This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page SAN ANTONIO - For former Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte the pain of losing a grandchild is something she carries every day passed away in May 2013 at just five months old an overarching category that includes the more commonly known Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other fatal sleep accidents many people grieve in different ways," Van de Putte said "One way for our family to heal was to do something positive To honor Rex’s memory and help other families Van de Putte and her loved ones organized "Rex’s Run"—a walk and run raising awareness about SIDS and the importance of safe sleep providing resources and education for parents Rex's death was not related to safe sleep so his family never found out what truly caused it "While we want to continue the research about why babies just stop breathing which was get information out there and get cribs out there a safe place for baby to sleep," Van de Putte explained and provided cribs and pack 'n plays for new families who needed a proper sleeping area for their babies Van de Putte also served on an infant death response team comforting other families going through similar tragedies She also helped deliver bassinets and other safe sleeping areas to families One visit that sticks with her was a recently divorced military spouse who had fallen on hard times She told Van de Putte she never expected to be in a position where she had to ask for help but doing so drastically improved her baby's safety SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths are on the rise in Bexar County Robert Stewart is a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Christus Children’s Hospital He sees the heartbreaking reality of these cases firsthand He says the number of infants dying from unsafe sleep conditions—especially co-sleeping—is increasing we saw the number pretty much double in the last seven we were already up to 32 deaths," Stewart explained These numbers differ slightly from CDC Wonder data: Data for 2023 and 2024 were not yet available through the CDC database an associate professor at UT Health San Antonio and a member of the State’s Child Fatality Review Team says this is because entities often use different definitions when they classify SIDS deaths or different entities who make those reports might use the terms differently," she explained "That's a big problem in the research is that there is no universally accepted language that's used by everyone all the time." Both sets of numbers show an uptick though which Stewart partially attributes to declining education about safe sleep practices and an increasing spread of misinformation online there's been less focus on safe sleep education for parents," Stewart said saying that fighting unsafe sleep myths online is critical "We do the best that we can to try to combat that," Kissoon said "Sometimes it feels like a losing game We're going to keep promoting the things that we know keep children safe and healthy." As parental influencers become more popular Stewart suggested partnering with them and making sure they're properly educating themselves and their audiences And for the influencers arguing against the recommended safe sleep practices Kissoon says physicians and organizations have to give out proper information more frequently and louder to reach their audiences have media campaigns that they put out there on the same platforms that the influencers are and making sure that the things that we're promoting are evidence-based," Kissoon said "That would comfort us as healthcare providers that we're getting the education out there and we're saving lives in a different way," Stewart said Experts stress that following three simple rules can help save lives: you're giving your child the best opportunity to have a happy Van de Putte emphasizes that SIDS and unsafe sleep deaths don’t discriminate—they can happen in any family crib death is not discriminatory," she said Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas: Resiliency is supported by redundancy in systems contends Faith Van De Putte of Midnight’s Farm on Lopez Island; and with climate change Two-thirds of San Juan County farms responding to the 2023 Ag Viability Survey reported seeing impacts on their operations from climate change analyses and opinions presented as Community Voices express the perspectives of their authors on topics of interest and importance to the community and are not intended to reflect perspectives on behalf of the Salish Current Commentary: Climate change makes food resiliency increasingly important in the San Juan Islands “We’re a very long way from producing all of our own food only around 3.5% to 4% of the food that’s purchased in San Juan County is grown here,” explained Faith Van De Putte from Midnight’s Farm who also serves as the county’s Agricultural Resource Committee coordinator food resiliency is a vital part of community members’ livelihoods — and it is more important than ever in the face of climate change The changing climate creates new obstacles for agriculture in the islands Farmers are facing wetter springs that delay planting and disrupt pollination drier summers that bring drought and the risk of total crop failures Van De Putte recalled the devastating heat dome from three years ago which led to multiple farms losing their entire crops: “Those kinds of events can have a very big impact Nathan Hodges of Barn Owl Bakery concurred: “It’s really difficult to predict overall changes in weather patterns due to climate change.” Hodges and Sage Dilts grow some of their own grain for the bakery and shared that they focus on building diversity within their grain seed bank “Rather than relying on one very productive monocrop that is genetically identical across all the individuals…we rely on thousands of genetically distinct individual plants and seeds there’s always going to be some plant that will do well,” Hodges explained.  In the face of these unpredictable and increasingly severe conditions the need for a resilient food system has never been more critical I think about redundancy in systems.” Applying this to the food system in the islands she identified “having home gardens that are producing food having a vibrant local agricultural community that’s producing food at a variety of scales having the infrastructure that’s needed to process and store the food that’s grown here and distribute it and then having the connections to the mainland and the ability to import food in different ways As the San Juan Islands become a more attractive refuge from climate extremes the local food system will face increasing pressure “We’ll see more people move here and have more of the climate refugee situation,” Dilts predicted This rising population could strain an already fragile food system “is not really prepared for large-scale demand.”  The high cost of land and labor further complicates the situation for farmers in the islands “Land access for new and beginning farmers is a huge challenge and is going to continue to be When the value of the land is completely divorced from the productive value of the land you can’t pay off land by farming it.” To strengthen the resiliency of San Juan County’s food system a multifaceted approach is needed — one that combines financial support community education and policy changes to support sustainable agriculture Supporting existing programs that are crucial to the community’s food system is also essential Hodges underscored the collaborative spirit that defines the county’s approach to food resiliency nonprofits and government entities that have a lot of passion and interest and desire to build a very functional food system in the islands,” he said Lopez Community Land Trust (LCLT) has played a crucial role in supporting the county’s agricultural sector for over 30 years LCLT provides access to farmland through three agricultural leases: Stonecrest Farm and Graziers Still Light Farm and Barn Owl Bakery and Heritage Grains LCLT has also been instrumental in educational efforts helping found the Lopez Island Farm Education (LIFE) program at Lopez School which helps students learn in a hands-on way about the local food system As San Juan County faces the dual challenges of climate change and a growing population the need for a resilient and sustainable food system has never been more urgent By investing in local farmers through grants educating the community about the benefits of local food “It’s up to us to help educate and support each other to ensure that our local food system thrives.” However the road ahead requires more than just practical solutions “It’s a lot easier to be courageous with a community than to be alone in the face of climate change.” We welcome letters to the editor responding to or amplifying subjects addressed in Community Voices. If you wish to contribute to Community Voices, please send an email with a subject proposal to Managing Editor Patheresa Wells-Vick (pvick@salish-current.org) and she will respond with guidelines Help keep the local news flowing — support nonpartisan, fact-based, no-paywall local journalismwith a donation to the Salish Current — news for people Isara Greacen is a climate communications intern for the Lopez Community Land Trust She grew up on Lopez Island and now attends Scripps College A STRONG COMMUNITY NEEDS A STRONG LOCAL PRESS.Help us revive local journalism LLC who are owners of the new SA Missions baseball stadium speak at a city council meeting on Thursday Andrade was one of three San Antonians who founded the Latina Leadership Institute Former state senator Leticia Van de Putte talks about her recovery during an interview at Remington Transitional Care of San Antonio Van de Putte was one of three San Antonians who founded the Latina Leadership Institute They matter especially as officials on the federal and state levels work toward the dismantling of democracy each effort may not look like an act of resistance They may look joyful, like the recent opening of a new city of San Antonio center that celebrates the missions’ World Heritage designation and tells the stories of the people who’ve lived here — from the indigenous people still among us to the Spanish and all those since then the center’s opening celebrated our diversity and inclusion In another small act of resistance, the local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals today will celebrate National Philanthropy Day by honoring several San Antonio champions in the field That includes the sainted Mary Rose Brown and Carlos Alvaraz and his widow Malu; broadcaster Deborah Knapp for her work as a volunteer fundraiser; and one of my favorite service organizations the people behind the annual Fabulous GED Brunch who remind us that we’re a city that needs to better educate our lowest-paid workers San Antonio is better for the work such individuals do — quietly Even the months-long series of events that remember the contributions of women in March (think Amelia Earhart and Emma Tenayuca) and Black Americans (from the African slaves who built a young nation to those who fought for our voting and civil rights) in February are small acts of resistance against the bombardment from the Trump administration against diversity ELAINE AYALA: Catch up with Elaine’s podcast ¡Nosotros! on YouTube That now includes Google and Hispanic Heritage Month from its website and mobile app They’re afraid of the wrath that is the Trump administration Google Maps and Apple also changed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America per President Donald Trump’s order to the U.S This comes as the Justice Department filed a brief arguing that Native Americans aren’t U.S. citizens and thus not eligible to vote in federal elections It’s a move that follows that of the Trump administration to remove birthright citizenship On the saner side of U.S. society stand organizations like the Latina Leadership Institute a San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce program The leadership program is marking its 10th year by selecting a new cohort of aspiring Latina leaders who plan to serve the nation by resisting Like other leadership institutes around the country LLI prepares its graduates to run for and serve on school boards non-partisan and doesn’t endorse candidates But it introduces participants to women  leaders from all walks of political life LLI was the brainchild of three San Antonians: former Democratic Texas Sen former Republican Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade LLI can point to the elections of two city San Antonio councilwomen — Melissa Cabello Havrda and Sukh Kaur — and Councilwoman Bea Ximenez-Marroquin of Floresville ELAINE AYALA: A new form of PTSD: President Trump Stress Disorder LLI’s 300 graduates also include Heather Eichling founder of Youth Do Vote; members of Texas Energy Poverty Research Center; the Latina Power Network; Planned Parenthood and the American Red Cross; a swath of judges three Texas gubernatorial appointees; and more than 25 appointees to city and local boards Many of its alums have managed or worked on political campaigns as leaders on the state and federal level undo decades of advances in diversity yet LLI describes its impact as “transformative” on the individual level an assistant vice president of WSP USA and now a first-generation law student at St Even as Latinas’ numbers remain low in state and national leadership levels They work toward days when they will see their numbers rise amid the shards of shattered glass ceilings but they’re at work on small and large acts of resistance in defiance against the far right’s opposition to DEI because joy — as poet Tori Derricotte wrote — is an act of resistance Elaine AyalaMetro ColumnistA newspaper journalist for almost 40 years, Elaine Ayala has held a variety of journalism jobs, including news reporter, features editor, blogger and editorial page editor. You can reach her at eayala@express-news.net. She covers San Antonio and Bexar County with a special focus on communities of color, demographic change, Latino politics, migration, education and arts and culture. