Bruno Lozano

Bruno "Ralphy" Lozano is an American politician and the Mayor of Del Rio, Texas.

Early life

Lozano was born in Del Rio in the early 1980s.[1] He served as a former security forces patrolman in the U.S. military. During his time with the US Air Force, he was tasked with enforcing the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, notifying gay service members of their discharge. As a result, Lozano, who is gay, said he chose not to reenlist.[1] He worked as a flight attendant thereafter.[2]

Political career

Lozano prioritized efforts to clean up the San Felipe Creek and volunteer at local non-profits. According to Lozano, he decided to enter political life in 2016, supported and encouraged by his former high school classmates during a class reunion event.[1] He was critical of the city's economic policies, which he says left the local economy stagnant even as neighboring cities boomed. He called on Millennial voters to break Baby Boomers' hold on local political power.[1]

A Democrat,[3] he ran against incumbent mayor Robert Garza on a May 5, 2018 election, and won in a landslide, receiving 62% of the votes. A later recount confirmed the result.[4]

His victory received attention in The Huffington Post and the national LGBT press, which highlighted both his military career and his flamboyant image.[5][6]

Mayor Lozano is influential within Del Rio. He is also a key figure within the Middle Rio Grand area. On August 26, 2020 Mayor Lozano was nominated and appointed as Third Vice President on the Middle Rio Grande Board of Directors, which represents multiple counties within the Middle Rio Grande Region.

Lozano was appointed as Segment 3 Chairman to represent the Segment 3 portion of the Ports to Plains feasibility study under Texas House Bill 1079. Under his leadership, Lozano has worked alongside other mayors and judges within the Val Verde, Maverick, and Webb counties to prioritize the current and future needs for an interstate grade level structure serving the port of entries. Mayor Lozano also serves on the Ports to Plains Advisory Committee that is chaired by Mayor Dan Pope of Lubbock, Texas.

Lozano continues to participate in San Felipe Creek clean ups and advocate for mental health awareness. He also serves in multiple boards and committees including, Border Trade Master Plan Committee (TxDOT), Border Trade Advisory Committee (TxDOT), Middle Rio Grande Council of Government (MRGCOG), City of Del Rio International Bridge Board, City of Del Rio Utilities Commission, and more.

References
  1. "A Gay Man in Heels Will Be the Next Mayor of a Texas Border Town". Into More. 30 April 2018.
  2. "After Landslide Victory, Del Rio's First Openly Gay Mayor Prepares For Office". Into More. 9 May 2018.
  3. "He's A Veteran. He's Gay. He Likes To Wear Heels. Now Ralphy Lozano Is Mayor Of This Texas Town". Logo News. 10 May 2018.
  4. "Recount affirms election results". Del Rio News Herald. 31 May 2018.
  5. "Texas Town Elects Gay Air Force Veteran Known For Wearing High Heels". The Huffington Post. 5 May 2018.
  6. "This Gay Veteran Who Wears Heels Just Won a Mayor's Race in Texas". Out magazine. 7 May 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.