Republican jumps head first into the race for District 23

San Antonio Express-News
July 21, 2007

Francisco "Quico" Canseco is stumping for the Republican nomination in the 23rd Congressional District as if the primary's set for September, not next March.

But with the likelihood of County Commissioner Lyle Larson jumping into the race, the banking and real estate attorney -- who moved his family here from Laredo early last year -- has almost no choice.

He's largely unknown in the district, which winds from San Antonio to El Paso.

That's why, more than seven months before the primary election, Canseco is running ads on radio and local cable television. He hired a full-time campaign manager months ago, and has been making the rounds of Republican leaders.

He amassed $566,205 between April 1 and June 30, with 95 percent coming from a loan he made to his campaign, according to a campaign finance report this week. Almost as remarkable: He reported spending $250,000 in the same period.

"I plan to do whatever it takes to get out in front of the voters," said Canseco, who stepped away from his law practice and a Hondo National Bank directorship to campaign. The loan "is a testament to the commitment I have to the people of the 23rd Congressional District and to this race."

In 2004, Canseco vied in the GOP primary in the neighboring District 28, ultimately losing to Jim Hopson of Seguin in a runoff.

"I don't think he ran a campaign as aggressive as the one he's running now," said Jim Lunz, a longtime Republican activist. "He's got to be out there early and get his name out in order to catch up."

The view in GOP circles is that Democrat Ciro Rodriguez stripped the seat from longtime incumbent Henry Bonilla because conservative voters across the North Side sat out the special election in December. But they'll return next year, the reasoning goes, because of the presidential race.

The North Side, which usually sees higher turnout than other parts of Bexar County, had been District 23's kingmaker. GOP officials think that's still the case, even after last year's court-ordered redistricting pulled a broad swath of the South Side into the district.

If they're correct and if Larson runs, a lot of people think he could hold the advantage in the Republican primary based on name recognition. He won two terms on the City Council in District 10 in the early 1990s and went on to land three terms representing Commissioners Court's Precinct 3, which encompasses much of North Bexar County.

Larson stops short of declaring his candidacy. But he recently said he wouldn't run again for his county seat.

"The people know and love him out there," said District 9 Councilman Kevin Wolff, a Republican who's considering campaigning for Larson's seat next year. "It's going to be real tough for Canseco or anybody else to beat Lyle" in the primary.

Last year's redistricting, meant to cure a violation of the federal Voting Rights Act, put Democrats on nearly even footing with Republicans, and it substantially increased the district's Hispanic voting-age population -- to 61 percent. In a recent news release announcing B.J. "Red" McCombs' support for Canseco, the local magnate took note, saying: "This district has been drawn to produce a minority representative and Canseco brings the values of business and family to the winning equation."

Canseco also is touting the support of Ken Mercer, a social conservative and former state representative who last year won a seat on the state board of education.

Larson, an Anglo, chafed at the notion that only a Latino candidate could win in District 23.

"A Republican candidate can win in the district based on their qualifications and what they've done in the community -- more than their ethnic makeup," he said.

Larson also dismissed Canseco as an inexperienced outsider, contending he's looking to spend his way to the party's nomination.

Canseco declined to discuss Larson's potential candidacy. "I'm focused on my campaign, on what I'm doing, on the needs of the district."

He said he began making contacts throughout District 23 -- after losing the District 28 runoff -- when it looked as though Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison would run for governor and Bonilla would compete for her Senate seat.

When he ran in District 28 three years ago, he did so even though he resided in District 23.

He said he moved his family to San Antonio to be closer to his wife's relatives and to tend to his youngest son's education.

Canseco also said he was encouraged to run after Bonilla's Dec. 12 loss. "By Dec. 15, I was getting phone calls and e-mails."