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More SAN ANTONIO — On April 3, Leticia Van de Putte, a former Texas state senator from San Antonio, was badly injured in an auto-pedestrian crash in Orlando She currently recovering at University Hospital in San Antonio and on Wednesday posted an update on Facebook “After being transferred to our own University Hospital Trauma and Surgical ICU “Today I begin a new phase of recovery leaving the amazing Reeves Rehabilitation Unit at University Hospital and entering the Remington Transitional Care Facility here in San Antonio.” represented the 26th District in the Texas Senate from 1999-2015 She additionally was a member of the Texas House from 1991-1999 she was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor but lost in the general election to current lieutenant governor Dan Patrick I will tell you about my experience…because I am blessed beyond any words I can describe State Senator Leticia Van de Putte arrived at the Capitol in the final moments of Senator Wendy Davis’s filibuster against an anti-abortion bill on June 25 Van de Putte had planned the procedure along with Davis and other Democrats in the Texas Senate but her father’s unexpected death had taken her to San Antonio right before it actually began But even after burying her father earlier that day Van de Putte knew that she needed to be in Austin to support her colleagues after Senate Republicans had ended Davis’s filibuster due to what they considered rule violations Van de Putte posed her now-famous question to the chamber: “At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over the male colleagues in the room?” Her query set off a round of cheers from supporters of the filibuster who had gathered in the gallery The wall of noise made it impossible for the Senate to vote on the bill before the midnight deadline a proposed biopic about Davis’s life and the filibuster When the misattribution of the famous quote became public after news outlets acquired the script last week “In Hollywood there is a bias and Latinas get the roles as maids and caretakers or villains or criminals And this was neither,” Van de Putte says “This was a state senator who came back and expressed her feelings at that particular moment which set off the people being able to finish that filibuster not the senators on the floor: the people ended that filibuster.” Mario Carrea [sic] is incredibly talented committed to telling our story authentically has a history working in politics for a strong woman He has already incorporated my suggested change that Leticia’s character as it should be!” Davis also told Van de Putte in a text message that she told Correa to give the statement back to her character “I trust what Wendy says,” Van de Putte says “But it’s Hollywood.” She believes that Correa will work to accurately depict the filibuster but also understands why he gave Davis the line: The filibuster is the movie’s climax but the film tells the story of Davis’s life Misattribution of the line isn’t the only inaccuracy in the script It overemphasizes Davis’s role leading up to the filibuster portraying the senator as convincing reluctant Democrats to filibuster Van de Putte says that though Davis had offered to filibuster Van de Putte recalls that they hadn’t yet settled on who would speak although the team recognized the significance of a woman standing up against the anti-abortion bill When her father was killed in a car accident four days before the end of the legislative session Van de Putte took herself out of consideration for the filibuster As she left the Capitol on Friday to drive to San Antonio to bury her father and let him know that she could not be the one to speak I won’t be back,’” Van de Putte recalls But at the reception after her father’s funeral Van de Putte saw a photo of him at the Capitol in a slideshow Reminded of how her father had stood up for her Van de Putte realized she had to return to the Capitol and stand up for the women who would be affected by the anti-abortion bill She says her father would have supported the filibuster in person as well he would have been there that night,” Van de Putte says He would have demanded to be there.” Upon arriving at the Capitol late that night “I didn’t have anything,” she says I had nothing to pull from the well.” She says she spent nearly half an hour crying in the Senate lounge before several women encouraged her to get into the chamber and fight with her colleagues When Senator Donna Campbell raised a third rule violation against Davis ‘Well that’s odd,’” Van de Putte says “This is a bill about abortion facilities and regulations about facilities and process of abortion Wade was the monumental decision of the Supreme Court on abortion And I knew that I could argue that.” Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst encouraged her to “sit this one out” after her recent losses (She had buried her infant grandson a few weeks prior to her father’s death.) “That angered me to no end,” Van de Putte recalls “And I replied in very colorful language but you can’t inflict any more pain on me than I already have burying my grandson and my dad and I’m not going to lose this argument.’” Van de Putte successfully managed to reverse that rule violation, but Davis was eventually given a third and final violation for mentioning Texas’ 2011 law requiring sonograms before abortions After Davis’s filibuster ended around 10 p.m. Democrats rose to the mic in an attempt to continue delaying the vote until midnight But Van de Putte kept getting overlooked to speak It was anger—both at how her fellow legislators looked past her and how society overlooks women at large—that prompted her question “People have asked if I had planned to say that but I certainly didn’t plan to be ignored,” Van de Putte says “But what happened as I said those words was the sentiment of women all came bubbling up: It wasn’t just about that moment or that bill or reproductive rights.” For Van de Putte her frustration went beyond that moment and the anti-abortion bill reflecting her frustration with a legislative session where Governor Perry had vetoed an equal pay bill and the legislature had failed to expand Medicaid “It was about women and how we’re treated and how the issues that are important to us are not recognized,” says Van de Putte the cheering crowd overpowered the voices of the legislators in what became the “people’s filibuster,” creating a moment that Van de Putte describes as both a “triumphant and frightening” experience The cheers were so loud in the gallery and from the rotunda that the legislature came to a standstill and the Capitol building began to shake allowing her character to speak her question in the Let Her Speak script holds importance beyond historical accuracy she was not only fighting for what she considered to be women’s rights Van de Putte believes that to do justice to the story of the filibuster the movie must give credit to the women who made it happen that day: Davis and the thousands of women who cheered them on Women of Excellence Old-fashioned packets of Van Putte Seeds featured impressive watercolor renderings of the mature plant From a tiny seed … Van Putte Gardens celebrates 75 years of growth Bill Van Putte had been working for a seed company based in the city of Rochester but was becoming increasingly frustrated with how it was run “As my grandmother told the story,” Kyle Van Putte said as a staple of the Greece business community has blossomed into one of the largest garden centers and landscape contractors in Western New York and the Finger Lakes Bill and Grace Van Putte indeed had found a better way to do seeds gardening supplies and eventually landscaping “It’s all organic growth,” said Kyle Van Putte It’s also still very much an all-in-the-family operation Along with Kyle overseeing all facets of the operation as CEO and majority owner is a part owner and chief financial officer had run the business from the mid-1970s and into the 1990s And while Carl and Sue are no longer officially company officers they’re still on the property with great regularity “My mother and father still work part-time,” Kyle Van Putte said “A lot of the generational owners try to move the older generation out They offer a wealth of experience and knowledge that I can still lean on.” There are two sectors of the business: home and garden products If it’s a necessary or desired part of gardening then the Van Putte Gardens’ retail and operations center on North Avenue near Mill Road surely has it “And at the garden center we pride ourselves on great knowledge,” Kyle Van Putte said “If you have an insect on your shrub in August we’ll know exactly what to do and how to care for the shrub.” Landscaping is just as vital to the operation There are 17 crews and 35 trucks in the Van Putte fleet “We’re doing everything from planting one dogwood tree in grandmother’s front yard to a half-million-dollar apartment project,” Kyle Van Putte said if he could be working in the customer yards and on the patios “I’m involved in everything but my love and passion are working with homeowners to beautify their properties,” he said While the COVID-19 pandemic had a detrimental impact on many businesses Van Putte’s business has increased; and the trend has continued thanks to the record-low inventory on the residential real estate market “Curb appeal increases the value of your home,” Kyle Van Putte said people were re-investing in their properties As interest in home improvement and lawn and garden care has increased but Kyle would like them to think they’re at least members of the extended family “We try to make everybody feel like they’re part of the family we try to make everybody feel important,” he said “They do appreciate that it is a family-owned business and our culture is just that.” That culture is built on three fundamental principles “Inherently we’re a hard-working family,” Kyle said “I worked alongside my grandfather since I was 10 hoeing fields of arborvitae “We’re honored that we’ve been able to be part of this and that our relationship with the community is so strong.” [email protected]/(585) 653-4020 an organic vegetable farm in West Bloomfield Applications for the seventh annual Grow-NY food beverage and agriculture business competition are now being [...] recently acquired Phelps Supply in the Ontario County village of Phel[...] Industry experts say they are concerned about the fate of the Farm Bill and how the agriculture industry will [...] Two Batavia-area startups focused on innovation within the agriculture and food supply chain sectors were winn[...] Three Rochester area startups will compete this week for the $1 million top prize in the 2024 Grow-NY competit[...] Sign up for your daily digest of Rochester News Many employees feel unseen despite recognition programs Learn how to create a culture where all voices are heard and valued [...] Busy executives benefit from personal training to build strength Former NBA player John Wallace promotes mental health awareness through advocacy and community events rooted [...] Nearshoring and reshoring are reshaping U.S the leading source of business news and information in Rochester which covers law and real estate in Western New York one of the country’s leading business-to-business media companies with more than 40 print and digital publications in more than 25 U.S Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions Click here for information about plaques