Judith Zaffirini
Encyclopedia
Judith Zaffirini is a Democratic
member of the Texas State Senate representing the 21st District
, which includes her home city of Laredo
. On January 9, 2007, Zaffirini became the second in seniority in the 31-member Texas Senate, where she has served since 1987. Zaffirini has been named among the "Top 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States" by Hispanic Business
magazine, which has been published in California
since 1979.
William N. "Billy" Hall, Jr., in the Democratic primary runoff for state senator. She then defeated Republican
attorney and businessman Bennie Walter Bock of San Antonio
in the general election
.
Zaffirini has continued to defeat intraparty and interparty challengers in her Webb County
-based district. She was to have faced San Antonio attorney
Rene Barrientos (born January 25, 1954), in the March 4, 2008, Democratic primary, but Barrientos withdrew from the race on January 9. Nevertheless, Barrientos' name remained on the ballot, and he advertised. Zaffirini won the nomination, 108,572 (78.6 perent) to Barrientos' 23,262 ballots (21.4 percent).
In the general election held on November 4, 2008, Zaffirini carried all seventeen counties in the district to defeat former county judge (2003–2007) Louis Henry Bruni (born July 9, 1949), a Laredo Democrat who switched to Republican affiliation on December 27, 2007. Though Bruni made a vigorous campaign effort, Zaffirini received 129,608 votes (68.2 percent) to Bruni's 55,363 (29.1 percent). Another 4,966 ballots (2.6 percent) were cast for Libertarian
Barry L. Allison (born March 18, 1948) of San Antonio.
In 2004, Zaffirini had easily defeated Bruni's brother, Raymond Anthony Bruni (born 1948), in the Democratic primary. In announcing his candidacy, Louis Bruni said that the historically Democratic district could be ripe for a partisan turnover. Prior to his judgeship, Bruni had been a member of the nonpartisan
Laredo City Council
. Bruni also said that his opposition to Zaffirini stems in part from a legal feud that he had with his brother prior to Raymond Bruni's campaign against the senator.
Despite her Democratic heritage, Zaffirini is known for her ability to work across party lines, particularly her friendship with Republican Lieutenant Governor
David Dewhurst
. She had a similar close tie to the late Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock
. As a result of redistricting
and the structuring of terms in the Senate, Zaffirini has served three four-year and five two-year terms. Zaffirini has said that "voters are always well informed, and I believe they will decide to support me based on my record and seniority."
Zaffirini has a 100 percent voting record, having cast more than for forty thousand consecutive votes since January 1987. She also has a career perfect attendance record in the Senate except in July 2003, when she joined her fellow Democrats who fled to Albuquerque, New Mexico
, to prevent a quorum
to halt Republican plans to re-redistrict the Texas congressional map. After three special legislative sessions, the Republican
(GOP) plan was adopted, but it was later altered by the United States Supreme Court. That change resulted in the defeat in 2006 of Republican U.S. Representative Henry Bonilla
of San Antonio.
Zaffirini is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin
. While she and her attorney-husband, Carlos M. Zaffirini, Sr. (born 1943), attended UT, they worked in the late 1960s on the staff of District 21 State Senator Wayne Connally
, brother of John B. Connally, Jr. During this time, serious attention was focused on establishing a university in Laredo. Soon the satellite campus of Texas A&M University - Kingsville, then known as Texas A&I, opened in Laredo. In 1970, Laredo State University was launched, and in 1993, Senator Zaffirini secured legislation creating the four-year Texas A&M International University
on a separate campus off the Bob Bullock Loop. Zaffirini's work in the education field led to her being named "Laredoan of the year" in 2009 by the Laredo Morning Times
.
Zaffirini studied two summers at Laredo Community College
(then Laredo Junior College). On December 17, 2007, she was honored by the LCC board of trustees with its inaugural "Beacon Award", a creation from the college's sixtieth anniversary. According to LCC president Juan L. Maldonado, the award recognizes individuals whose altruistic
efforts have improved and advanced the welfare of the Webb County community. Maldonado said that the beacon "evokes the flame of the lamp of learning, which represents the role of the individual in bringing enlightenment and hope to others.... Senator Zaffirini embodies all of these admirable traits... and make her the ideal recipient of this award." In 2004, LCC named its new south campus library
in honor of Zaffirini. She is also honored through the Zaffirini Elementary School, 5210 Santa Claudia Lane in Laredo, one of the campuses of the United Independent School District
.
In 2007, she led a successful movement to restore $154 million in community college funds vetoed by Governor
Rick Perry
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Texas State Senate representing the 21st District
Texas Senate, District 21
District 21 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Atascosa, Bee, Dimmit, Duval, Frio, Jim Hogg, Karnes, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, San Patricio, Starr, Webb, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala counties and a portion of Bexar county in the U.S. state of Texas...
, which includes her home city of Laredo
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
. On January 9, 2007, Zaffirini became the second in seniority in the 31-member Texas Senate, where she has served since 1987. Zaffirini has been named among the "Top 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States" by Hispanic Business
Hispanic Business
Hispanic Business, Inc. is a media company based in Goleta, California, in the United States of America. The firm was founded by Jesús Chavarría in 1979 and its publications are oriented towards Hispanic professionals and entrepreneurs.-Publications:...
magazine, which has been published in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
since 1979.
Political background
In 1986, Zaffirini upset the late State RepresentativeTexas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
William N. "Billy" Hall, Jr., in the Democratic primary runoff for state senator. She then defeated Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
attorney and businessman Bennie Walter Bock of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
.
