The outcome of today's vote will hinge on how many of the 45 precinct chairs in District 33 turn out?

Democrats to decide today who gets nomination for Luna's seat

By Jaime Powell Caller-Times
August 13, 2006

Nueces County Democratic precinct chairs will decide today whether veteran educator Danny Noyola Sr. or young businessman Solomon Ortiz Jr. will get the party's nomination for the District 33 state representative seat - an office that never has been won by a Republican.

The winner of the 2 p.m. vote at Democratic Party headquarters will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot alongside a Republican candidate, to be picked by that party's precinct chairs Tuesday.

Noyola and Ortiz each announced they were seeking the nomination the same day state Rep. Vilma Luna, D-Corpus Christi, resigned last month. Luna, who had been in office since 1993, announced her resignation July 5 and later took a lobbying job with Hillco Partners.

Precinct chairs said the outcome otoday's vote will hinge on how many of the 45 precinct chairs in District 33 turn out. Noyola and Ortiz have spent f the past few weeks hosting parties and coffees and sending e-mails and fliers, trying to ensure precinct chairs do show up and cast ballots for them.

Noyola, 53, spent 26 years working in the West Oso Independent School district as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and later as superintendent. When he resigned from that position six years ago, he was hired by the Corpus Christi Independent School District to teach government at Moody High School.

Noyola was named Miller High School principal in 2005, but was reassigned in June 2006 to Moody High School as an assistant principal. District officials would not say why he was reassigned and neither would Noyola. "I am still in the middle of the process involving that subject, because I respectfully disagree with the reassignment," he said.

If he gets the nomination today, Noyola said he would retire and devote himself to the race and what he hopes is the legislative seat.

For the past year, Ortiz, 29, has served as president and chief executive officer of OCS Group Inc., a business he describes as a consulting and legislative research firm. "That's why I am up to date on the issues, that's what I have been doing," Ortiz said. "I know politics and the way government and the legislative process works."

Ortiz has served in the classroom, teaching General Education Development courses at the Adult Learning Center early in his career, though he is not a certified educator. He also has worked with the nonprofit organization Fighting to Rid Gangs in America.

Ortiz is no stranger to politics. His father, U.S. Congressman Solomon Ortiz Sr., has been in Washington since 1982, and before that was Nueces County sheriff. Ortiz Jr.'s uncle, Oscar, is a Nueces County commissioner.

In 2002, at age 24, Ortiz Jr. tested the political waters, winning the Nueces County Democratic Party chairmanship. He beat Noyola's son, Danny Jr., 52 percent to 21 percent. Ortiz Jr. decided not to run when his term was up this year.

For Ortiz Jr., his time as party chair allowed him to make good contacts here and to make inroads into Austin, he said.

"I have a great relationship with current members of the Legislature in Austin," he said. "It's all about networking and relationship-building. I have already forged those relationships, so I won't go there not knowing anything or anyone."

Noyola Sr. has never held public office, although he ran for mayor in 1989 against then-mayor Betty Turner and lost his 1991 bid for an at-large City Council position.

Noyola also has been a political activist working for Democratic Party candidates and for a variety of causes, including union rights, neighborhood improvements and economic development. He also started Moody Civic Minded Students, the student group devoted to increasing public service and improving the neighborhoods and community where his students live. The group has hosted political debates and voter registration drives, among other things.

"I work well with the business community and the working people," Noyola said.

Much of the rest of Noyola's family also has been politically active for years. His brother, David, was a Corpus Christi city councilman and a Nueces County commissioner. Another brother, Jesse, is a current Corpus Christi city councilman, and his sister Isabel Noyola-Martin ran in the last Democratic primary and lost against County Commissioner Betty Jean Longoria. Noyola-Martin's husband, Bill Martin, is a Del Mar College regent.

Both Noyola and Ortiz have spent the month leading up to today's decision trying to woo away each other's support. Supporters from both political camps claimed this week that their candidate has the votes to be the nominee. But the pressure is high and the tide could still turn either way, both sides say.

Barbara Klein, 79, a lifelong Democrat with deep roots in the local party, says she and a lot of others are supporting Ortiz because he is a natural leader.

"I think he has a broader knowledge of the issues," Klein said. "I think he has the contacts to open doors others could not open and he has the ability to raise the money to win and the possibility to win. I worked with him for four years when he was county chair and I saw what he can do."

Noyola is older, more experienced and brings a wealth of education knowledge to the table, countered Joan Veith, a Noyola supporter.

Veith, 75, who has been heavily involved in the local party for more than 30 years, said Noyola has immense support among the precinct chairs.

"I think we need an educator as state rep," Veith said. "There are too many attorneys. And Danny is a good man."

There is huge pressure on all of the precinct chairs from both sides, Klein and Veith agreed.

"It is unfortunate that such a few people have to make this decision," Klein said. "It is very, very intense, but I'm optimistic. I know that we have the votes, but it just depends on who is there and voting."

Contact Jaime Powell at 886-3716 or powellj@ caller.com