EL PASO, Tx., May 18, 2026: Ahead of early voting a mailer sent by Dora Oaxaca Rivera was criticized for implying that State Rep. Vince Perez had endorsed her in the Justice of the Peace 5 runoff election. The mailer uses a picture of Perez taken at a public event suggesting that he endorses Oaxaca Rivera.
A picture of the mailer sent to voters by the Dora Oaxaca Rivera campaign at that start of the early voting period, May 2026, Special to the El Paso Herald Post.
El Paso Herald Post spoke to Perez over the weekend. He told us that he did not endorse Oaxaca Rivera. Perez added that “I’ve said from the beginning that I would remain neutral in this race, and that hasn’t changed,” adding that “the statement attributed to me in the mailer is not mine, and I have not endorsed any candidate for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5.” Perez closed with “I have great respect for both candidates, and I’ll continue to leave this decision to the voters of Precinct 5.”
In addition to the picture of Perez, that mailer identifies Perez with his title and “Texas Latino Leader.” The text on the mailer describing Oaxaca Rivera implies that Perez is endorsing her, which he clarifies is not true.
The race for Justice of the Peace has led to several controversies between the two candidates in the runoff election. Najera was also criticized this election cycle for implying an endorsement she had not received in a mailer to voters.
Because there is no Republican candidate, the winner of the runoff election will win the seat.
There are several candidates in the runoff. The Republican ballot includes runoff elections for five state and national seats including the runoff election for the District 16 congressional seat to select the nominee for the Republican ticket. This runoff race features Adam Bauman running against convicted felon Manuel Barraza.
On the Democratic ballot, in addition to the race between Oaxaca Rivera and Najera, there are 18 candidates running for nine seats, including several runoff elections for justice of the peace seats.
In addition to the controversies involving Oaxaca Rivera and Najera, another controversy involves the Democratic runoff election for the 168th District Judge seat between Bernardo Cruz and Enrique Holguin. Holguin has been criticized for not campaigning during this election cycle, apparently relying on his name to win the election. Voters have complained online that they thought that Holguin was Iliana Holguin’s husband. Precinct 3 Commissioner Iliana Holguin is married to former city representative Eddie Holguin.
Eddie Holguin, who is not related to Enrique Holguin, confirmed to us that voters are apparently mistaking him as Enrique Holguin because people have told him they had voted for him.
Voters in El Paso tend to vote on name recognition especially in low voter turnout races like the upcoming runoff election. In 2024, another candidate with the same name as former State Senator Jose Rodriguez also did not campaign and ended first in the election but was forced into a runoff election because of the number of candidates running for the District 2 city council seat. It wasn’t until the runoff election that voters realized they were voting for the wrong candidate after the Deanna Maldonado-Rocha, the eventual winner, sent out a mailer pointing out that the voters were voting for the wrong Rodriguez.
The winner in the runoff between Cruz and Holguin will face Republican Wayne Pritchard on the November ballot.
Early voting for several primary runoff elections begins this morning and runs through May 22. Election Day is Tuesday, May 26.
Voters can vote at any location. Use this link to find your nearest voting location.
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