New judges elected in Hidalgo County, 13th Court of Appeals

4 hours ago 15

Tuesday night’s election results ushered in a new era in the Hidalgo County judicial community with new state district judges and justices taking the mantle from retiring counterparts, according to unofficial tallies in the Nov. 5 general election.

Juan Ramon Alvarez was elected as the 332nd state District Court judge replacing the retiring incumbent, Mario E. Ramirez, with 149,643 votes in an uncontested race. Alvarez will now vacate the Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 1 post.

Ramirez was the longest-serving presiding judge in Hidalgo County and in the Fifth Administrative Judicial Region of Texas with 43 years of service.

The Roma native announced his retirement last year in a news release where he expressed his gratitude to his family and supporters as well as his colleagues and staff.

For the 430th state District Court, Orlando “OJ” Esquivel ran unopposed and secured 146,317 votes to fill the seat currently held by retiring Judge Israel Ramon Jr.

Ramon was the first elected judge of the 430th and announced his retirement in April. Following 16 years behind the bench, the Weslaco native has said that the reason for retiring was to spend more time with his family.

Getting the nod for Alvarez’s Pct. 1, Pl. 2 justice seat in Weslaco is Andrew Gonzalez, who bested Jessica Villarreal with 18,804 votes to her 14,896.

Incumbents also had a good night Tuesday as Bobby Contreras won reelection to the Pct. 2, Pl. 1 Justice of the Peace post based in Pharr. Contreras was victorious with 32,479 ballots cast in his favor to Princess Anne Gonzalez’s 20,849.

Charlie Espinoza also won reelection for his Pct. 4, Pl. 1 seat as a justice in Edinburg with 35,121 votes to challenger Norma De La Rosa Saldana’s 27,852.

Republicans swept the 13th Court of Appeals races. This appellate court encompasses a 20-county region that includes Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties.

Republican Jaime Tijerina took 339,878 total votes for chief justice, of which he received 97,593 in Hidalgo County, 53,687 in Cameron County and 2,445 in Willacy County to Benavides’ 258,592 total across the jurisdiction. Benavides locally secured 105,426 (Hidalgo County), 55,149 (Cameron County) and 2,665 (Willacy County).

Place 2 justice on the appellate court went to Republican Jenny Cron over her Democratic opponent Nora Longoria, winning 319,258 total ballots of which she received 85,654 from Hidalgo County, 48,457 from Cameron County and 2,036 from Willacy County. Longoria won 116,361 (Hidalgo County), 60,221 (Cameron County) and 3,038 (Willacy County) votes locally and 277,807 overall.

Ysmael D. Fonseca, also with the GOP, was victorious in the Place 4 race for justice with 90,867 in Hidalgo County, 50,796 in Cameron County and 2,219 in Willacy County for a total of 327,877 across the jurisdiction. His opponent, Democrat Joe Martinez, received 109,776 (Hidalgo County), 56,478 (Cameron County) and 2,809 (Willacy County) ballots locally in an overall tally of 264,697.

The Place 5 race for justice saw Republican Jon West best Democrat Regi Compian Richardson with 94,427 (Hidalgo County), 54,410 (Cameron County) and 2,410 (Willacy County) ballots cast locally and a total of 343,086 across the jurisdiction, to Richardson’s 104,039 (Hidalgo County), 53,258 (Cameron County), 2,538 (Willacy County) and an overall 247,249.