permissions and reprints of previous editions a former Texas state senator from San Antonio was badly injured Sunday in an auto-pedestrian crash in Orlando She was the pedestrian in the crash and is being treated in a Florida hospital “Yesterday, my wife Leticia was involved in a motor vehicle/pedestrian accident in Florida. She was the pedestrian. She suffered multiple injuries but is currently in stable condition,” Pete Van de Putte wrote in a Facebook post “We ask that you keep her and her family in your prayers represented the 26th District in the Texas Senate from 1999-2015 As major retailers abandoned sales of Confederate flag merchandise in the wake of the South Carolina church massacre, Pete Van de Putte — owner of Dixie Flag Manufacturing Company and husband of former state Sen. and San Antonio mayoral candidate Leticia Van de Putte — eventually decided Tuesday that his company will stop selling the Civil War flag Van de Putte said he had no plans to stop manufacturing the Confederate banner. Later in the day "We've decided as an industry we don't need to fuel this fire Van de Putte said Dixie Flag will remove the flags immediately from the San Antonio store and its website Van de Putte's wife ran unsuccessfully last year for lieutenant governor as a Democrat she narrowly lost the runoff for mayor of San Antonio a race in which her husband's flag-making store was briefly an issue The San Antonio Express-News reported the business had more than $100,000 in tax liens over the past five years an issue Pete Van de Putte said he fully resolved in the lead-up to the election Walmart and Sears have announced over the last few days that they will discontinue Confederate memorabilia as pressure mounts to remove the Confederate flag from South Carolina's Capitol following the murder of nine people at a historic black church in Charleston Yet sales of Confederate flags at Dixie Flag have jumped and the store sold about 25 flags in one day compared with usual sales of about four a week you might want to hang onto it because you won't be able to find one made in the U.S.," Van de Putte said Choose an amount or learn more about membership Leticia Van de Putte (left) and Texas Workforce Commissioner Esperanza “Hope” Andrade seek to recruit and increase the numbers of elected Latinas.San Antonio Express-NewsRobert E DaemmrichFormer Texas Senator and city mayoral candidate Leticia Van de Putte rallies San Antonio voters for the first Democratic Party Presidential debate at a viewing party held at Alamo Beer Hall on Tuesday Van de Putte was joined by several other local Democrats to rally their constituents for a debate between Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton (Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News)Kin Man Hui Staff / San Antonio Express-NewsFormer Secretary of State Hope Andrade addresses the crowd gathered for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott at Aldaco's Sunset Station on primary election night Abbott is scheduled to speak around 9 p.m.San Antonio Express-NewsFormer state Sen Leticia Van de Putte has declared her support of Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.Carolyn Van Houten /San Antonio Express-NewsFormer state Sen Leticia Van de Putte and former Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade are joining forces in a high-powered consulting firm that should shake up the state Capitol The new San Antonio-based firm will concentrate on connecting business clients with government officials and Van de Putte's activities likely will include some lobbying work in Austin (Andrade will maintain a role as a "strategic adviser," but will refrain from lobbying to avoid a conflict of interest with her position as the board chair for VIA Metropolitan Transit.) which will be named Andrade VdP and Associates This alliance between two prominent Latinas from the West Side of San Antonio not only means that two of the state's most formidable Rolodexes are coming together their backgrounds — which include nearly 40 years of combined governmental experience — complement each other is a Republican with experience as an entrepreneur chair of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a Democrat who has worked as a pharmacist and devoted much of her 24 years in the state Legislature to addressing health care She was the 2014 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor "I think we're going to be very nimble and flexible and offer a full array of services to people," Van de Putte said Andrade added: "You get to a stage in your life that you know what you're good at and you know what you enjoy and one of the things that we both enjoy is connecting people What I've done in my state positions is to help government understand the private sector and now that I've been in government for the past 11 years I'm able to help the private sector understand government." The firm's emergence comes only five months after Van de Putte lost a heartbreaking mayoral runoff to Ivy Taylor in a caustic campaign that famously included Taylor's refusal to shake Van de Putte's hand at a Texas Public Radio forum Out of political office for the first time since 1990 and stung by her second electoral defeat in seven months Van de Putte took a long vacation with her husband and even out of the country to really work for people," she said "But I just could not bring myself to be away from my family in San Antonio And that's one of the reasons why I wanted to focus here and bring those skills here in San Antonio we have baby twins and that's where I've been spending a lot of time has about as much experience on the executive side And she was constantly approached in the last couple of months We both have grandchildren here that we're so very attached to Van de Putte and Andrade have known each other for 30 years and maintained a mutual-admiration society across the partisan divide When Andrade announced her resignation from the secretary of state's office in November 2012 Van de Putte described her as a "classy lady" who had done a "fabulous job" and served as a "beacon for openness." She even suggested that the GOP would be well-advised to run Andrade for statewide office they teamed up to speak at a "Leading Latinas" forum co-hosted by the Hispanic Chamber where they encouraged Latinas to become more politically engaged the decision to move into consulting/lobbying came with a personal acceptance that her long run as a political candidate has come to an end was the realization that I'm never going to put my name on a ballot again," Van de Putte said And I'm really pleased with it." A veteran San Antonio political operative said the Andrade-Van de Putte partnership has the potential to be a consequential player in Austin on major issues affecting the state in addition to proving lucrative for both of its founders "One of the things we're excited about is that we're going to be recruiting young talent," Andrade said "And we both hope that the firm outlives us." Gilbert GarciaEditorial Writer & ColumnistGilbert Garcia is a native of Brownsville with more than 20 years experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers. He can be reached at ggarcia@express-news.net A graduate of Harvard University, he has won awards for his reporting on music, sports, religion, and politics. He is the author of the 2012 book, "Reagan's Comeback: Four Weeks in Texas That Changed American Politics Forever," published by Trinity University Press. One of his feature stories also appeared in the national anthology, "Da Capo Best Music Writing 2001." *Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout Two weeks after losing her bid for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte on Wednesday night announced that she was running for mayor of San Antonio and would not finish her term at the Texas Capitol who first announced her candidacy to San Antonio news outlets, told The Texas Tribune that she was moving ahead with her decision to return to the Senate until she began receiving calls from political and community leaders asking her to run for the city’s top office instead “I was ready for the new challenges and ready to work with our new lieutenant governor and my colleagues just like I always have,” Van de Putte said “I’m going to terribly miss that but I’m answering the call and the outcry to come home and to continue my public service in the city of San Antonio.” On Thursday, she is expected to send a letter to Gov. Rick Perry declaring her intent to resign giving Perry the ability to call a special election To ensure Democrats don't have one fewer Senate member when the legislative session begins on Jan Van de Putte intends to only vacate her seat once the special election's winner is sworn in.  Republican Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick who handedly defeated Van de Putte this month could try to remove the chamber’s requirement that a two-thirds majority agree to bring legislation to the floor. Democrats currently hold 11 seats in the 31-member body If Van de Putte vacates her seat before it is filled the Democrats would be unable to block legislation if all members voted on party lines In the mayoral race, Van de Putte will face state Rep. Mike Villarreal, who announced his candidacy in May after Julián Castro left the office to become the U.S secretary of housing and urban development Van de Putte and Villarreal are both longtime members of the Texas Legislature who have been politically intertwined since Van de Putte set her eyes on moving to the Senate after nine years as a state representative. That’s when Villarreal succeeded her in that House seat, though she backed his opponent in the race Van de Putte’s entry into the mayoral race has been rumored for some time. She was previously mentioned as a possible candidate for the mayor’s office saying during the summer that she would run for mayor “under no circumstance.” “When asked some time this summer would I consider I was so focused… on the position of lieutenant governor and winning that race that I said It’s not entering in my mind’,” Van de Putte said “I didn’t even think about it.” After speculation about her future political ambitions resurfaced last week Villarreal said he was expecting to pick up an opponent in the race “We knew this wouldn’t be a cakewalk. Running to be mayor of the seventh-largest city in the country is not a coronation, and it shouldn’t be,” Villarreal said, adding that Van de Putte reached out to him earlier this month before publicly acknowledging that she was being mentioned as a potential candidate for mayor Van de Putte said she hadn’t spoken with him since then adding that his candidacy was not a factor in her decision The Van Putte family has been farming in Greece for more than a century but the business bearing their name came about shortly after World War II ended Willard and Grace Van Putte founded what became Van Putte Gardens in 1948 was a “truck farmer,” who sold crops in Rochester “The business started as a seed-packaging business a grandson of Willard and Grace who now runs the company with his sister Van Putte Gardens has grown significantly over the years The North Avenue garden shop now has 80 employees during the peak season offers landscaping and snow-removal services and sells everything from trees and shrubs to perennials and annuals to mulch “It’s truly a family venture,” Kyle Van Putte said “I’ve worked here since I was 6 or 7 years old.” Van Putte Gardens has grown along with the Greece community where it resides with Greece exploding in population largely because of Eastman Kodak Co. Van Putte expanded its retail shop and landscape business took over the business in 1976 with his wife Kyle and his sister assumed the reins in 2012 with Kyle as majority owner The property includes 17 acres and an acre of “greenhouse range” which encompasses 14 greenhouses where vegetable and flowering plants are grown poinsettias and the like are added during the holiday season Close to half of the employees work in the landscaping end of the business businesses and apartment complexes and doing some residential jobs Van Putte Gardens has a fleet of 26 trucks The store has close to 10,000 square feet of retail space but understandably “shrinks down” in the winter The area may have been built up since the early days of Van Putte Gardens particularly with a housing-subdivision boom in the 1980s “The Latta/Long Pond (roads) area is very commercial but there are a lot of homes around here.” Lest you think garden shops do nothing in the cold weather January is the month for strategic planning so “We can hit the ground running in spring.” Wintertime also is the time for repairs and maintenance “We don’t ever really close down,” he added Maintaining a “convenient and comfortable experience” for customers is key and