Rick Noriega

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Noriega narrowly avoided a runoff election by receiving 51 percent of the vote in the March 4, 2008 Democratic primary. His opponents were Gene Kelly (a perennial candidate), Ray McMurrey, and Rhett Smith. Prior to the filing deadline, trial attorney Mikal Watts withdrew from his bid for the Democratic nomination on October 23, 2007. [11] Noriega faced Republican incumbent John Cornyn, who outraised him financially and who received 81 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, in the November 4 general election. [12] Noriega was ultimately defeated by Cornyn in the general election.

Personal life

Noriega is a Mexican American and the father of two sons. [13]

Election results

2008 United States Senate

Rick Noriega
NORIEGA.jpg
Member of the TexasHouseofRepresentatives
from the 145th district
In office
January 14, 1999 –January 13, 2009
2008 Texas U.S. Senate general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John Cornyn4,337,46954.82-0.48
Democratic Rick Noriega3,389,36542.83-0.50
Libertarian Yvonne Adams Schick185,2412.34+1.55
Majority948,104
Turnout 7,912,07558.28
Republican hold Swing
2008 US Senate, Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega1,108,31851.01%+0.00%
Democratic Gene Kelly583,84526.87%+0.00%
Democratic Ray McMurrey268,74212.37%+0.00%
Democratic Rhett Smith211,8119.75%+0.00%

2006 State House 145

2006 State House 145, General Election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega7,773100.00%+0.00%
2006 State House 145, Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega784100.00%+0.00%

2004 State House 145

2004 State House 145, General Election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega15,160100.00%+0.00%
2004 State House 145, Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega2,044100.00%+0.00%

2002 State House 145

2002 State House 145, General Election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega11,087100.00%+28.57%
2002 State House 145, Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega3,315100.00%+0.00%

2000 State House 145

2000 State House 145, General Election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega12,15871.43%+4.31%
Republican Michael Bunch4,86328.57%-4.31%
2000 State House 145, Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega1,381100.00%+40.93%

1998 State House 145

1998 State House 145, General Election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega6,40567.12%
Republican Michael Bunch3,13732.88%
1998 State House 145, Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Rick Noriega1,19259.07%
Democratic Ben Mendez48824.18%
Democratic John Ray Harrison21310.56%
Democratic Jamie Bray954.71%
Democratic Mark Sandoval301.49%

Issues

Economy

Noriega proposed a comprehensive plan to help struggling families keep their homes during the 2008 economic downturn, focusing on revamping bankruptcy law, increased funding of counseling for struggling homeowners, and a tax credit of $2000 for homeowners who refinance into a fixed-rate loan. He also proposed funding to allow homeowners to refinance into FHA (Federal Housing Administration) backed loans, which generally provide lower rates of interest than private commercial loans.

Domestic security and immigration

Noriega served the National Guard as commander of the Laredo sector during Operation Jump Start, which deployed approximately 18,000 Guardsmen to the US/Mexico border in 2006 to provide increased border security until an improved immigration reform package could be approved on Capitol Hill. Noriega focused on curtailing human trafficking and drug smuggling at the border, and called for more advanced surveillance technology to be deployed at the border as well as for more Guardsmen to be deployed there. Noriega opposed the use of a border fence to curb illegal immigration and trafficking. [14]

Noriega also authored HB 2546, a bill passed by the Texas legislature that restricts the sale of ammonium nitrate in order to prevent its use in criminal or terrorist activity such as the Oklahoma City bombing. [15]

Post-Senate race activities

In 2011 Noriega, then a colonel, was named commander of the Texas National Guard's 71st Theater Information Operations Group. [16]

Noriega was selected for promotion to brigadier general in 2013 [17] and assigned as Assistant Division Commander—Support for the 36th Infantry Division. [18] He then served as the Assistant Adjutant General-Army for the Texas National Guard. Noriega retired effective January 31, 2018, and received an honorific promotion to major general on the state's retired list of National Guard officers.

In his civilian career Noriega was Chief Executive Officer of the Ronald McDonald House Houston, a non-profit organization that offers a home away from home for critically ill children receiving treatment and care in the Texas Medical Center. Effective September, 2020, Noriega became the Chief Information Officer for Harris County, Texas, the third most populous county in the United States. [19]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Harris County Official Corrects Media Reports on Errant Suspect Releases, Says Some Were Violent Offenders". The Texan. 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  2. ↑ Noriega avoids runoff in Senate bid; Cornyn wins easily Robert T. Garrett, Dallas Morning News, March 5, 2008
  3. ↑ Rick Noriega Profile Houston Chronicle
  4. ↑ Candidate profile, Rick Noriega, Democracy for America
  5. ↑ Capitol Annex blog, Wes Clark Endorses Rick Noriega, November 7, 2007
  6. ↑ Charles Kuffner, A Year Ago This Weekend, Off the Kuff, September 3, 2006
  7. ↑ PR Newswire
  8. ↑ W. Gardner Selby, Corpus Christi Teacher is Candidate's Main Hurdle Before November, Austin American-Statesman, January 13, 2008
  9. ↑ Half Empty Blog, Rick Noriega Formally Announces Formation of Senatorial Exploratory Committee, July 11, 2007
  10. ↑ Leung, Rebecca. "The 'Texas Miracle'." 60 Minutes . February 11, 2009. Retrieved on November 22, 2011.
  11. ↑ Statement from Mikal Watts October 23, 2007
  12. ↑ "Survey USA TX Jr Sen Approval" . Retrieved 2007-12-09.
  13. ↑ "Political People and their Moves." Texas Weekly . Retrieved on November 22, 2011. "In focus groups for his campaign, it wasn't uncommon to hear inquiries about how to pronounce "Noriega" and people saying they wouldn't be voting for him if he called himself "Mexican-American" instead of plain ol' American."
  14. ↑ Senate candidate Noriega lays out immigration plan Texarkana Gazette, August 7, 2008
  15. ↑ H.B. No. 2546 Texas State Legislature
  16. ↑ Mark Rockwell, New Texas Guard Brigade Commander Will Work on Homeland Security Issues, Government Security News, August 12, 2011
  17. ↑ "Congressional Record: U.S. Senate Confirmations". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. May 23, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  18. ↑ "University of Houston Honors Noriega for Service". avance.org. AVANCE, Inc. April 26, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  19. ↑ , Harris County, Texas, Names Interim CIO to Succeed Bruce High, Government Technology, September 22, 2020
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Texas
(Class 2)
2008 		Succeeded by
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