Veronica Escobar

Template:TOCnestleft Veronica Escobar

Background

Judge Escobar served two terms as El Paso County Judge, and previously served one term as County Commissioner for Precinct 2.

Before serving El Paso as an elected official, Judge Escobar was Executive Director for Community Scholars, a local non-profit organization that hired high school students to do public policy research and produce reports about El Paso’s challenges and opportunities. She also served as the Communications Director for Mayor Raymond Caballero and was a faculty member at the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College. She has served as a volunteer on a number of boards, both in El Paso and for the state of Texas.

Judge Veronica Escobar is the daughter of Benjamin and Isabel Escobar. She and her husband, Michael Pleters, have two children: Cristian Escobar (20, a student at Harvard), and Eloisa Escobar (18, a student at Simmons), and they live in Central El Paso.

Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC

In 2018 Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC (CPC PAC), the political arm of the 76-member Congressional Progressive Caucus, endorsed Veronica Escobar (TX-16) for the House of Representatives.

Vote Common Good 2018 endorsements

Vote Common Good 2018 endorsements included Veronica Escobar.

National Nurses United endorsement

National Nurses United 2018 endorsements included Veronica Escobar TX 16.

Democracy for America

Veronica Escobar, U.S. House, Texas 16, was endorsed by Democracy for America in 2018.

Congressman Beto O'Rourke is leaving his seat to challenge Ted Cruz in the Senate, so it is important to ensure El Paso’s vibrant border community is represented by a true progressive leader.

Veronica has a proven track record of progressive leadership throughout more than a decade of public service - serving first as County Commissioner, and later serving two terms as County Judge. In these roles, she helped expand access to affordable healthcare, fought corruption and bigoted legislation in local government, helped labor unions gain access to the public hospital and local government and protect the rights of more workers. She led advocacy efforts for just immigration policies through the Border Rights Coalition, eventually becoming the co-chair of the coalition. Veronica helped build El Paso’s first Children’s Hospital and expanded the role of El Paso’s public hospital through modern clinics where the neediest could access world-class care. Veronica helped raise wages in her county and stood up to her local police chief when he called Black Lives Matter a “radical hate group.” Escobar sued the State of Texas when Republican legislators pushed through a bill that would allow local law enforcement to become de facto border patrol agents. Veronica Escobar was also a leading voice in protecting the reproductive rights of women in Texas. Her eleven-year record at the county level and a lifetime civic engagement have made her ready to stand up and fight for progressive values at the federal level.

Veronica grew up working on a dairy farm, and taught Chicano literature at the University of El Paso - Texas prior to has been the recipient of the “Women of Integrity” award given by Women for an Ethical El Paso (2007), the “2008 Elected Official of the Year” Award given by the National Association of Social Workers (Texas Chapter, El Paso Branch), the “Human Rights Safe Communities” award given by the Border Network for Human Rights (2009), and the “2010 Elected Official of the Year” presented to her by the Rio Grande Council of Governments, and the TAMACC 2014 Women of Distinction Award.

CPC new members

2018 Congressional Progressive Caucus new members included Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Deb Haaland, Veronica Escobar, Jesus Garcia, Joe Neguse, Andy Levin, Mike Levin.

References

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