Ray Aguilar

Ray Aguilar (born 1947) is a politician and businessman from the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. From 1999 to 2008, he held a seat in the Nebraska Legislature, representing a district in the city of Grand Island. His appointment in 1999 made him the first Latino in the legislature. In November 2020, Aguilar defeated sitting Senator Dan Quick to regain his seat in legislature. Aguilar is a member of the Republican Party.

Personal life

Aguilar was born October 24, 1947, in Grand Island. He graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1965, and attended Central Community College. He married in 1973; he and his wife, Susan Ann Aguilar, produced nine children.[1] He worked as building and grounds supervisor for Grand Island Central Catholic middle and high school.[2] He subsequently owned a janitorial service, which he operated at the time of his departure from the Nebraska legislature.[3]

Political career

In 1996, mayor Ken Gnadt appointed Aguilar to the Grand Island city council, to serve the five months remaining in the term of a councilman who had moved outside the city limits. In 1998, Aguilar ran for election to the same council seat; he was defeated by incumbent Bob Sorensen, who received 892 votes to Aguilar's 850.[4][5]

In 1999, governor Mike Johanns appointed Aguilar to fill a vacancy in the Nebraska Legislature, created by the resignation of Chris Peterson.[4] Upon taking his seat, he became the first Latino in the Legislature.[6]

In 2000, Aguilar ran for election to the seat. In the nonpartisan primary, Aguilar, a Republican, ran against Democrat Lonnie Logan, a member of the Hall County Board of Supervisors, and Libertarian Larry Gibreal, a realtor.[7] When the primary election was held, Aguilar received 4183 votes, or 62.2% of the total; Logan received 2200 votes, or 32.7%; and Gibreal received 342 votes, or 5.1%.[8] As the top two vote-getters, Aguilar and Logan moved on to the general election, in which Aguilar won the seat with 8090 votes, or 73.1% of the total; Logan received 2946 votes, or 26.6%; and there were 31 write-in votes, constituting 0.3%.[9]

In 2004, Aguilar ran unopposed for a second four-year term in the legislature.[4] Under Nebraska's term-limits law, he was ineligible to run for a third consecutive term in 2008.[10] He was succeeded in the Legislature by Mike Gloor, a Republican from Grand Island.[11]

In 2020, Aguilar announced his candidacy to return to the Nebraska Legislature. With 12,295 votes counted in Hall County, Aguilar won the seat back from State Senator Dan Quick with 53.4% of the vote, according to preliminary unofficial results.[12]

References
  1. Nebraska Blue Book 2004–05, p. 318. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  2. "New senator more than a symbol". Grand Island Independent. June 10, 1999. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  3. "Whatever Happened to Senator Ray Aguilar?" NTV. March 29, 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  4. Overstreet, Tracy. "Mayor declares Ray Aguilar week". Grand Island Independent. September 24, 2004. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  5. Hansen, Renee Ricketts. "Larson a new face on city council". Grand Island Independent. November 4, 1998. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  6. Williams, Jack. "Growing Latino Population Looks For Representation In State Government". NET News. October 28, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  7. Overstreet, Tracy. "Three seek District 35 seat in the Legislature". Grand Island Independent. May 4, 2000. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  8. "Member of the Legislature", primary election 2000. Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  9. "Member of the Legislature", general election 2000. Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  10. "Term limits bring change". North Platte Telegraph. November 1, 2007. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  11. Nebraska Blue Book 2008–09, p. 310. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  12. [email protected], Jeff Bahr. "Ray Aguilar defeats Dan Quick in state Legislature race". The Grand Island Independent. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
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