Texas 23rd Congressional District

Rick Bolanos, who is running against Henry Bonilla in the 23rd Congressional district, had this to say about the SCOTUS decision today:

RICK BOLANOS STATEMENT ON SCOTUS DECISION TO REDRAW LINES OF 23RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

A tremendously large number of Texans were disenfranchised by the Republican redistricting of the Congressional map. Today’s Supreme Court decision will allow many of those Texans, and particularly a large number of Hispanics who were cut out of the 23rd Congressional District, to again exercise their inalienable right to vote as guaranteed by the constitution of the United States. Furthermore, those disenfranchised voters will have a strong voice in deciding who they want to represent them in Washington.

This is a tremendous victory for those Hispanic voters whose Voting Rights were trampled by the partisan agenda of Tom DeLay, Henry Bonilla, Governor Rick Perry, Republican legislative leaders and the political appointees of the Bush Administration Justice Department, all of whom argued in support of an egregious plan that violated Hispanic voting rights in a deliberate and blatant manner. It was morally reprehensible to violate the Voting Rights of those Hispanics in an obvious attempt to ensure Henry Bonilla’s re-election. The actions of those persons was a repugnant and shameful act that is indicative of the crisis of corruption that has left our great nation with leaders more interested in accumulating power and economic gain, rather than enacting responsible public policy that responds to the needs of our American populace.

In a recent interview Mr. Bonilla, whose voting record has been very anti-hispanic, and who has been feeling very "safe" in his gerrymandered district, was asked if he was forgetting that more than fifty per cent of his constituents were Hispanic. Mr. Bonilla responded by saying "it doesn't matter they don't vote." It is my personal belief that this statement is going to come back to haunt the incumbent.

A three judge panel will now decide how to proceed to re-enfranchise those voters by redrawing the lines of the gerrymandered 23rd congressional district. In spite of the furtive attempts by Mr. Bonilla and his cohorts to violate the constitutional rights of our nation, I will continue my campaign to give all the voters of the 23rd congressional district the type of ethical, fervent and passionate representation that they have so long been denied and that they so dearly deserve. I want to personally thank LULAC for their relentless pursuit of justice for those Hispanics who were oppressed by the misguided, avaricious actions of the present administration.