Hoping to move past a schism in the Nueces County Democratic Party, Solomon Ortiz Jr. is setting his sights on Tuesday, when he'll find out who will be his opponent in the race for the Texas House District 33 seat.
Ortiz emerged the party's nominee for the seat by three votes Sunday, defeating longtime educator Danny Noyola Sr. in a campaign to be placed on the November ballot that came down to the minute.
The party's 44 precinct chairs from the district seemed split up until the vote Sunday afternoon, with a final decision of 23-20 in favor of Ortiz.
"I'm at a loss for words," Ortiz said after learning he'd earned the party's nod.
Republicans will choose their nominee at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Nueces County Republican Party Headquarters, 4458 S. Staples St.
Noyola, 53, and Ortiz, 29, announced they would seek the Democratic nomination the same day state Rep. Vilma Luna, D-Corpus Christi, resigned last month. Luna, who had been in office since 1993, announced her resignation July 5 and later took a lobbying job.
