Interview with Vendor X

By G. Romero Wendorf

To what degree does money win an election? To what degree does money buy influence? Probably safe to argue more in favor of the latter. Because clearly, the proponents of Proposition 1, creation of an Hidalgo County Healthcare District, spent a lot more money than its opponents, and yet it lost by an approximate 42-percent margin (72 percent vs. 28 percent). But at the local level for public office – cities, school districts, the county – to what degree does money buy influence? Obviously, if you donate to an election, you have to contribute a substantial amount if you hope to gain favor. There are, too, many elected officials who will claim that no matter how much money you donate to their campaign, you will be treated no differently than the average man on the street.

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