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Camacho’s campaign slogan, “UNITY, MOVEMENT and PROGRESSION FOR FRIO COUNTY,” stood in stark contrast to the allegations now surrounding her. During her 2022 primary bid, she narrowly defeated her Democratic opponent, Mary Moore, by just 157 votes before advancing to a runoff, where she won by an even slimmer margin of 72 votes out of 322 cast. Her campaign’s reliance on mail-in ballots, combined with the allegations of illegal harvesting, have raised serious questions about the integrity of the election.
Ballot harvesting is a deeply controversial practice in U.S. elections. While some states permit voters to seek assistance in returning ballots, Texas explicitly prohibits the practice, viewing it as a dangerous avenue for fraud and manipulation. Critics have long argued that the practice can easily be exploited, particularly in vulnerable communities where voters may be more easily influenced.
Paxton, a staunch conservative who is challenging U.S. Senator John Cornyn in the upcoming Republican primary, minced no words in his response to the case. “Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law,” he said in a fiery statement.
The charges against Camacho add to a growing list of election-related indictments secured by Paxton’s office. In addition to Camacho, four other individuals have been convicted of similar crimes stemming from the 2020 election, including an elected county commissioner. According to Paxton’s office, all of the suspects in this latest case were arrested on May 2, with the exception of Camacho, who is expected to be processed at a later date.
A guilty verdict on ballot harvesting charges can carry significant consequences, including up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Paxton’s aggressive pursuit of voter fraud cases has made him a controversial figure in Texas politics, but his office insists that these prosecutions are necessary to preserve the integrity of American elections.
