HD-36: Muñoz Jr. Defeats Rodriguez

Sergio Muñoz Jr., is headed to the Texas Capitol after handing Sandra Rodriguez a decisive defeat in the HD-36 Democratic Primary.

Muñoz led Rodriguez by more than 2,000 votes after early-voting totals were tallied for the Hidalgo County district, and held the lead until well after polls closed late Tuesday. He finished with more than 6,000 votes to Rodriguez’s 4,134.

With no GOP or third-party candidate on the ballot for November’s General Election, Tuesday’s Primary Election is it. Muñoz will head to Austin and take over the seat currently held by state Rep. Ismael “Kino” Flores, D-Palmview. Flores decided not to seek another term in the Legislature after he was indicted last year by a Travis County grand jury on charges that he hid sources of income, gifts, real estate holdings and other information from his financial disclosure forms.

Rodriguez said by phone late Tuesday that local media was reporting a glitch with some of the electronic machines, though the information couldn’t be confirmed. Rodriguez said she would concede defeat once she got word that the results were confirmed.

“I am very happy with the race we ran. It was a very positive race and my supporters worked very hard,” she said. Muñoz could not be contacted late Tuesday.

Muñoz Jr. is the son of former state Rep. Sergio Muñoz, and has been forced to fend off allegations from Rodriguez that he is Flores’ handpicked successor. He is a Palmview attorney and a municipal court judge.