that includes keeping an eye on online retailers like Amazon You might wonder who would buy their plants and trees online instead of in person “People who fall asleep at the wheel are the ones that get beat.” Alan Morrell is a Rochester-based freelance writer family-run businesses are big contributors to our region’s economy — and identity Meet some of the families who for generations have put their hearts and souls (and a lot of their time) into serving the community at restaurants Do you have a multi-generational family business you’re proud of Email us at cbenjami@DemocratandChronicle.com As promised, state Sen. Leticia Van De Putte said on Friday that she would make a formal annoncement about her future plans in an email sent to supporters who is expected to run for lieutenant governor nothing is more important to me than my family and the great state of Texas," Van De Putte wrote in the email "I understand that the future prosperity of Texas families is dependent upon the path we choose to take today reflection and discussion with my family and friends Sources close to state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, say she is poised to make an announcement on her political future on Friday. But the likely Democratic contender for lieutenant governor is expected to do what gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis did: reveal a future date for a formal announcement “I can't think of somebody who would be a better lieutenant governor for Texas," Democratic consultant Glenn Smith said the deep care she has for Texas and its future I mean she’d be darn near perfect.” Van de Putte's formal campaign kickoff is expected to be Nov In a September interview with The Texas Tribune "it’s not just because I want to help out the team." “If I put my name on the ballot," she added "I would only do that if I was convinced that there is a way to win It’s just not in my nature to do something just to place or show.” Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that state Sen was approached about seeking the lieutenant governor’s seat he had been approached about the position of attorney general.  Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here Election season may not be over just yet in San Antonio, where a game of legislative musical chairs could begin if state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte launches a bid for mayor A day after Van de Putte seemed to leave the door open for a mayoral bid, state Reps. Trey Martinez Fischer and José Menéndez both said Monday they'll consider running for Van de Putte’s Texas Senate seat if she steps down “I definitely am seriously considering that possibility,” Menéndez told The Texas Tribune emphasizing that Van de Putte’s departure was still a hypothetical if she chose to go into a different situation said he shares Van de Putte’s interest in helping veterans noting that he chairs the House Defense and Veterans’ Affairs Committee which “mirrors” Van de Putte’s leadership of the Senate's veterans affairs committee Martinez Fischer, also elected in 2000, hinted in a Twitter post Sunday night that a Senate run was on his radar He confirmed that interest in a statement early Monday "If Senator Van de Putte chooses to continue her service to our community by entering the race for San Antonio Mayor I will give serious consideration to asking the voters of Senate District 26 to allow me to be their voice in the Senate,” Martinez Fischer said Martinez Fischer, a Democratic firebrand appeared at many of Van de Putte's events during her unsuccessful campaign for lieutenant governor The speculation about Van de Putte's political ambition comes on the heels of her loss to Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick, who will preside over the Senate when the Legislature convenes in January Van de Putte said on Sunday that she has received calls from business and community leaders asking her to “play a new role” as mayor of her hometown but she clarified in a statement that she had not made a decision I am enjoying my family and praying for guidance,” she said Van de Putte, who has two years left in her term, was previously mentioned as a possible candidate for the mayor’s office but she quickly sought to quiet those rumors “Under no circumstance will I be running for mayor of San Antonio. I will be in the Senate come January 2015,” Van de Putte said at the time If Van de Putte does run for mayor, she will be facing another state legislator. State Rep. Mike Villarreal has been setting up his mayoral campaign since May after Julián Castro left the office to become U.S Secretary of Housing and Urban Development San Antonio Councilwoman Ivy Taylor was appointed mayor after that but has since said she is not running for office next year Last week, Villarreal resigned his seat in the next legislative session in a letter sent to Gov. Rick Perry in hopes that Perry would call a special election to fill his seat as early as December.  SAN ANTONIO — Former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte is set to face San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor in a runoff for the city's top job.  With 95 percent of all precincts reporting late Saturday, Van de Putte led Taylor 31 percent to 28 percent, according to unofficial returns. Former state Rep. Mike Villarreal trailed in third at 26 percent and former Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson in fourth at 10 percent With 14 declared candidates — four considered runoff prospects — the chance of an outright victory seemed slim Saturday with early voting taking place from June 1-9.  because what this means is we're doing to work even harder to convince those who may not have cast a ballot to trust Leticia to believe in her vision in this city," Van de Putte said shortly after 10 p.m. surrounded by her family as confetti lingered in the air at her campaign headquarters on San Antonio's West Side Taylor told supporters at her election night party she was ready for a runoff "We can't rest on our laurels because we've got some work to do to get to June 13," she said shortly after Adkisson and Villarreal conceded The four major candidates were seen as Democrats It was the first step in determining who would permanently replace Julián Castro who resigned as mayor last year to become President Obama's secretary of housing and urban development The results mark a reversal of fortune for Van de Putte, who just months ago was trounced in the lieutenant governor's race by Republican Dan Patrick. Talking to reporters late Saturday she said speaking with voters across the state last year drew her even closer to San Antonio "It gave me a greater appreciation of my own hometown," Van de Putte said "You never know what life has in store for you but I know I'm so thrilled — I'm grateful — to be here at this particular moment." Van de Putte also offered a preview of her runoff argument against Taylor saying there is a "stark difference in leadership — the ability to really tackle the tough problems." Van de Putte acknowledged she does not have the same experience in municipal government that Taylor has but she said she cited her time at the Capitol as proof she can nonetheless bring people together and find solutions to big problems.  Both Van de Putte and Taylor had initially denied interest in the race While campaigning last year for lieutenant governor Van de Putte swore she was not laying the groundwork for a mayoral bid And Taylor won the interim job partly by assuring her City Council colleagues she would not seek a full term this year.  significantly narrowing Villarreal's path to victory He declared his candidacy in May of last year — shortly after Castro left office — and Villarreal quit the House in November to focus full-time on his campaign.  The San Antonio mayoral race was the marquee contest among many municipal elections across the state Saturday.  Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings was projected to easily win a second term He led long-shot challenger Marcos Ronquillo by more than 46 points with nearly all precincts reporting Leticia Van de Putte will run for mayor of her hometown of San Antonio she confirmed Wednesday night. Her action creates another vacancy in the San Antonio legislative delegation and will likely spur a contest among Democrats to move up a rung and take the Senate seat held by Van de Putte since 1999 The Tribune's Alexa Ura wrote [Van de Putte] is expected to send a letter to Gov. Rick Perry declaring her intent to resign Van de Putte intends to only vacate her seat once the special election's winner is sworn in." Van de Putte's entry into the mayoral race had long been expected and it most directly affects the plans of state Rep who is resigning his seat in the next Legislature in order to run full-time for mayor The San Antonio Express-News' Josh Baugh and John W. Gonzalez wrote "Due in part to the speculation that [Van de Putte] would enter the race big names in local politics have been wary of signing onto Villarreal’s bid which began even before the council had settled on a temporary successor to [Julián] Castro and from the stage at Villarreal’s kickoff event is the majority of his colleagues from the Bexar County delegation a single former mayor or leader from the pinnacle of the local business community." Van de Putte's Senate seat was not up for election this year and she instead ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Special elections now loom for both her Senate seat and Villarreal's House seat Ura wrote Trey Martinez Fischer and José Menéndez both expressed interest last week in pursuing Van de Putte’s Senate seat if she were to step down San Antonio City Councilman Diego Bernal and public relations consultant Melissa Aguillon have both set their sights on Villarreal’s seat." Rick Perry is in West to take part in groundbreaking ceremonies to rebuild a gymnasium destroyed in the fertilizer explosion that devastated the town in April 2013 who will be joined by the Czech Republic's prime minister and ambassador to the U.S. For West Texas Job-Seekers, the Options are Endless DuPont Tragedy One of Many Toxic Gas Releases Report: EPA Power Plan Would Save Texas Water Texas to 'wind down' National Guard deployment Texas prepared to fight Obama’s immigration order Fresh surge of migrants possible if news stirs hope, some predict Education board seeks to end 'diversion' of textbook funds State investigator files whistleblower suit over CPS investigation, Austin American-Statesman Business group wants universities’ funding linked to graduation rates Conaway: Ready to work on next farm bill, immigration Retailers up the pressure on online sales tax Why Voter ID Laws Don’t Swing Many Elections “My framework for the decision didn’t have Mike Villarreal as a variable I’m not running against Mike — I’m running to be mayor.” — Newly minted San Antonio mayoral candidate Leticia Van de Putte on not telling her legislative colleague •    A Conversation With Reps. Myra Crownover, Tan Parker and Ron Simmons on Dec •    A Conversation With Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Dec •    The Texas Tribune Festival presents a one-day symposium previewing the 84th Legislature on Dec 5 at the Austin Community College Highland Campus in Austin •    A Panel Discussion on the Transformation of Medical Education in Texas 9 at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio as Republican lawmakers tried to defuse Democratic State Sen Wendy Davis’ 10 hour filibuster on abortion restrictions in Texas a fellow Senator named Leticia Van de Putte attempted to get the attention of the presiding officer “at what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over the male colleagues in the room?” The remark won Van De Putte some attention As calls from rank and file Democrats rose for Wendy Davis to run for governor many urged Van De Putte to pitch her hat into the ring for the No she did just that. Van De Putte is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor She’ll face the winner of the Republican primary in November A San Antonio pharmacist by trade and a veteran of the state house and senate (and a proud ‘abuela’ Van De Putte says her entry into politics was sparked by frustration with the status quo in Texas politics  In a wide ranging ‘get to know you’ conversation hosted by KUT’s Senior Political Correspondent Ben Philpott and Texas Standard host David Brown, Van De Putte talks about her San Antonio ties the state’s $14 billion ‘rainy day fund’ and womens’ reproductive rights We have invited all of the top candidates in the major statewide races to join us for these conversations and we’ll continue to share excerpts on the air along with extended versions here at KUT.org  The last day for early voting in the primaries is Friday ©2024 Texas Standard. A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us Reeve, Evan, Ross and Emily talk about the anticipated entry of state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte into the lieutenant governor's race and the recent uproar over a planned and quickly canceled game of "catch an illegal immigrant.  