The Politics of El Caballo: In Brownsville, Mayor Pat Ahumada Rides Hard...Sheds Scandals As Election Nears...No Worries About History...

"The monkeys stand for honesty,
Giraffes are insincere,
And the elephants are kindly, but
They're dumb.
Orangutans are skeptical
Of changes in their cages,
And the zookeeper is very fond of rum.

Zebras are reactionaries,
Antelopes are missionaries,
Pigeons plot in secrecy,
And hamsters turn on frequently.
What a gas! You gotta come and see
At the zoo." - A song by Simon & Garfunkel 

By RICARDO KLEMENT
Special to The Tribune

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - His is often characterized by others as the most miserable city in the Rio Grande Valley, but politician Pat Ahumada, the current mayor here, sees it as a humdinger of a prize for any would-be public servant. The bouncy and affable 58-year-old Ahumada is going for it again, seeking re-election  in a campaign that has him going against a hefty current city commissioner and a local lawyer at ease with a hairstyle from the early 1960s.

Life is weird in town, not that anyone cares.

In launching his latest bid, Ahumada glosses over much in noting his experience and accomplishments. Or, as he puts it on his glossy campaign website: "Over the last four years, the citizens of this city have had a hard working, long reaching leader, who knows the issues and is not afraid to take a stand for what’s right." Nowhere in the informational site aimed at drawing voter support is scant mention of his many foibles, personal and in the carrying out of his duties as  figurehead leader of this bordertown's 140,000, ever-dreaming residents.

Coming border hard at him are City Commissioner Edward Camarillo and candidate Tony Martinez. Camarillo, shown in photo at right, has fashioned a largely opague career that has him unable to point to a centerpiece accomplishment other than his showing up for scheduled meetings, while Martinez appears to merely be out for a little publicity ride in the local press. It is Martinez some say has the better chance of unseating the popular Ahumada, with Camarillo's "looks" being his handicap in a droopy town wanting desperately to be seen as somewhat attractive.

The fighting mayor is seeking a third term as mayor of a town easily described as falling. He was first elected in 1990 and served through 1993. He was subsequently elected again in 2007 and has been in office since then. In between came an ill-advised stab at the area U.S. Congress slot, which he lost and in which he bizarrely ran as a Republican.

Much has and hasn't happened under his watch - some of it to do with his official duties and some of it with his personal life.

Some would say his term has been scandalous.

Ahumada has been arrested on DWI charges and stood trial for depositing a $26,000 City of Brownsville check meant for a vendor into his personal bank account. The mayor was found not guilty following the pressing of charges. Since then, however, he has been uncharacteristically quiet and well-behaved. Earlier, his reputation was being made by his vigorous opposition to the federal Border Wall he seemed to take as a personal affront and as an unnecessary obstacle ruining historic relations between his city and the Mexican city of Matamoros barely blocks across the passive Rio Grande.

In another life, Ahumada would be not Don Quixote, but Don Pardo - a guy ready for any & every microphone in town.

Brownsville lags behind most American communities on pretty much every social front, with the consumption of alcohol and spousal abuse being the exceptions. It is not a charming town and could easily pass for a Mexican neighborhood within the Matamoros city limits were the river to be re-routed north of Brownsville. Spanish is the dominant language, even at American functions such as July 4th and Thanksgiving. It is said that the drunk is its national symbol.

So, what are Ahumada's chances?

He's been there before, at a spot where no one gave him a chance of winning. He counts a loyal following and maybe because he is a high school graduate, well, maybe many of this poor town's reisdents identify with him. Opponent Camarillo's sizeable weight may be seen as a negative, although perhaps not. The other candidate, lawyer Tony Martinez, is as non-descript a fellow as ever walked the region.

We'll see. In sports, a good team would say it all looks good on paper, but you still have to play the game. At the track, they say all horses break even from the gate and then the blue bloods take charge of the race. Does Pat Ahumada, a political jockey of note, have the energy needed in the stretch? On quick analysis, he'd be the one to lead around all four turns...

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