By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter
Dallas, TX –
Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter: Dallas' centrally-located District 2 is broadly diverse, both ethnically and economically. It includes quiet, old neighborhoods, parts of busy downtown, and one of the city's nightlife spots, Deep Ellum. This is where Monica Barros-Greene is holding a rally for supporters.
Monica Barros-Greene, District 2 candidate: Hi, senor, thanks so much for being here. Hey, sweetheart...
Zeeble: Barros-Greene is known for restaurants Monica's Aca y Alla, and Ciuadad, in District 2. It's also well-known that she became a woman after a sex change operation. Barros-Greene says she's lived in Dallas 31 years, spending the last 23 in the district. Like opponent Pauline Medrano, Barros-Greene lists her top priorities as crime reduction, economic development, code enforcement and education. But she says her business skills make her the better choice.
Barros-Greene: The business acumen I'm referring to is what we need in City Hall, this $2.1 billion business named Dallas. This is a $2.1 billion business that hasn't been able to reduce friction between Dallas' business community and city government to do business here. I've been waiting for someone with a vision for the future who can help our district. It hasn't happened. So I decided to run.
Zeeble: Backers like marketing and media consultant James Montgomery can't wait for her to win.
James Montgomery, Monica Barros-Greene supporter: She's a businessperson, she gets things done. That was the original definition of a politician. You do public service then go back to your real job. Many of those skill sets - negotiation, understanding and reading people - these are all good basic skill sets for being in politics. If you've a desire to improve the neighborhoods in District 2, that's really half the battle.
Zeeble: Halfway across town, candidate Pauline Medrano sits in the Market Diner off Harry Hines Boulevard, near her small home. She explains how she's fought that battle to better her neighborhood.
Pauline Medrano, District 2 candidate: I started my own crime watch group. We had prostitutes, drugs...you name it, and problems that come with it. We started a crime watch, started with twelve people, ended up with 180 people. It included businesses, homeowners, and residents. Right now you expand programs to bilingual, and include everyone, not just homeowners, but neighborhood groups. That's how you do it. Police can't do it by themselves.
Zeeble: The Medrano name is well known in Dallas. Her brother was a Dallas city council member some 20 years ago, and her late father was a civil rights activist. Some praise the Medranos; critics attack their reputation. Pauline Medrano's supporters, including old East Dallas resident Mike Lovello, applaud her grassroots work.
Michael Lovello, Pauline Medrano supporter: She's done the best at uniting different groups. She's been able to bring African American folks in with Hispanics, with Asians, and small businesses, and she's been able to unite an entire community.
Zeeble: Both backers and candidates say they're confident of victory tomorrow, adding they'll do everything legal to get out the vote. Dallas Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet says they better work hard, because voter turnout's expected to significantly drop from what it was on May 7th.
Bruce Sherbet, Dallas County Elections Administrator: This could be close and we'll work it that way just to make sure we're prepared.
Zeeble: Sherbet says a few dozen votes could make the difference. Polls open at 7 in the morning, and close at 7 p.m. For KERA 90.1, I'm Bill Zeeble.
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