Hinojosa challenger running on social issues

McALLEN -- Eddie Zamora acknowledges that it will take an act of God for him to win Rep. Rubén Hinojosa's 15th Congressional District seat come Tuesday.

Fortunately, Zamora's an evangelical minister, and is confident the Big Guy will come through.

"This is a district that requires divine help to break that habitual mold" of voting for Democrats, the Republican candidate said Thursday.

The McAllen businessman is running his second lopsided campaign against Hinojosa, a six-term congressman with solid support in the Rio Grande Valley and the Coastal Bend counties at the north end of the district. Campaign finance filings show that Zamora raised only about $9,000 - and gave the campaign $2,000 of his own cash -  while Hinojosa has raised $420,000, most of which will remain in his campaign war chest for 2010.

Zamora is running largely on his conservative social values, but Hinojosa said that he is hearing much more from his constituents about the economy.

"They wanted to hear how we were going to address the needs of families about to fall into mortgage foreclosure," he said last week at a McAllen fundraiser. "That's what they wanted to hear - how we are going to help them."

Thanks to the presidential race, "earmarks" have become a dirty word, but Hinojosa defended the money he has secured for education and job training. "If you don't bring your district the money, it's going to go to Maryland or Nevada," he said. "You can see the results of federal investment here."

Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472.

Eddie Zamora

46

Marketing executive, minister

Divorced, 3 children

Born in Mission

Graduated Davy Crockett High in Austin; certified welder and Naval engineer

Ruben Hinojosa

68

Congressman

Married, five children

Born in Edcouch

BA from UT Austin, MBA from UTPA