EDINBURG - The makeup of the Edinburg City Council remains the same - at least for now.

Incumbents Gene Espinoza and Alma A. Garza - backed by former mayor Richard Garcia - kept their Place 3 and Place 4 seats, respectively, on Saturday after the final but unofficial tallies in the city elections.

Their challengers - Leonel Guerrero and Johnny Rodriguez - had been backed by Mayor Joe Ochoa.

"It was a closer race than I would have liked," said Espinoza, a sales manager for Rio Grande Steel who was first elected in 2002.

Espinoza bested Guerrero, a 37-year-old pharmacist, for the for Place 3 seat.

For Place 4, Garza staved off a challenge from Rodriguez, a 40-year-old chief executive officer for Austin Personnel in Edinburg.

"I really feel like Edinburg has given me their heart," said Garza, who first won in 2005. "I feel really good. I feel so blessed with all my family."

Municipal Judge Toribo "Terry" Palacios, 45, ran uncontested.
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Jackie Leatherman covers Hidalgo County government and general assignments at The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4424.