Editor's Note: This story has been updated throughout SAN ANTONIO — Long rumored to be a contender, state Sen. Leticia Van De Putte has now made it official: She is running for lieutenant governor "I want to be your lieutenant governor because Mama ain't happy — because Texas we can do better," Van de Putte said in a roughly 25-minute speech Saturday that touched heavily on the importance of family in her life On stage in a San Antonio College gymnasium where her campaign estimated about 500 supporters gathered, the six-term Democratic senator did not shy from attacking the state’s Republican leadership which she said had forgotten about mainstream Texans the governor's been too busy trying to be president and for years the lieutenant governor's been trying to be in the U.S Senate — nobody's been minding the store," Van de Putte said "We cannot afford to keep kicking the can down the road because some Republicans are afraid of their primary voters."  A Democrat has not won a statewide election in Texas since 1994, and the last serious attempt the party made to field a competitive statewide ticket was in 2002. In 2010, the party nominated union leader Linda Chavez-Thompson And while Van de Putte has yet to start fundraising in earnest — and will have some time before the general election season begins to make up lost ground — she has not built up the same formidable campaign war chest as some of her colleagues during her time in the Senate showed she had about $300,000 in cash on hand Van de Putte said she knew her opponents would say the race wasn't winnable for a Democrat But she said she would be a leader who would not ignore the "real-life priorities" of mainstream Texas families to chase after the "the most extreme five percent of Texans who control Republican primary elections."  the state Legislature has underfunded public schools and transportation and has played politics while veterans went without health care Van de Putte also set up a sharp contrast between her position and that of the state's elected officials on social issues like equal pay and access to health care for women and the right to work without facing discrimination just because of "who you love." "I'll be the lieutenant governor who understands that fundamental rights and opportunities for women are not a pawn in some political game," she said Making note of the Republican Party's attempts to reach Hispanic voters she delivered a message to her audience first in English since I'm an actual Hispanic — you can't successfully fight for the Hispanic vote unless you successfully fight for Hispanic families," she said.  Van de Putte's decision to run for lieutenant governor follows a summer in which she was consumed by tragedy — first her infant grandson’s sudden death then her father’s fatal car accident She left her father’s burial on the day of the now-famous filibuster to get back to Austin to help Davis “I had nothing,” Van de Putte said of that day in an interview with the Tribune ahead of the announcement “I was at the bottom of an emotional well.” As Davis was deciding whether to enter the governor’s race “The last thing in our minds was what we were both going to do politically,” she said how do you fill the hole in your heart?” Van de Putte’s friends and colleagues kept suggesting that she run for lieutenant governor But inspired by her family’s resilience — and bolstered by polling that she said showed her name recognition was far better statewide than she’d known — she decided to make a run “My question to a lot of people was … is it doable I’m just a really competitive person,” she said Van de Putte said she checks a lot of key boxes: female a veterans advocate. A pharmacist by trade she served five terms in the Texas House before her election to the Senate in 1999 she has become known for her focus on public schools and veterans issues — two areas with bipartisan appeal.  “Leticia is an extremely well-respected member of the Legislature “I think she is a great advocate for the Democratic Party and for her district." despite her moderate roots on the Fort Worth City Council tends to rank among the most liberal lawmakers in the state Senate Van de Putte is better known as a centrist.  That could benefit her in a general election against a Republican opponent coming out of a primary competing for the party’s right-wing base the chairman of Rice University’s political science department “She's never been one of the most conservative Democrats but she certainly has the record of a centrist Democrat so it's much more difficult to paint her as an out-of-touch liberal,” said Jones Van de Putte had strong words for the way the GOP race for lieutenant governor has gone so far "They are just trying to out-extremist each other." the Patrick campaign had no comment on Van de Putte's candidacy. Staples used Van de Putte's announcement as an opportunity to attack the incumbent "Energized Texas Democrats are the result of the failed leadership of David Dewhurst," he said in a statement "By allowing Democrats to take over the Senate Dewhurst made a national hero out of Wendy Davis and inspired [President] Obama's Battleground Texas." Dewhurst himself has said he does not consider Van de Putte a threat "I’m not sure I’ll have to worry about her," he told reporters in Austin this week "But it’ll be a very interesting campaign to compare her pretty liberal views on growing the state of Texas and my views." The next stop for Van de Putte on Saturday afternoon was a campaign event with Davis in Austin But Van de Putte told the Tribune that while she expects her fundraising to overlap with Davis’ some she hopes to also draw support from national groups committed to electing Latinos to statewide office “I think at times we will probably be at some events together,” she said “I don’t think Leticia and Wendy are going to be holding hands at every event we’re at That’s not a useful allocation of time management." Both Van de Putte and Davis stepped into a phone bank Saturday afternoon full of volunteers for Battleground Texas and the state Democratic Party The two candidates didn't appear together long enough for photos Davis and Van de Putte spoke highly of each other and said they will regularly campaign jointly over the next 11 months "Both of us believe that the values of our Texas families who support strong public education access to higher education and taking care of our veterans are some of the most important values that we possess as a community," Davis said "And so you can expect that both of us will be talking about that on the campaign trail." veterans issues and jobs will be the focus of both campaigns "We have so much to be proud of," Davis said "but the Texas miracle is one that we need to keep going and the only way we'll keep that Texas miracle strong and hold to our promise to the people of Texas is to keep a strong education system so that we have a well-trained workforce." The women acknowledged the momentous nature of their run It is the first time two women have run at the top of a major party ticket in Texas "It is going to be rather historic," Van de Putte said "But there will be a great contrast I think with what most Texans will view with their future and what the same old trite ideas that we've gotten from our current leadership." Alana Rocha contributed reporting to this story Pete Van de Putte's business, Dixie Flag Manufacturing Co., had more than $100,000 in federal and state tax liens over the past five years, and until last week he owed $13,000 in Bexar County levies that were due in January. Even so, Pete Van de Putte doesn't believe his tax woes should ruin his wife's chances of becoming San Antonio mayor. She's battling Mayor Ivy Taylor in Saturday's runoff election. "If we still owed, if we weren't paying it, if we never made an effort," then his tax history should be campaign fodder, Pete Van de Putte said last week. "The only thing I can say is we're current with the IRS. Yes, we've owed them money, and yes, we've paid them," Van de Putte said. including ownership of a West Side pharmacy has been a central theme of her narrative as a candidate Rarely mentioned are her own financial adversities that led to litigation neither of the Van de Puttes' business records have been a major issue during the mayor's race."There's nothing there," Leticia Van de Putte said "they'd have used it already," she said For the complete report, visit expressnews.com. jgonzalez@express-news.netTwitter: @johnwgonzalez John W. GonzalezReporterJohn W Gonzalez is a reporter with the San Antonio Express-News But it was the way Van de Putte didn't announce it that provided encouragement to the 35 party activists in the Weston Centre conference room and fed the growing buzz that San Antonio's veteran state senator might have her name on a statewide ballot next year This is what we know: Van de Putte is more amenable to a lite-guv campaign this time around than she was four years ago when Democratic leaders urged her to enter the fray and she turned them down One reason the idea looks better to her now is that all six of her kids have graduated from college “are on someone else's health care plan.” The other obvious difference is the political phenomenon that Wendy Davis Van de Putte's friend and Senate colleague has become since she filibustered for 11 hours on the Senate floor in opposition to a bill designed to restrict abortion access played a major role in the final moments of that drama returning to the Capitol from her father's funeral and uttering the instantly famous line (which has since been immortalized on an iPhone cover) “At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over the male colleagues in the room?” Van de Putte said she plans to meet with Davis sometime this week and made it clear that she wouldn't entertain the thought of a statewide run without her friend at the top of the ticket “It has to be the right combination and a synergy,” Van de Putte told me after her speech “It's got to be a cumulative strength.” and Davis has already demonstrated that her social-media celebrity status can be converted into fundraising dollars Last month, local attorney Pat Maloney hosted a reception at his home for Davis shortly before the Fort Worth senator's appearance at a La Villita gathering The reception was thrown together at the last minute and Maloney said he expected no more than a dozen people to make it nearly 75 shakers showed up and — without being solicited for contributions — donated more than $50,000 Van de Putte would benefit from that fundraising muscle. It's a crucial point because politicos view the funding floor for a credible lite-guv campaign at about $12 million, and the Democrats' 2010 nominee, labor organizer Linda Chavez-Thompson spent countless hours making fundraising pitches on the phone but raised less than $1 million Any Democrat running statewide in 2014 will face an uphill battle but a case could be made that Van de Putte is better positioned than Davis will emerge from the GOP field in the lieutenant governor's race Van de Putte also has a résumé with bipartisan appeal emphasized the importance of preventative health care and become something of an authority on technology issues As a pharmacy owner who once lobbied lawmakers on behalf of her industry she also knows how to speak the language of the business community as a Latina who grew up on the West Side of San Antonio she offers at least the hope that Democrats can light a fire with a crucial part of their base next year Part of the plan for a Democratic turnaround involves candidates willing to risk personal defeat for the sake of the party's long-term growth It's a sacrifice that Van de Putte is not willing to make “I don't do anything to just place or show,” she said, in response to a plea from Alex Chaperon, an intern for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett The entry of Leticia Van de Putte into the race for lieutenant governor will be closely watched for its impact on Hispanic turnout Democrats have been waiting for the Hispanic vote to start influencing Texas elections in a big way Exactly why the Hispanic vote hasn’t matured remains a mystery A big Hispanic turnout was supposed to boost the Democrats’ multicultural “Dream Team” ticket in 2002 and Rick Perry easily defeated Democratic nominee Tony Sanchez to win the race for governor The Hispanic vote has not been a factor in any subsequent election I have a high regard for Van de Putte as a politician, who earned a spot on