For the first time in 50 years there wasn’t a Gonzalez listed on the ballot for Congressional District 20 of Texas.
Gonzalez is done with politics, but he isn’t done with being a congressman – not until his replacement, Democrat Joaquín Castro, is sworn in as his replacement in district 20.
Gonzalez has a prediction about the looming sequestration, or fiscal cliff, that could force automatic austere spending cuts to the federal budget: “Fiscal Cliff - It’s not going to happen.”
Gonzalez said that he and about 49 other outgoing congressmen have the opportunity to make a deal and take a tough vote for possible budget cuts and tax increases that will deal with the deficit and avoid the fiscal cliff.
“So you can make these really hard difficult political decisions that are not going to make everyone happy – but that’s not a bad thing. I believe that we will, the lame duck members, will be able to have their voices heard and maybe take some really difficult votes that other may not be willing to take this early in their careers,” said Gonzalez.
The 112th Congress returns for the Lame Duck session Tuesday, Nov. 13; the 113th Congress convenes in January.
