests of the community? You fought against additional representation that was clearly needed , in favor or protecting yourself and your cronies. We can't be fooled. We got the seats back (thanks to a hispanic Republican federal judge who couldn't get elected in R primary when he was a politician because that party doesn't include minorities). Adios, Pena! Go back to "making money." barf
Colleen Casey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The saying, "Live by the sword, die by the sword" comes to mind; adios, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Laura Whiten Courtney via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He acts like a martyr. "I only made $7200 per year." Please. Now he can continue to fatten himself on taxpayer money with lifetime retirement benefits while being paid to lobby. That's the way it works. That whole statement was pure BS.
Richard Tew via Texas Tribune on Facebook
cry me a river. you should win based upon your platform and your track record of keeping your word to your base. pena's whining because the base that has kept him in office has been broken up and he can't sell his snake oil to the new district.
Sergio Hernandez De Santos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Que Pena Sr Peña! Adios Compadre
Jose B. Gonzalez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Down here in the valley - you will forever be known as a traitor... GOOD RIDDANCE!!!
Deborah Moss Sisco via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thank goodness for the protection from the courts! Wake up TX, the republicans are not your friends!
Jim Hsu via Texas Tribune on Facebook
translation: people there don't like your policies and your philosophy. So why should they vote for you?
Corbin Casteel via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Buncha jerks on here. Thanks for your service to Texas, Representative Pena. Some sit on the sidelines and lob nastiness, others like you get on the field and try to make a meaningful difference. We need more brave, selfless public servants like you.
Jim Hsu via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Corbin: not liking the same politician as you do makes us "jerks." Now we know how your doucher brain works.
David Huang via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Well, maybe if you hadn't been such a jackass last cycle when you got elected as a Democrat then jumped ship and changed parties to Republican AFTER YOU HAD GOTTEN ELECTED.......
Tim Bacon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Aw gee. Too bad. So sad. Karma is a bitch.
Cliff McSparran via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Well, cool.....now he'll have time to do a little walking and dieting.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Hmmm, I thought the courts were intervening to protect minority representation. Silly me: No, it's being redrawn to protect Democrat representation (especially Anglo Democrat incumbents).
Dale Curry
@ Mike Openshaw - No Mike, its being redrawn to protect minorities and the democratic voters of Travis County which have been systematically disenfranchised during the GOP/tparty redistricting. So much for their "American Values". Now tell me again how the Tparty/gop is NOT the latter day Dixiecrats, filled with bigots and homophobes. As to Pena, hope he does not let those heavy Capitol Doors hit his big butt on the way out! Your pandering to the right wing are soon to be OVER!
Janet Thomas
Pena's an oportunist & RINO at best - adios amigo! He can't hardly go back to the democrat party. He & Paul Workman both authored guest workers programs in the State Legislature this year.