this year’s Ten Best legislators list She’ll work with the other side — and did so during the regular session when she joined forces with Rick Perry to push for more rigor in House Bill 5 She’ll be an asset to Wendy Davis on the Democratic ticket and she’ll be a worthy opponent for whoever wins the Republican primary.One of the problems for Democrats is that in counties with large Hispanic populations the races that motivate are those for local positions — city councils,  school boards The elections frequently come down to a battle of one prominent family against another The winner gains power and something else that is very important in areas that suffer from poverty: good-paying jobs Another issue for Democrats is that the Hispanic vote is by no means unilaterally Democratic Republican candidates such as John Cornyn and Rick Perry have always been able to count on a third or so of the Hispanic vote A lot of Hispanic voters are small business operators who are traditional conservatives Hispanics emigrated to America from a country whose government seldom did things FOR people the degree of trust or belief in government and politicians was the culture of Mexican politics was transplanted to the Texas side of the border they have a chance to transform Texas politics But Democrats have been waiting for the so-called “brown wave” to roll over Texas for generations she will be a strong running mate for Davis and she can be a strong advocate for the Democratic ticket as well It’s still going to be an uphill battle Van de Putte sat in her Senate office at the State Capitol and gushed about her fondness for the legislative process "I’ve had to get better at the politics I wasn’t real good at the politics at the beginning.” Van de Putte has proven her political acumen over 24 years in the Texas Legislature Until her recent blowout defeat to Dan Patrick in the lieutenant governor’s race she had a spotless 10-0 record as a candidate and she has never registered less than 80 percent of the vote in any of her November re-election contests With her announced entry into the 2015 San Antonio mayoral race Van de Putte faces her greatest political challenge It won't match the physical or financial demands of a 2014 statewide race in which she was swimming against a powerful Republican tide — as well as two decades of relentless failure by her fellow Texas Democrats this race will be challenging in a different way for the first time in her political career to convince voters that she's not merely a candidate on the rebound from a humbling defeat and seeking a consolation prize in the mayor’s office a group of Democratic senators who spent 45 days hiding out in New Mexico in a quorum-busting effort to block a controversial GOP-led redistricting plan But her mayoral contest with state Rep. Mike Villarreal (and whoever else decides to enter the race) will call upon Van de Putte to demonstrate that she’s motivated by a genuine desire to serve at the municipal level — a desire she never expressed before this week KSAT anchor Steve Spriester asked Van de Putte on Wednesday if it felt strange to hear herself proclaiming her candidacy for mayor Look for Villarreal to call that commitment into question During his Sunday campaign kickoff event at Maverick Park Villarreal emphasized that for the past six months he has “made leading our city as mayor my first Villarreal also seems determined to make nonpartisanship an issue in the campaign with some of his statements carrying the implication that Van de Putte would be a more divisive figure at City Hall “I look forward to protecting our city from the partisan fray that threatens to paralyze our state and national politics.” he posted a “here-is-why-we-will-win” message on Facebook stating that the mayor’s race “is about electing someone who can offer nonpartisan leadership so that we put San Antonio first.” That issue is thornier for him, at least partly because Villarreal also has stated that he hopes to carry on the legacy of former Mayor Julián Castro one of the most partisan mayors this city has ever produced Delivering the keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention is hardly a way to keep party politics out of the mayor’s office Villarreal’s clearest advantage is that he has a head start on Van de Putte and his methodical campaign has erased any doubts he really wants the job That’s a test Van de Putte will have to pass over the next six months How did a Brooklyn-born city planner who has never run for partisan office beat a nearly lifelong San Antonio Democrat in the race for the top job in the liberal-leaning Alamo City On Sunday, the day after Ivy Taylor narrowly defeated former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte for a full term as mayor of San Antonio answers to that question varied dramatically who played witness to her second high-profile loss in seven months were sounding the alarm that the outcome spelled more doom for Texas' beleaguered minority party.  "It ought to scare every Democrat in Bexar County," said Christian Archer "We keep putting the blinders over our eyes and saying it'll go away.' And it's not going away," added Archer "What's not happening is the kind of turnout that we need." was basking in the glow of a hard-fought victory it considers representative of a sea change in city politics.  "It's a new day in San Antonio," Taylor strategist Josh Robinson declared Sunday saying the election proved San Antonio is more of a "purple city" than most Democrats assume showed that the "old way of doing things didn't work anymore."  The outcome was also historic: Taylor became the first black person elected mayor in a city that is majority-Hispanic Van de Putte would have been the first Hispanic woman to win the job.  To be clear, Taylor — the interim mayor and former councilwoman — was never seen as a long shot. Van de Putte was never considered unbeatable either, though her homecoming was premised on the idea that the mayoral race would be less of a climb than the lieutenant governor’s contest she lost to Dan Patrick in a landslide last year was expected to come from a Republican-leaning coalition of voters looking to move the city further away from the era of her predecessor a period marked by an activist city government and bright national spotlight Van de Putte’s campaign worked hard to undermine that coalition The candidate zeroed in on a report that Taylor and her husband were unwilling to pursue charges after a shooting at his bail bonds business hoping to spook law-and-order voters backing Taylor Van de Putte trotted out endorsements from elected officials representing Taylor’s native East Side looking to cut into Taylor's most oft-cited base of Democratic support a mailer surfaced that cut straight to the chase calling Van de Putte the most conservative candidate in the race But none of it was enough to counteract Taylor’s crossover appeal anchored in the chorus that Van de Putte was a career politician simply on the hunt for her next job Both women had initially denied interest in the race but it was Van de Putte who did so while campaigning for lieutenant governor just two years after running for re-election to the Senate — a sequence Taylor's campaign was happy to point out "She didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up," Robinson said.  Van de Putte's campaign saw a "baked-in" number of voters who largely agreed with that kind of message — that she was a partisan Democrat. To overcome that built-in disadvantage the campaign figured it needed 40,000 to 45,000 votes to be cast on Election Day As results started coming in Saturday night her campaign was confident it could reach that goal and erase a roughly 5-point lead held by Taylor in early voting and with all precincts reporting by 11 p.m. the total number of ballots cast on Election Day stood at just over 33,000 By the time Van de Putte took the stage at her campaign's West Side headquarters it was clear the disappointing turnout was on her mind She mentioned the need to "improve our voting rates here in San Antonio," drawing loud applause Asked after her remarks how different the outcome would have been had more people shown up at the polls Van de Putte told reporters San Antonio voters have to "do really much better," particularly when it comes to turnout among young people.  we needed 3,000 Democrats to get off their asses and go vote and they didn’t," said Colin Strother a Democratic consultant who had worked for the fourth-place finisher in the first round of the race former Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson "And that’s the story of our life in Texas politics is that Democrats could elect anyone they wanted to any position — statewide you name it — if they would get off the couch and go vote But it was not just lower-than-expected turnout that hurt Van de Putte She was up against a woman who had galvanized the city's social conservatives through her opposition to a nondiscrimination ordinance in 2013 and the city's fiscal conservatives through her decision to effectively kill a plan to build a streetcar system downtown Led by Justin Hollis — the GOP strategist who engineered Will Hurd's successful challenge last year to U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego D-Alpine — Taylor's team insists her coalition was broader than one ideology or party But it was Republicans who were the most energized Sunday claiming a renewed ally in the seventh-largest city in the country — and a key gateway to politically ascendant South Texas.  "There's no doubt that Ivy has turned the era in San Antonio politics that we haven't seen in my lifetime," said Robert Stovall chairman of the Bexar County Republican Party "This is what Republicans are typically so happy to get which is good leadership and good government said Taylor's win was "delivered by the social conservatives Protestants and Catholics," groups encouraged to see she "doesn't leave her faith at the door when she goes into the mayor's office." More broadly he said her victory chips away at the presumption that big cities are hotbeds of solidly Democratic leadership Van de Putte's campaign had expected Republicans to factor prominently in the race though Archer said Sunday the campaign may have underestimated the extent of that support and they're working hard at making that happen." It was the type of possibility Van de Putte raised herself the same night state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer lost the runoff for her Senate seat who was defeated in February by then-House colleague José Menéndez had fallen in the crosshairs of Texans for Lawsuit Reform a powerful tort reform group that attacked him in an effort to drive up GOP turnout 'This could very well happen to me,'" Martinez Fischer recalled Yet he is not ready to draw broad conclusions about the fate of his hometown's Democratic Party While the mayoral race was "a little bit of deja vu all over again," he said it provides a moment for reflection but this isn’t the end of the world for Bexar County Democratic politics," Martinez Fischer said "I will measure the future of the political party during a partisan race but it was a clear example of voters needing to be a little more informed about candidates who hold themselves out as Democrats but run with Republicans."  