Cameron County judge candidates file fundraising reports

Statements of campaign contributions and expenditures filed 30 days before the March 2 Democratic and Republican Party primaries by candidates for Cameron County judge, for activity covering Jan. 1 through Jan. 21:

Democratic Party candidates:

-Eddie Treviño Jr.: contributions, $3,678; expenditures, $11,900; contributions maintained as of the last day of reporting period, $5,946; outstanding loans, $50,000.

-Rebecca Gomez: contributions, $100; political expenditures from personal funds, $914.

-John Wood: contributions, $18,571; expenditures, $7,717; contributions maintained as of the last day of the reporting period, $10,853.

Republican Party candidate:

-Carlos Cascos: contributions 0; expenditures 0; contributions maintained as of the last day of reporting period, $75,125; outstanding loans, $1,250.

Source: Cameron County’s Department of Elections & Voter Registration

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A lull in fundraising activity has enveloped the most recent statements of campaign contributions and expenditures that candidates for Cameron County judge in the March 2 Democratic and Republican Party primaries filed for the public record.

Democratic Party candidates, former Brownsville Mayor Eddie Treviño Jr., community activist Rebecca Gomez and Cameron County Pct. 2 Commissioner John Wood have filed their statements that were due 30 days before the election.

The statements were filed last week in the Cameron County Department of Elections & Voter Registration.

Incumbent County Judge Carlos Cascos, the lone candidate for the post in the Republican Party Primary, continues to wait out the primaries. He does not face an opponent in the primary, but will square off with the Democratic Party’s nominee in the November General Election.

The most recent reports cover the candidates’ campaign activity from Jan. 1 through Jan. 21.

Treviño’s law firm, Treviño & Bodden, contributed $3,678 in advertising and T-shirts.

The bulk of Treviño’s expenditures went to Lamar Advertising Companies for advertising and billboards, $4,800; and to Sign Solution for campaign signs, $3,659.

Gomez reported $100 in a contribution from Raul Ojeda and $914 in expenditures to Solice Signs for campaign signs.

Wood’s major contributors were his wife, Virginia V. Wood, $1,000; Esco Marine President Richard Jaross, $2,500; the delinquent tax collection firm Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP, $1,000; investor John F. Cowen, $5,000; Cameron County Commissioner Sofie Benavides, $925 in signs; Key Mortgage LLC, $496 in advertising posters; $500 from attorney Robert Collins, of South Padre Island, who is the city attorney for the City of Port Isabel; and $500 from engineer John W. Hudson Jr., of Sugarland. The county frequently contracts Hudson for engineering work while the Linebarger firm has the county’s tax collection contract.

Most of Wood’s expenditures went to JA Sports, for signs; Miguel Gallegos, for radio advertisements; M-5 Designs for signs; and the Price Rite Company for signs.

Cascos reported $75,125 in his war chest. He reported no contributions or expenditures for this reporting period.