AUSTIN, Texas -- A determined Hispanic achieved what most consider an upset but which he considered a certainty in defeating Rep. Abraham Kazen, 18-year Democratic congressman from San Antonio, in Texas's primary Saturday.
'The polls reflected what was going to happen,' said Albert Bustamante, a one-time migrant worker and former county judge, who won the 23rd District seat. 'It's just that a lot of people didn't believe those polls,' he said.
Bustamante, 49, received almost 60 percent of the Hispanic vote in the Democratic primary. Since he will have no opposition in the heavily Democratic district in November, he is assurred of adding another Mexican-American voice to the House.
'I would hope we (Hispanic members) can put together a coalition of leadership that would program things for the border,' said Bustamante, who was supported by popular San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros.
'The people need help. If we are to deal with the problems of South America, Central America and Mexico affectively, then we must make an example of what we can do for our people.
'If you could see how these people have been mistreated, then you know we have troubles,' he said.
Kazen became only the second congressional incumbent in the nation to lose a primary election this year. The first was Rep. Frank Harrison, D-Pa.
Only one other member of the Texas delegation seeking re-election was thought to have any problem in the primary -- 12-year veteran Charles Wilson of Lufkin.
But despite facing four opponents who used his personal life as a campaign issue, Wilson polled 54 percent of the vote and another two years in Washington. Like many of his colleagues, Wilson has no opposition in November.
Other new Texas congressmen will come from the 6th District of Central Texas, the 19th District of Lubbock and the 22nd District in the Houston area, seats abandoned by Republican Phil Gramm, Democrat Kent Hance and Republican Ron Paul respectively -- all of whom resigned to seek the Senate seat being vacated by John Tower. Gramm won the GOP nomination and Hance will be in a runoff election for the Democratic line on the ballot.
