On The Record: Armando Martinez

For this episode of On The Record, we speak with Texas State Representative and SDEC Committeeman for Senate District 27 Armando Martinez.

How did you get started in politics? Did you come to it in your youth or later on?

It has been a family affair that we’ve done for years. My uncle, Renato Cuellar, was a former state representative in this district. Several of my uncles were mayors and commissioners. I never looked into running, and after graduating from college I looked into a lot of other career options.

I became a volunteer fire fighter and enjoyed it. I began a career as a firefighter in Weslaco.

The need to help people made me run for other political positions.

What would you say are the primary issues concerning your area?

Health care, education, economic development, and our infrastructure are some main issues here. Running water, sewer systems and safety are important for people to have here as well.

I am focusing on the needs of people that they look for when they want to live somewhere, and the type of environment that looks attractive to businesses. The more business leads to more employment. More business increases job opportunity and the economy.

How do state politics affect your neighborhood?

State politics affect everyone, everyday. The middle class community knows how hard it is to pay for health care. I know the struggles of the middle class and that helps form legislation.

CHIP helps the working class people who don’t qualify for Medicaid. It has a great impact in the area.

Who are some of your political heroes?

Bill Clinton is definitely a political hero for me. Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy were very instrumental as political heroes.

Abe Lincoln because of the way he dealt with slavery in our country. Freedom is for everyone. No matter who they are, every one is treated fairly.

What are you looking forward to in the coming cycle?

I am looking forward to having a female president to run our country, and addressing these issues down here in my district. We’re here to voice the issues faced and the ones we face down here.