Zaffirini has continued to defeat intraparty and interparty challengers in her Webb County
Webb County, Texas
Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The official 2010 population for the county is 250,304. In 2000, its population was 193,117, and in 2006 its population had been estimated to have reached to 231,470. Its county seat is Laredo...
-based district. She was to have faced San Antonio attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
Rene Barrientos (born January 25, 1954), in the March 4, 2008, Democratic primary, but Barrientos withdrew from the race on January 9. Nevertheless, Barrientos' name remained on the ballot, and he advertised. Zaffirini won the nomination, 108,572 (78.6 perent) to Barrientos' 23,262 ballots (21.4 percent).
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
Barry L. Allison (born March 18, 1948) of San Antonio.
In 2004, Zaffirini had easily defeated Bruni's brother, Raymond Anthony Bruni (born 1948), in the Democratic primary. In announcing his candidacy, Louis Bruni said that the historically Democratic district could be ripe for a partisan turnover. Prior to his judgeship, Bruni had been a member of the nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
Laredo City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. Bruni also said that his opposition to Zaffirini stems in part from a legal feud that he had with his brother prior to Raymond Bruni's campaign against the senator.
Despite her Democratic heritage, Zaffirini is known for her ability to work across party lines, particularly her friendship with Republican Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst is the 41st and current Lieutenant Governor of Texas, serving under Governor Rick Perry since January 21, 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Texas Land Commissioner from 1999 to 2003. Dewhurst announced on July 18, 2011, that he was running for the...
. She had a similar close tie to the late Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock
Bob Bullock
Robert Douglas Bullock, known as Bob Bullock , was a Democratic politician from Texas, whose career spanned four decades. His service culminated in his term as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from January 15, 1991–January 19, 1999 during the terms of Governors Ann Richards and George W...
. As a result of redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
and the structuring of terms in the Senate, Zaffirini has served three four-year and five two-year terms. Zaffirini has said that "voters are always well informed, and I believe they will decide to support me based on my record and seniority."
Zaffirini has a 100 percent voting record, having cast more than for forty thousand consecutive votes since January 1987. She also has a career perfect attendance record in the Senate except in July 2003, when she joined her fellow Democrats who fled to Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, to prevent a quorum
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
to halt Republican plans to re-redistrict the Texas congressional map. After three special legislative sessions, the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
(GOP) plan was adopted, but it was later altered by the United States Supreme Court. That change resulted in the defeat in 2006 of Republican U.S. Representative Henry Bonilla
Henry Bonilla
Henry Bonilla is a former congressman who represented Texas's 23rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He was defeated in his bid for re-election by Ciro Davis Rodriguez, a former Democratic member of Congress, in a special election runoff held on December 12, 2006...
of San Antonio.
Zaffirini is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. While she and her attorney-husband, Carlos M. Zaffirini, Sr. (born 1943), attended UT, they worked in the late 1960s on the staff of District 21 State Senator Wayne Connally
Wayne Connally
Wayne Wright Connally was a Texas rancher, a Democratic member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature, and a brother of both former Governor and United States Treasury Secretary John Bowden Connally, Jr., and Merrill Lee Connally, Sr., an actor and a former county judge.-Early years,...
, brother of John B. Connally, Jr. During this time, serious attention was focused on establishing a university in Laredo. Soon the satellite campus of Texas A&M University - Kingsville, then known as Texas A&I, opened in Laredo. In 1970, Laredo State University was launched, and in 1993, Senator Zaffirini secured legislation creating the four-year Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M International University, often referred to as TAMIU, is a public, co-educational, state-supported university located in Laredo, Texas...
on a separate campus off the Bob Bullock Loop. Zaffirini's work in the education field led to her being named "Laredoan of the year" in 2009 by the Laredo Morning Times
Laredo Morning Times
The Laredo Morning Times is a daily newspaper publication based in Laredo, Texas, USA. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation.The Laredo Morning Times was founded on June 14, 1881 as "the Laredo Weekly," a four-page newspaper published by James Saunders Penn. Two years later, the paper became a...
.
Zaffirini studied two summers at Laredo Community College
Laredo Community College
The Laredo Community College, or LCC, was established as Laredo Junior College on September 28, 1947, by the Laredo Independent School District in Laredo, the seat of Webb County in south Texas...
(then Laredo Junior College). On December 17, 2007, she was honored by the LCC board of trustees with its inaugural "Beacon Award", a creation from the college's sixtieth anniversary. According to LCC president Juan L. Maldonado, the award recognizes individuals whose altruistic
Altruism
Altruism is a concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures, and a core aspect of various religious traditions, though the concept of 'others' toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. Altruism is the opposite of...
efforts have improved and advanced the welfare of the Webb County community. Maldonado said that the beacon "evokes the flame of the lamp of learning, which represents the role of the individual in bringing enlightenment and hope to others.... Senator Zaffirini embodies all of these admirable traits... and make her the ideal recipient of this award." In 2004, LCC named its new south campus library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
in honor of Zaffirini. She is also honored through the Zaffirini Elementary School, 5210 Santa Claudia Lane in Laredo, one of the campuses of the United Independent School District
United Independent School District
United Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Laredo, Texas, United States.UISD serves portions of the city of Laredo, the cities of El Cenizo and Rio Bravo, and several unincorporated areas in Webb County...
.
In 2007, she led a successful movement to restore $154 million in community college funds vetoed by Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
.
2008
2004
2002
2000
1996
1994
1992
External links
- Senate of Texas - Senator Judith Zaffirini official TX Senate website
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Judith Zaffirini (TX) profile
- Follow the Money - Judith Zaffirini