El Paso, Texas, municipal court runoff candidate Lillian Blancas died Monday due to COVID-19.
The 47-year-old El Paso County magistrate judge had been in the hospital for almost a month, according to friends and family. It was her second time in the hospital because of the virus, which has hit the Texas border city particularly hard.
In Nov. 3’s Municipal Court 4 bench race, Blancas came in first, with just about 40% of the vote. But because no candidate was able to secure more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election was scheduled for Saturday.
Associate judge and private defense attorney Enrique Holguin came in second.
“I am just in shock,” Holguin told the El Paso Times. “We in the legal community knew she was not doing well for a while. We had a prayer group for her last week. She was my friend. She wasn’t my political opponent. She was my friend. I am just sad, first and foremost. I am still numb. I am just very, very sad right now.”
Deputy City Clerk John Glendon told the outlet that if Blancas wins Saturday’s election, the City Council will vote to appoint a candidate.