Now social conservatives are looking to Taylor to see how her outreach to them translates into a full term at City Hall Taylor thanked God and wasted no time reminding supporters her work begins Monday "The conservatives came together," Martinez said Sunday "and now we get to see how she governs with a victory under her belt versus an appointee It should be a very different mayor’s office." Just two weeks after a crushing defeat in the lieutenant governor 's race Van de Putte — who is credited with running a spirited statewide campaign — is expected to electrify the municipal election Texas Senator Leticia Van de Putte speaks with reporters about her decision to run for Mayor of San Antonio 2014.BOB OWEN/San Antonio Express-NewsTexas Senator Leticia Van de Putte speaks with reporters about her decision to run for Mayor of San Antonio 2014.BOB OWEN/San Antonio Express-NewsSenator Leticia Van de Putte 2014 at a rally in San Pedro Park launching a statewide "Vote Leticia Tour."For the San Antonio Express-NewsEva Longoria speaks Wednesday October 22 2014 during a rally held for Senator Leticia Van de Putte The rally is launching a statewide "Vote Leticia Tour."For the San Antonio Express-NewsSenator Leticia Van de Putte 2014 at a rally in San Pedro Park launching a statewide "Vote Leticia Tour."For the San Antonio Express-NewsSenator Leticia Van de Putte and her sister Annabelle Garcia after praying at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church at the begining of Election Day Gubernatorial Democratic candidate Leticia Van de Putte after they stopped to pray with family and friends at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church at the begining of Election Day where her grandmother worshipped years ago looks at one of the Loteria cards a student made for the fundraiser as Sen Leticia Van de Putte signs one of the art pieces Thursday 2014 during the Minority Advancement Project's annual shrimp boil at Heritage Park in Corpus Christi The gubernatorial candidate also stopped by the Nueces County Democratic Party headquarters to greet phone bank volunteers during her visit Michael Zamora)Michael Zamora/Associated PressState Sen Leticia Van de Putte cheers at a watch party Oct at the San Antonio Firefighters Banquet Hall as Wendy Davis announces her campaign for governor.Edward A Ornelas/San Antonio Express-NewsState Senator Leticia Van de Putte speaks to her supporters during her election night watch party at Sunset Station in San Antonio on Tuesday 2014.Lisa KrantzState Senator Leticia Van de Putte greets supporters including Rosette Davila a pharmacist at Davila Pharmacy where the Senator works during her election night watch party at Sunset Station in San Antonio on Tuesday 2014.Lisa KrantzState Senator Leticia Van de Putte embraces supporters during her election night watch party at Sunset Station in San Antonio on Tuesday 2014.Lisa KrantzState Senator Leticia Van de Putte and her husband acknowledge her supporters at the conclusion of her speech during her election night watch party at Sunset Station in San Antonio on Tuesday 2014.Lisa KrantzState Senator Leticia Van de Putte speaks to her supporters during her election night watch party at Sunset Station in San Antonio on Tuesday listens to State Senator Leticia Van de Putte speak during her election night watch party at Sunset Station in San Antonio on Tuesday 2014.Lisa KrantzState Senator Leticia Van de Putte holds up a painting of herself by Maria Anita Monsivaiz in a lieutenant governor debate.Associated Press / File photoTexas Lieutenant Governor hopeful state Sen answers a question during a televised debate with state Sen Texas.Eric Gay/APTexas Lieutenant Governor hopefuls state Sen shake hands following their televised debate Pool)Eric Gay/Associated PressState Senator and Lt Governor candidate Leticia Van de Putte is embraced after her emotional speech during the Annie's List annual luncheon at the Marriott Rivercenter on Friday Van de Putte became emotional speaking about one of her best friends who was the Executive Director of Annie's List when she was killed in a car accident a few months ago.San Antonio Express-NewsVoters including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Leticia Van de Putte and supporters gather at Lions Field in San Antono to cast early ballots Monday morning.Photos by John W gather at Lions Field in San Antonio to cast early ballots Monday morning.John W Gonzalez/San Antonio Express-NewsPhoto By Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-NewsState Sen D-San Antonio beams during a press conference at Mi Tierra during her unopposed run for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor on Tuesday (Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News)Democratic candidate Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio mostly avoided attacking Patrick at the event though she said Republicans are using immigration “politics of fear.”Photos by Rodolfo Gonzalez / Austin American-StatesmanDemocrat Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio has spent the past 31/2 months trying to draw attention to her underdog quest for the lieutenant governor's office.San Antonio Express-News / File photoTexas state senator and Lt Governor candidate Leticia Van de Putte speaks furin g the Voto Latino Power Summit Conference at the downtown UTSA campus Saturday morning.For the San Antonio Express-NewsEven during the lieutenant governor's race there had been growing speculation that she would enter the San Antonio fray she had said she was "praying for guidance" about whether to tackle a mayoral race a third-generation San Antonian and West Side Democrat told the San Antonio Express-News on Wednesday that since entering elected office in 1990 she has fought for the people of San Antonio "I think any leader has to have a basis of a character and of that makeup that makes them strong — and not strong physically and maybe not strong emotionally but strong in the sense of commitment — and for me that strength comes from a faith and family," she said in an interview at the newspaper "And so the decision that our family has made and that I want is to be the next mayor of San Antonio." State Rep. Mike Villarreal rolled out his campaign in the wake of then-Mayor Julián Castro's announcement this summer that he'd become secretary of Housing and Urban development "Six months ago when I learned that the mayor's office would be open I made running for the seat my first and highest and only commitment," he said Villarreal said Van de Putte's entry into the race gives him no pause it kills his chances of sailing easily into the office Van de Putte's entering the mayor's race wasn't unlike her decision to make a long-shot bid for lieutenant governor — a race she lost Nov After months of speculation and public pressure, Van de Putte entered that race, becoming the Democratic nominee who'd eventually challenge — and lose to — state Sen. Dan Patrick Soon after Castro announced that he would leave office early Van de Putte's name began circulating here as a potential mayoral candidate But in the midst of a major statewide campaign though it did little to stave off continued speculation that she ultimately would enter the local race Since losing her bid for lieutenant governor Van de Putte said she's received a number of phone calls asking her to reconsider "Since that first week in November," she said "I have received so many calls from current council members all asking me to reconsider my venue of public service and to run for mayor." Due in part to the speculation that she would enter the race big names in local politics have been wary of signing onto Villarreal's bid which began even before the council had settled on a temporary successor to Castro Villarreal's campaign kickoff event included an odd assortment of local dignitaries, including a neighborhood activist, a couple former school district superintendents and former Express-News columnist Roddy Stinson His campaign website includes testimonials from U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro a state lawmaker who lost his seat this month and state Sen Absent from the list is the majority of his colleagues from the Bexar County delegation or a single former mayor His campaign supporters do include some high-profile members of the business community including former San Antonio Chamber of Commerce chairmen Carri Baker Wells and Mike Beldon Van de Putte's decision is likely to convince others not to enter the mayor's race potential Republican candidates because neither Van de Putte nor Villarreal offers a conservative choice Van de Putte said she planned to let Mayor Ivy Taylor know of her decision but had no plans to inform Villarreal "My framework for the decision didn't have Mike Villarreal as a variable," she said "I'm not running against Mike — I'm running to be mayor." Van de Putte said she intends to ask Gov. Rick Perry call a special election for her seat which she will hold until a successor is elected Her decision shakes up the Democratic landscape, setting off a scramble for the District 26 Texas Senate seat she's held since 1999 Martinez Fischer, a longtime ally of Van de Putte, has represented District 116 since 2001. The outspoken chairman of the Mexican America Legislative Caucus would be a leading contender to replace Van de Putte Martinez Fischer issued a statement Thursday morning saying he has the backing of the Bexar County Democratic delegation Van de Putte: From pharamacist to political powerhouse Villarreal says he's running for mayor Villarreal leaving the Legislature to focus on mayor's race Friction between mayoral rivals has been brewing for 15 years Josh BaughSenior Reporter | San Antonio Express-NewsAfter 10 years covering City Hall for the San Antonio Express-News, Baugh moved into the environment beat in February 2019. A native of the Alamo City, Baugh was hired as a suburban-cities reporter at his hometown newspaper in 2006. He began his newspaper career at the Denton Record-Chronicle while working on a master's degree in journalism at the University of North Texas and later covered Texas A&M University for The Eagle in College Station. He's covered various facets of government and politics ever since. Baugh has previously written about public housing, county government and transportation for the Express-News. John W. GonzalezReporterJohn W. Gonzalez is a reporter with the San Antonio Express-News. SAN ANTONIO — It's more a question of who than if.  With the crowded race for San Antonio mayor all but guaranteed to go to a runoff discussion as the Saturday election nears has increasingly centered on who can sneak into the final round along with former state Sen She's presumed to be holding the lead — if a slight one — among four serious contenders in the race set off by Julián Castro's departure last year to join President Obama's Cabinet The other three major candidates are former Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson Mike Villarreal and current Mayor Ivy Taylor who was picked by her City Council colleagues to finish Castro's term "Leticia's in front probably by a dime," said Kelton Morgan "The real fight right now is between Ivy Taylor and Mike for second place With dozens of debates — Villarreal counts more than 50 — and 14 declared candidates the top four contenders feigned attentiveness Wednesday night as a cowboy-hat-wearing perennial candidate named MamaBexar showed up — uninvited by one account — for one of the last forums.  Enlightening policy debates have been few and far between, according to election watchers. Some substance surfaced earlier this year amid the city's stalemate with the San Antonio Police Officers Association, though the issue seemed to dim once the union threw its support behind Van de Putte the race has devolved into a series of ethics allegations.  "The fact is all of them are playing very small ball and that's frankly disappointing — that none of them have real grand plans given the challenges the city's going to have to face," said Walt Wilson a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio Van de Putte and Villarreal are vying to tap into anxiety that the city's growth is leaving some people behind Villarreal acknowledged to a restive questioner that it sometimes feels like there are now two San Antonios we're growing like two cities — one north of [Interstate] 410 and one south of 410," he said With records as elected officials ranging from several years to decades all four contenders are leaning heavily on their resumes. "You have a lot of combined experience a community activist who attended the Wednesday forum.  Of the three candidates considered runoff prospects Villarreal considers himself unique in that he never concealed his interest in the mayor's office quitting the House in November to focus full-time on his campaign. Van de Putte swore she was not interested in the mayoral race while campaigning last year for lieutenant governor while Taylor won the interim appointment partly because she assured her City Council colleagues she would not seek a full term if they picked her to fill the opening.  "Some say it's just politics," Villarreal said of the reversals by Taylor and Van de Putte and that is a message that voters are attracted to setting a higher standard in city government 'How important is it to keep your word?' The average voter believes it's very important." Speaking with a likely voter while block-walking Thursday Pitching himself as the most "straightforward" candidate he reminded the voter he "didn't say I want to be lieutenant governor Despite her strong standing heading into Saturday some supporters urged her earlier this year to shake up her campaign which until then had been staffed by many of the same people who worked on her unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor she mostly cleaned house and hired a new campaign manager: Christian Archer a veteran strategist who helped engineer winning campaigns for former mayors Castro and Phil Hardberger Van de Putte drew fire after transferring about $300,000 from her statewide account to her mayoral campaign account The move raised questions about whether Van de Putte Villarreal filed an ethics complaint with the city and Van de Putte ultimately returned some of the cash campaign finance questions have again flared up More ethics complaints are flying over Villarreal's ties to a group airing ads against Van de Putte as well as Taylor's failure to report income stemming from her husband's business The bluster over the mundane world of campaign finance is unlikely to move voters according to political observers who have watched the steady stream of mini-scandals some are instead training their fascination on the unconventional coalition Taylor has the potential to build.  