| Todd J. Gillman: Race has elements of a family feud 02/06/2001 By Todd J. Gillman / The Dallas Morning News Last summer, the Hatfields and McCoys met at the Kentucky-West Virginia border to set aside a century of bad blood.
No such luck yet in Dallas' rift between state Rep. Domingo Garcia and the former law partner whose House seat he took away five years ago, Roberto Alonzo.
In the latest installment, Mr. Garcia's wife is running against Mr. Alonzo's brother-in-law for the Dallas City Council seat Mr. Garcia himself once held.
Those involved play down the notion that there's any feuding involved in the race between Steve Salazar, a three-term council member, and Dr. Elba Garcia-Ibancovichi, a dentist seeking office for the first time.
"I'm not the one running," Mr. Alonzo said.
Mr. Garcia echoed that, saying: "The feud is supposedly me and Roberto. We're not on the ballot. It's just an issue regarding leadership in City Council District 1."
Still, the contest has elements of a family feud. Mr. Alonzo and Mr. Salazar are married to sisters. So Mr. Garcia's wife is running to unseat Mr. Alonzo's brother-in-law.
Several Hispanic leaders have complained through the years that animosity between Mr. Garcia and Mr. Alonzo is hurting Hispanics.
The roots of that animosity remain unclear. While the men differ on some political issues, the relationship apparently soured over their business dealings, and only then spilled into the political realm.
In 1996, Mr. Alonzo was finishing his freshman term in the Texas House, and Mr. Garcia had left the City Council to run unsuccessfully for mayor. Mr. Garcia then ran for the legislative seat held by his old friend, and won.
Mr. Salazar, who had worked beside both men in their law practice, chose sides with his concuño, his wife's brother-in-law – Mr. Alonzo. A year later, Mr. Alonzo and Mr. Garcia served as treasurers for opposing City Council candidates – Mr. Alonzo for Mr. Salazar, Mr. Garcia for challenger Frances Rizo. In 1998, Mr. Salazar served as campaign treasurer to Mr. Garcia's House challenger. And last year, Mr. Garcia faced another Alonzo ally in the primary. Mr. Alonzo can't recall the last time he and Mr. Garcia spoke. Nor can Mr. Garcia.
Dr. Garcia-Ibancovichi's campaign treasurer, Adelfa Callejo, said the race against Mr. Salazar is, in a sense, an accident of geography.
"That's the district she lives in. She wants to serve on the City Council," she said. "It just so happened that her husband had a feud, and it was not with Salazar, it was with Alonzo. ... She has no feud."
Mr. Salazar was unavailable for comment Monday.
Dr. Garcia-Ibancovichi said she resents the idea that she's running to settle scores or advance her husband's agenda. The implication, she said, is that "I don't have a brain of my own." She noted that another local couple hold seats in the House and at City Hall.
"I'm sure Steve Wolens put Laura Miller up to it, too," she said sarcastically.
"Roberto and Domingo are not on the ballot," she added. "This is between Mr. Salazar and me."
Given that choice, Mr. Alonzo said, voters should choose his brother-in-law. "The law says anybody can run, but the bottom line is who has the most qualifications, who's done the most work," he said. "You ask anybody in the district, they know who Steve Salazar is. ... He's done a fantastic job."
Todd J. Gillman can be reached at 214-977-8027 or .
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