Former Lawmaker to Lead Team Todd&"

CORPUS CHRISTI – Former state representatives Judy Hawley of Portland and Hugo Berlanga of Corpus Christi will chair the effort to elect Todd Hunter to the Texas House of Representatives.

Hunter’s campaign today announced that the two former lawmakers will join other area civic and business leaders to bring back common-sense conservative values to District 32 as key players on Team Todd.

In addition to Hawley and Berlanga Hunter’s campaign team will include former Corpus Christi City Councilman Brent Chesney Nueces County Republican Women’s Club President Rebecca Bradford and Calhoun County realtor Russell Cain as campaign co-chairs. Former Republican Aransas County Judge Glenn Guillory has been named to the position of campaign treasurer. Fred Heldenfels IV an Austin businessman with plants in Corpus Christi and San Marcos and a member of the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board will act as campaign finance chairman.

Scores of supporters from the District 32 counties – Nueces San Patricio Aransas and Calhoun are joining Team Todd in order to send Hunter back to the Texas House of Representatives. Hunter a Corpus Christi attorney served four successful terms in the Texas House from 1988 to 1997 before taking a leave from public service in order to be close to his family while his children were young. Hunter promised his constituents that he would return to public service in the future.

During his tenure Hunter was a key member of the House leadership team chairing and serving on major committees. He was honored by numerous publications and organizations as a bipartisan lawmaker and consensus builder who brought people together for the good of Texas.

“Todd Hunter was known statewide for being able to bring diverse groups to the table and find solutions to tough problems” said Hugo Berlanga a Corpus Christi Democrat who worked with Hunter in the legislature. “He never saw issues as Democrat or Republican he saw them as opportunities to build a better Texas.”

“When we moved to Corpus Christi in 1990 Todd Hunter was a conservative state representative elected as a Democrat” said co-chair Rebecca Bradford a Corpus Christi businesswoman who leads the Nueces County Republican Women’s Club. “We thought he should have been a Republican because he believed so strongly in family values success of private business and freedom from unnecessary government intervention. Those are Republican values they are Texas values and they are Todd’s values. With his previous experience Todd will hit the ground running representing the Coastal Bend in a manner that will make us proud.”

Hunter who is senior partner of Hunter & Handel PC in Corpus Christi was first elected to serve in the State Legislature in 1988.  He worked across party lines to help pass numerous bills that resulted in the Coastal Bend delegation being recognized as one of the most effective legislative teams in the Texas Legislature.

Campaign chair Judy Hawley of Portland who now represents San Patricio County as a commissioner at the Port of Corpus Christi was a member of the legislative delegation that received accolades statewide.

“Todd Hunter was extremely effective because he was respected by his colleagues appreciated by his constituents and relied upon by leadership. Why? Because he researched the issues put in long days communicated constantly with those he represented and embraced tough policy issues.”

Hunter knows the values and the people of District 32 having already represented Aransas and Calhoun counties as well as part of Nueces County. San Patricio County was added to District 32 during redistricting after Hunter left office.

“Calhoun County is thrilled to have Todd Hunter running to represent us again in the Texas legislature” said co-chair Russell Cain a Port Lavaca realtor who is the District Governor Elect for Rotary District 5930. “I am proud to be on the campaign of someone who cares so much about Calhoun County.”

Glenn Guillory who served five years as an Aransas County Commissioner and the past five years as Aransas County Judge agreed.

“It is a great pleasure to be able to help Todd get elected again."  said Guillory who will serve as campaign treasurer. "He was a great help to Aransas County during his past service as our State Representative and was instrumental in sponsoring beneficial legislation and county grants.  He continued to be extremely helpful to the County even after he left the Legislature.”

Other supporters were equally as excited about Hunter’s entry into the race including longtime friend and supporter Charles W. Zahn Jr. of Port Aransas who said he will be actively involved in Team Todd and work closely with the campaign..

Former Corpus Christi City Councilman Brent Chesney who is now an attorney once served as chief of staff for Hunter in the Texas legislature.

“Todd Hunter will be a consensus builder who will provide strong conservative leadership and bring seniority and immediate credibility to District 32” said Chesney who will co-chair the campaign with other area supporters. “We need someone who will be a bipartisan leader and will be able to work with everyone not just certain groups of people. We need someone who will focus on getting things done at home and Todd Hunter has a proven track record of doing exactly that.”