Rodriguez, Ciro, 1946-

<p>Ciro Davis Rodriguez (born December 9, 1946) is an American politician and former U.S. Representative for Texas's 23rd congressional district, serving from 2007 until 2011. The district stretches from El Paso in the west to San Antonio in the east, a distance of some 500 miles (800 km). He previously represented the neighboring 28th congressional district from 1997 to 2005, and was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1987 to 1997. He serves as a justice of the peace for Bexar County. He is a member of the Democratic Party.</p>

<p>Rodriguez was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, but was raised and received his education in San Antonio, Texas. When Ciro Rodriguez was young, his mother died suddenly and he dropped out of school. After working at a gas station for a year, he decided to go back to school and attended two different summer schools to catch up. He graduated with his entering class from Harlandale High School and then briefly attended San Antonio College, but subsequently graduated from St. Mary’s University with a B.A. in Political Science. He received his Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University.</p>

<p>From 1975 to 1987, he served as a board member of the Harlandale Independent School District, working as an educational consultant for the Intercultural Development Research Association and serving as a caseworker with the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. From 1987 to 1996, he taught at Our Lady of the Lake University's Worden School of Social Service, the oldest school of Social Work in Texas.</p>

RODRIGUEZ, Ciro D., a Representative from Texas; born in Piedras Negras, Mexico, December 9, 1946; attended Harlandale High School, San Antonio, Tex.; B.A., St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Tex., 1973; M.S.W., Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, Tex., 1978; member of the Texas state house of representatives, 1987-1997; member, Harlandale Independent School District School Board, San Antonio, Tex., 1975-1987; consultant; caseworker, Our Lady of the Lake University’s Worden School of Social Work, San Antonio, Tex., 1987-1996; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Fifth Congress, by special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Frank Tejeda, reelected to the One Hundred Sixth and to the two succeeding Congresses (April 12, 1997-January 3, 2005); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 2004; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Tenth and to the succeeding Congress (January 3, 2007-January 3, 2011); unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Twelfth Congress in 2010; unsuccessful candidate for nomination to the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress in 2012.

<p>Known for his resilience in the political arena, Ciro Rodriguez represented two Texas districts in the U.S. House. In the Texas legislature and in Congress, Rodriguez championed a variety of veterans’ issues and advocated for increased federal funding for education. “The greatest equalizer is education,” he observed. “We must ensure that our children have access to the best education.” Convinced of the importance of public service, Rodriguez continued to seek elective office even after redistricting transformed his constituency.</p>

<p>Ciro D. Rodriguez was born in Piedras Negras, Mexico, on December 9, 1946, to Luvin and Aurora (Davis) Rodriguez. Before settling in Texas, the Rodriguez family moved between Mexico and the United States, during which time Rodriguez’s father worked on industrial refrigeration units. After living in Eagle Pass, Texas, the Rodriguezes settled in San Antonio in 1951. One of six children, Ciro Rodriguez held a series of jobs, including selling vegetables in his neighborhood, to help support his family. When his mother passed away, Rodriguez dropped out of high school at age 13 and worked at a gas station. He returned to Harlandale High School, where he graduated with his class in 1966. Rodriguez enrolled in San Antonio College before attending St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, where he earned a B.A. in political science in 1973. Two years later he won a seat on the Harlandale Independent School District Board and served until 1987. In 1978 Rodriguez earned a master’s degree in social work from Our Lady of the Lake University. He later worked as an educational consultant and a county caseworker. From 1987 to 1996, he returned to Our Lady of the Lake University, where he taught at the Worden School of Social Work. Rodriguez married Carolina Peña, an elementary school teacher and a librarian; the couple had one daughter, Xochil.</p>

<p>In 1987 Rodriguez won election to the Texas house of representatives. During his decade in the state house, he sought to equalize funding between Texas school districts and to promote employment through the private redevelopment of San Antonio’s Kelly Air Force Base, which was closed in 1995. When Representative Frank Tejeda succumbed to brain cancer shortly after being sworn into the 105th Congress (1997–1999), Rodriguez entered the March 1997 special election to fill the vacant seat. “It’s comforting to see such a groundswell of support and to know that our campaign will clearly be the most aggressive grass-roots effort out there,” Rodriguez remarked. Nine Democrats, five Republicans, and an Independent entered the contest to represent the predominantly Hispanic district, which stretched from the southern half of San Antonio to the Mexican border. Rodriguez and Democratic San Antonio councilman Juan Solis quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the pack. Rodriguez earned the backing of many influential Democratic groups and politicians, but the heated campaign was overshadowed by Tejeda’s untimely death. Forced into a runoff election since he failed to garner a majority of the vote, Rodriguez easily defeated Solis, 67 to 33 percent. “It was a humbling experience, in all honesty,” Rodriguez admitted.</p>