Clinton endorses Senate candidate Noriega in McAllen visit

McALLEN -- U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton urged South Texas voters Thursday to "redouble the efforts" they showed supporting her to elect Democrats to the White House and Congress come Nov. 4.

Appearing at a campaign stop for U.S. Senate hopeful Rick Noriega, the former first lady and onetime presidential candidate praised the experience, voice and commitment of the state representative from Houston.

"I think there could be a great upset and great surprise - not only in Texas but across America," she said during a brief appearance at McAllen-Miller International Airport.

Noriega, a 27-year military veteran, is currently challenging incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in a race that has grown closer in recent weeks.

A Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Monday shows Noriega trailing Cornyn 43 percent to 50 percent among 500 likely Texas voters - the tightest the polling service has tracked their race has since spring.

Hoping to capitalize on that momentum, Noriega made a string of campaign visits Thursday to shore up votes in one of the state's few Democratic strongholds.

He visited with party supporters in Brownsville and at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg earlier Thursday and was scheduled to speak this morning at a breakfast for the McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

But his opponent's campaign was quick to point out Thursday that many of the region's top leaders have thrown their support behind Cornyn.

Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos and the mayors of McAllen, Mission, Pharr, Harlingen and Rio Grande City have all issued public endorsements of the first-term senator.

"I will continue working with them and their colleagues to improve the economy, security, health care and education along the border," Cornyn said in a statement sent in response to the Clinton-Noriega event.

Noriega maintained, however, that he supports the issues Valley voters are most passionate about, including the fight for a local veterans hospital.

He promised to make funding such a facility his "first priority on the first day" should he be elected.

"It would not be something I would wait to do until the fifth or sixth year of my term as a re-election thing," he said.

But during their brief public appearance, Clinton and Noriega only alluded to their differences on other political hot potatoes. When asked about her vote in support of a proposed $700 billion bailout plan for the ailing financial industry, Clinton described it as "a very tough position to be put into."

"But where we ended up was better than (where) we started," she said.

Noriega, meanwhile, kept silent with an awkward grin. He has previously described the version the Senate passed by a wide margin Wednesday night as inadequate and "littered with extras to buy votes."

Both Clinton and Cornyn voted for the plan, which is set for a second vote in the House today.

No mention was made of the border fence, which Clinton voted for and Noriega has derided as a "gimmick." But both said they look forward to re-addressing immigration reform with a Democratic majority in Congress.

Noriega, if he wins the election, would become Texas' first Democratic U.S. senator in more than two decades. He is relying largely on increased Democratic voter turnout in his bid to unseat Cornyn.

"I recognize that this is like David versus Goliath," he said Thursday in Cameron County. "But no one ever roots for Goliath and I like David's chances."

Cornyn, meanwhile, unveiled a 30-second television spot Thursday airing in markets across the state. He has led Noriega in campaign contributions since the start of the race.

Clinton and Noriega hoped to change that, though, at a private fundraiser hosted by McAllen real estate developer Alonzo Cantu later Thursday night.

Clinton also planned to garner funds for her political action committee in a region where she still enjoys widespread support.

She took more than 70 percent of the Democratic primary vote in Hidalgo County earlier this year during her failed presidential bid. Many Valley delegates to the party's national convention in August cast votes for her despite the presumptive nomination of Sen. Barack Obama.

"It was a great privilege to come back to the state where I got my first political job," she said Thursday. "I am very grateful for the support I received here in Texas."

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Brownsville Herald staff writer Kevin Sieff contributed to this story.

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Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.