Ochoa talks about 'surreal' victory, lays out vision for the future

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Edinburg Mayor-elect Omar Ochoa won with more than 60% of the vote in an election that broke a record for voter turnout in the city.

Ochoa calls his win 'surreal' and says he has already met with city management to begin his transition. 

“Leading up to the election days, we felt the momentum, so we definitely thought it was possible, but last night was just a great feeling from all of us,” said Omar Ochoa, Edinburg mayor-elect.

Ochoa says voters responded to his message of planning for the future and fiscal responsibility. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the Valley, he says, infrastructure in Edinburg is a top priority.

He shared his priorities and his vision for the city’s future.

“We need to identify roads that need to be paved, roads to be widened, and drainage needs to be fixed. Parks, trails, lighting, and all those kinds of basic things and services that the people expect. If we can get those right, it would help a lot to continue on the economic development track that the city is currently on,” said Ochoa.

Ochoa also plans to involve the community in decisions and to partner with the Arts and Culture District to make Edinburg a more vibrant college town.

“The city of Edinburg is a college town, but it doesn’t feel like one. I would love to be able to leverage that asset here to bring more entertainment venues, more nightlife, so we can have that vibrant feel,” said Ochoa.

With UTRGV football underway, he believes the city is poised for new business and energy.

For Ochoa, this victory also carries personal meaning, as he saw the results come in with his father, former Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa.

“I saw front and center what he went through at that time, and I never thought in a million years that I would be here in this position,” said Ochoa.
“It is incredibly exciting to have the trust of the community to be able to lead us into the future.”

Ochoa says he will be sworn in as the new mayor sometime next week.