Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

News

Hernandez counts on previous experience 
to gain house seat

Cougar News Staff

UH alumna Ana Hernandez, 26, was the favorite in November's District 143 special election with 42 percent of the votes, but that wasn't enough to secure her the seat. She must now go up against Salinas in a runoff, touting a résumé that includes working in the Legislature.

"I have more experience and so I don't have to learn on the job," she said. 

Hernandez graduated from UH at 21 years old in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in political science and psychology and went on to receive her law degree in 2004 from the University of Texas at Austin.

"I grew up in Pasadena and then I went off to Law school," she said. "As soon as I got out of school, I came back here."

But some candidates who have run against her said she is not a true constituent and tout her changing her residency to District 143 soon after the late Rep. Joe Moreno's, D-Houston, death May 6, which created the vacant house seat.

"Residency is a non-issue," she said. "I don't see how you can hold it against me that I got an education."

With residency issues put aside, Hernandez said her experience will help her win the race. She served as an aide to the late Moreno from 1998 to 2004 and has created a campaign set on three major issues -- education, health care and pollution.

"This is going to be a very important legislative session coming up and we need someone who's going to hit the ground running and get things done," she said.

Hernandez said if elected, she will work to find more funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program and she said she wants to make sure that more students have health insurance.

Regarding pollution, Hernandez said that she wants to put more responsibility on companies and set up systems for them to monitor their own air pollution.

Hernandez will vie for the District 143 house seat Saturday.

--With additional reporting by Barrett Goldsmith
 

Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu