EL PASO, Texas (KTEP) - Josh Acevedo read out loud the results of votes from District 2 residents to supporters’ joy inside his home in a Central El Paso neighborhood.
Acevedo, an EPISD school board trustee, defeated attorney Veronica Carbajal in the District 2 special election runoff receiving 55 percent of votes cast in the race, according to unofficial final results from the El Paso County Elections Office.
A total 2,748 votes were tallied out of a field of 47,838 registered voters in the district - a nearly 6 percent total turnout.
“I have immense gratitude for all the voters. I am so thankful for them placing their trust in me,” Acevedo said. “I can’t wait to get to work on many of the issues we talked about at the doors.”
Acevedo and Carbajal received the most votes against their other opponents Judy Gutierrez and Ben Mendoza in a December election. Neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, which triggered a runoff election between Acevedo and Carbajal on Saturday.
Acevedo will finish outgoing city representative Alexsandra Annello’s term on the City Council, which ends in January 2025. Annello resigned to run for the state house district 77 seat, which is up for election this year.
Acevedo will have to run again in the November election to keep the seat.
He has his mind on hiring a city manager and advocating for his district during budget discussions at City Hall this year. He also said he will run for re-election.
“I want to make sure we hire a city manager that will be community oriented and ethical,” he said.
Just a mile away, Carbajal thanked her supporters at the Old Sheepdog Brewery in South-Central. She recalled the various issues voters talked to her about on the campaign trail including streets, dangerous conditions for pedestrians near roadways and the environmental concerns of residents living near the refinery on Trowbridge.
“We have elevated the conversation,” she said. “I do know that, tomorrow, we’re going to keep fighting.”
Carbajal also spoke out against large donations from developers and political action committees made to Acevedo. And, referred to efforts to change campaign finance rules that would limit contributions at the city.
“This campaign exemplifies why we need to hold fair elections,” she said.
Carbajal was the target of negative campaigning from a political action committee called El Paso Progress, run by Christopher Hernandez, according to finance reports. In total, the PAC spent $8,211 mainly on mailers and advertising during the special election.
The PAC received a $2,500 donation from JOBE Materials. The PAC’s reports also show a $500 contribution from Mary Karlsruher and a $150 donation from Gil Kimmelman during the election.
Carbajal’s criticism Saturday was also aimed at Acevedo for accepting nearly $11,000 from wealthy donors and PACs.
Acevedo said he’s served in an elected office for over four years and has had the trust of his constituents. He also pointed to his record as a trustee as an example of the work he will do for the city.
“My donors have never influenced any decision I’ve made,” he said. “I’ve probably made thousands of decisions for EPISD at this point.”
