December 19, 2006

Gallego Keeps MALC Leadership Post
Amid Challenge from Committee Chair

By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor

State Rep. Pete Gallego was re-elected Tuesday as chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus despite opposition from slme members who felt like it was time for a change in leadership.

The Alpine Democrat had to overcome a challenge from State Rep. Robert Puente, who picked up a half-dozen votes on a secret ballot in a closed-door caucus meeting that got under way with the potential for fireworks before reportedly ending on a relatively low-key note.

While Puente indicated that he thought Gallegos had done a good job as its leader, he offered himself up as an alternative candidate for members who believed that the current chair had been at the group's helm long enough. Gallegos, who just completed his third term as MALC chairman, retainted the leadership post with three to four times more votes than Puente.

Puente, a San Antonio Democrat, has been one of Republican Speaker Tom Craddick's Democratic allies since the GOP took control of the House four years ago. Puente was one of about a dozen Democrats who were appointed to committee chairmanships by Craddick after his election as speaker in 2003. Most of the Democratic committee chairs under Craddick have been Hispanic or African-American legislators. Puente leads the House Natural Resources Committee as its chair.

But Puente, the dean of the Bexar County delegation, has maintained better relationships than some of the other Democratic chairs with fellow party members like Gallego, who's been a fierce critic of the speaker while opposing the Republican leadership on most key issues in recent years.

Gallego, who'd been the General Investigating Committee chair before the GOP took over, is one of the House Democratic Caucus' three most prominent leaders along with its chairman, State Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, and State Rep. Garnet Coleman of Houston.

Before casting votes in the MALC chairman's election, there'd been rumblings that some of the group's members were tired of partisan warfare and wanted to take a more bipartisan approach in the upcoming regular session that convenes January 9. Some have complained about being under heavy pressure from Democratic House leaders to vote the party line or run the risk of having primary opponents fielded against them. Several Democrats have lost re-election bids to primary foes who had the vigorous support of House caucus leaders.

The House has 28 current members who are Hispanic Democrats - and that number will grow to 30 once the incoming freshmen class is sworn in next month. There will be one Hispanic Republican in the Legislature's lower chamber next year. MALC has a few non-Hispanic members as well.