who hails from San Antonio's largely Democratic East Side has made some moves in her short tenure as mayor that have endeared her to unlikely political allies In one of the bolder examples — shortly after taking office — she effectively derailed the city's controversial plan for a downtown streetcar system.  Observers say her approach has contrasted with that of her predecessor who flipped San Antonio's weak-mayor form of government on its head to push a progressive agenda "There's a big sense all over the city that all of the momentum San Antonio has had — this city on the rise for the past eight 10 years — that the momentum came to a screeching halt the day she sat down in the mayor's chair," Morgan said Taylor's camp did not respond to requests for comment one of Taylor's biggest backers on the City Council Asked how he would describe her political views "Without question I think she has had a lot of appeal on this side of town," Gallagher said adding that Taylor has caught the attention of conservatives with her emphasis on the core functions of municipal government "Instead of having programs that are ego-driven instead we've watched her get back to the basics."  the candidates are bracing for low turnout in a city that has been fatigued by a seemingly endless series of elections since November of last year many triggered by mayoral hopefuls vacating their previous posts "My chief concern is getting our voters to the polls," Van de Putte said Wednesday "We know that we had only 5 percent of the registered voters show up to vote early Angling for that second spot in the runoff Villarreal did not let voters forget the stakes as he went door to door Thursday in a neighborhood in his old House district "It's going to be a close race," he told voters Disclosure: The University of Texas at San Antonio is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here “Under no circumstance will I be running for mayor of San Antonio I will be in the Senate come January 2015.” If she wins in November, she will preside over the state Senate starting in January. If she loses, she will return to her seat as a state senator, watching her Republican opponent, state Sen. Dan Patrick You cannot fault the political logic underlying the speculation — that’s why the paper was asking after all — but you can certainly fault the timing Van de Putte is trying to win a statewide race It is an uphill run: She is a Democrat in a Republican state a member of the same political party as a president who is not in favor with the state’s voters and a candidate who started with no political base outside of her hometown probably the most charismatic candidate on this year’s Democratic ticket and a perfect stylistic and ideological foil to Patrick a radio talk show host who is considered conservative even in a roomful of Republicans this would be the worst possible time to say so distract her supporters and make foes of the local political friends she needs for the lieutenant governor’s race was appointed to serve the rest of Castro’s term Taylor said at the time that she would not run for the office in 2015 which was apparently part of the attraction: Council members could vote for her without endorsing a candidate this early talk about Van de Putte could also sabotage a race for mayor in 2015 if it turns out that the senator is interested when her current race is over potential opponents could start lining up their support now while she is engaged in the statewide race And the lines of succession could get competitive and messy Senate seats like this do not come around very often who had been in the Texas House since 1991 joined the Senate after winning a special election in 1999 and has easily held the seat ever since San Antonio’s city council members serve limited terms that means the city produces a steady queue of ambitious politicians looking for their next elected office which is part of the logic behind the mayoral talk and also the reason those ambitious fresh faces are afraid to run against her They are free to imagine themselves rising in the political firmament, however, and the musical chairs began immediately. In the version that creates the highest number of political openings, Van de Putte runs for mayor and opens her seat in the Senate. People like state Rep. José Menéndez You can see why a candidate for lieutenant governor who for the next three months or so is going to be focused on just one thing If Van de Putte becomes lieutenant governor those San Antonio wannabes will still get their chance to line up for her office and other opportunities she might be happy in the Senate for another two years Or perhaps she will be ready for another challenge There is always that open election for mayor in May State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, on Thursday endorsed David Alameel for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican John Cornyn "I am proud to endorse David Alameel not only because he’s the only Democrat who can beat John Cornyn but because he will fight to hold Wall Street accountable ensure a quality education for all Texas children and protect Social Security and Medicare," Van de Putte said in a statement released by the Alameel campaign She also praised Alameel's military service and commitment to immigration reform Alameel is in a five-way Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat. Earlier this month, he picked up the endorsement of state Sen. Wendy Davis TOMS RIVER - The Lacey police officer whose speeding patrol car fatally struck a Toms River pedestrian in July while responding to a service call will not face criminal charges the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday There were no grounds for filing charges against Officer Andrew Slota in the death of 25-year-old Neil Van De Putte the office concluded following a nearly six-month investigation He was struck crossing Lacey Road with a friend in the early hours of July 5 Slota was responding to a reported disturbance involving two intoxicated men "horsing around" near a fence at the Oyster Creek Power Plant at the time of the crash He was driving his marked 2006 Ford Crown Victoria at a "high rate of speed" on the eastbound side of Lacey Road at 3:21 a.m veered off the road and crashed into a utility pole Slota had a green light at the time of the crash The car's emergency lights and siren were not activated "The Office of the Ocean County Prosecutor finds that there are no grounds for filing any criminal or motor vehicle charges against Officer Andrew Slota," Prosecutor Joseph D "The matter will now be referred to the Lacey Township Police Department so that Chief David Paprota may conduct his own internal review of the matter for any violations of departmental policy." The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office conducted a criminal review of the incident because it was a fatal crash  involving a Lacey officer Now that the prosecutor's office completed its investigation it is up to the Lacey Township Police Department to decide whether to investigate any policy violations Paprota said the department will conduct an internal investigation into whether any policies were violated said the family was disappointed by the decision She said there should be accountability for reckless behavior Yaar-Sharkey was told earlier that the patrol car was traveling 80 mph in a 45 mile per hour zone "High speed was not necessary," she said in an email "Traveling at least 35 miles over the speed limit But certainly traveling 80 miles per hour or more with no lights or siren is reckless Van De Putte was in his final year at Drew University he hoped to continue his studies at Columbia University the university board granted him a posthumous degree — the first in the institution's 148-year history His sister is expected to walk in his place at commencement this spring It is so difficult to lose a child," she said traumatic and violent way his life ended — it was just so unnecessary were heading home from a Fourth of July party when the crash occurred The report states that Van De Putte was intoxicated and crossed Lacey Road against a red light It also states that Dolphin saw the police vehicle coming and decided it wasn't safe to cross the roadway A motorist who witnessed the accident told authorities the officer was proceeding under the green traffic signal and that Mr said he started crossing Lacey Road just a few steps behind Van De Putte He walked back when he saw the patrol car "speeding"; Van De Putte didn't see the patrol car until it was too late He recalled seeing Van De Putte lunge forward to avoid the car before getting hit Authorities investigated forensic analysis of the crash surveillance footage from nearby businesses ambient lighting conditions and its relationship to pedestrian visibility at the time of the crash The report does not state whether county authorities or Lacey police have a policy regarding whether officers are required to activate their emergency lights and sirens while responding to a call When asked about the existence of such a policy spokesman Al Della Fave referred a Press reporter to the Lacey Township Police Department as every department has its own rules on such practices are forming a task force to examine officer-involved pedestrian crashes procedures and laws regarding the use of sirens and lights during calls They are still recruiting legal experts and people with law enforcement backgrounds to help offer a balanced perspective "We are very concerned that this tragedy will happen again," she said "We are aware that this happens much more than you would think." Steph Solis: 732-643-4043; ssolis@gannettnj.com When Wendy Davis and Leticia Van de Putte joined other Democrats in the Texas Senate chamber to stage the filibuster that briefly derailed abortion restrictions last summer, it was a united effort, even if the two played different roles. Davis stood atop the operation, placing her body between the bill and the governor’s signature. Van de Putte stood to the side Davis and Van de Putte may want the same thing very different styles and very different organizations backing them but it hopes to convince voters who might otherwise be happy with the status quo that Abbott can’t be trusted while relying on the former Obama staffers at Battleground Texas to help turn out the base Van de Putte is more comfortable rousing the Democratic base Her campaign’s efforts will be directed more toward driving turnout That’s partly because her campaign will be working with a fraction of the resources that Davis has—it’s cheaper to motivate voters to the polls than to win over halfhearted Republicans Those strategies might ordinarily complement each other except for the unusual way this year’s campaigns are structured which ties together a campaign team of veterans from past statewide efforts with the field work of Battleground Texas will need to continue to vacuum up millions of dollars to stay competitive with Abbott And though Battleground plans to support the Democratic ticket generally that money is mostly benefiting Davis—Battleground is looking for voters for her that more money for Davis’ operations means less for Van de Putte whose campaign reported just $1.16 millon on hand in the latest fundraising period because there’s a strong case to be made that Van de Putte has a more realistic path to victory than Davis does at this point in the campaign Patrick is a better opponent to run against Van de Putte has a better shot at driving up the Hispanic vote And though both Davis and Van de Putte have improved as campaigners since their launch How each candidate performs this fall could mean quite a bit If Davis significantly outperforms expectations it will validate her campaign team and Battleground’s efforts But if Van de Putte significantly outperforms Davis it could be seen as a rebuke to those same groups And if she comes closer to victory but still loses there will be a lot of consternation that Van de Putte didn’t get the resources she needed is a freelance journalist in Austin All of the Texas Observer’s articles are available for free syndication for news sources under the following conditions: You can chip in for as little as $3 a month Get our latest in-depth reporting straight to your inbox © 2021 The Texas Observer. 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