WELCOME.  Thank you all for being here this evening.  I have asked my friends, my family, and my fellow Republicans to join with me as I make official my campaign for the Republican Nomination for the United States Congress here in the 23rd Congressional District of Texas.  Tonight, let me say clearly and unequicivcally, that I am a indeed a candidate for the United States Congress and that with God’s favor, the trust of the people of South Texas, and the support and hard work of friends and supporters like yourselves, we will take back the 23rd District of Texas from the Washington, D.C. liberals and selfish special interests and return it to the people who live, work, raise their familes, and pay their taxes here—the people who call South Texas home and want to keep it the best place on earth.

My Father and Mother were not born in America. They came here from Mexico. My father came to this country as a child with his father, mother and sister in 1915. they fled civil war torn Mexico ahead of the advancing revolutionary armies. Their flight was one filled with fear and uncertainty as they saw along their route the bodies of people hung along telegraph poles; my grandmother holding her protective hand to my father’s eyes, and he, filled with the curiosity of a eight-year-old boy, stole a peak between her fingers.
They came to America in refuge and embraced it as their own. The revolution prevented them from returning to Mexico. Yet what my grandparents did in those years in Texas was embrace the American dream for themself and their family. As a medical doctor, my grandfather practiced medicine in the south Texas. He was said to have been seen driving his buck-board wagon along the northern board of the Rio Grande, providing medical help to the wounded soldiers, no matter what side of the struggle they were on. He was a founder of the Merchants State Bank in Laredo Texas, serving on its board as its president and Chairman of the board; he established a chapter of the Knights of Columbus, and played the flute in the church band; and he assisted Mexican Bishops and priest enter into the safety of the US during the religious persecutions of the Mexican Revolution which came with a price on his head thus insuring his inability to return to Mexico.

I never met my grandfather Francisco. He died in 1928. yet, I know him quit well through my grandmother who never stopped talking about his character and his deeds; through my aunt Margarita whose love nurtured me; and then through the character, of my father whose influence reigns within me to this very day. My father followed in his father’s footsteps. He became a doctor and a surgeon. He practiced medicine to a high degree of success until his passing in 1992. He is still remembered by his patients who speak longingly of him; and was a loving husband to my mother for their 45 years together and a nurturing and loving father to his eight children. He Delivered four of his 21 grandchildren and contributed enormously to the health and welfare of his community. The Canseco Nursing School at Texas A&M International University is named in his memory.
My mother too was from Mexico. She came to America as my father’s bride in the post war years. She had a bachelor’s degree from Maryville Colllege in St Louis Missouri; married my father and was his loving wife for forty five years; a loving and nurturing mother raising eight children in south Texas. She pitched a great game of baseball and guided each of her eight children into what they are today; She and my father became United States citizens in the mid fifties. She followed my father a short five years after his passing. Like my father’s father, I never met her father. He succumbed to cancer in 1943. Yet very influential in my life was her mother Consuelo. She was the second of thirteen children. Among her siblings were doctors, lawyers, engineers and one air force pilot (Mexican air force). The weekly discussion on issues of science, politics, art, literature, etc. was energizing. She introduced me to French and was a fabulous tutor. She stayed in Mexico along with her other family members save for one, the next to youngest and the last of the thirteen to depart this world. Yet during her life she was like my mother’s oldest sister. To us she was part aunt and part grandmother. We loved her as though she were both. Her daughter, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren live in San AntonioTexas. My Grandmother and her siblings are the touchstone of a heritage left behind.

The eight of us grew up in Laredo Texas. As we grew older we went away to schools and colleges far from home. Education and experiences far from home were encouraged as a way to gain insight into the world. Some of us went to schools as far away as New York, Boston and Denver. Few of us stayed in Texas. All eight carry the legacy of our father and mother; hard work, perseverance in the face of adversity, faith, compassion for our fellow man; honesty and dedication to family. In 1995, one of us departed in a tragic plane crash. A piece of each of us went with him. We daily carry his memory.

After High School at Culver Military Academy in Culver Indiana, I enrolled for college at St Louis University in St. Louis Missouri. Right after college I continued into law school at St Louis University earning a law degree and passing the Texas State Bar in 1975. They were exciting times. The night mare of Watergate and the end of the Vietnam War was thick in the air. I felt empowered to make a big dent in the word.

I first saw my to-be-wife Gloria in church. We flirted when we should have been praying. It was love at first sight. We dated for three years. We married in Laredo in 1979 and there made our home. Her family is native Texan. On both her father and her mother’s side they trace their heritage to the 1755 founding of Laredo. Her roots are deep in south Texas. She demonstrated it in her Masters thesis where she wrote on the history of south Texas based on her family’s story.
In the early years of our married life, I practiced law and she managed the nascent Philharmonic Orchestra. Then along came Anni, beautiful Anni! Followed by Quico Jr. Six years later, I moved in-house with the Union National Bank of Texas and along came Carlos. Our family was complete. Gloria started a project with the County Heritage Foundation which led a year later to directing a project along the border from Brownsville to McAllen with the Meadows Foundation. During this time my involvement with the Union National Bank had exceeded a role as general counsel. I was involved with its management and direction of the Bank. I loved banking! With it came many other opportunities. I learned the business of shopping center development. I cut my teeth on a project with a group from Austin, and then applied my new found skills to a project with my brothers and sisters. As though that were not enough, other projects followed and for some 17 years besides practicing law, I was a shopping center developer.
When Union National Bank sold to Norwest, I felt that a career in Banking had been cut short. In 1995, together with other partners I set out to restructur The Hondo National Bank. I have helped shape the Bank. I have served on its board ever since and have chaired the Holding company board.

I have served my community in many ways; as chairman of the Hospital board of Doctors Hospital,
As a member of the charter review commission;
On a number of school boards; as a volunteer attorney;
And as a lawyer faithfully serving my clients in a representative capacity; and as a mediator offering alternative dispute resolution.

In honor of our father’s memory, and in keeping with my mother’s wishes, in 1997 my brothers and sisters and I establised the Canseco Foundation, to serve the charitable needs of the south Texas Community.

In 2004, I attempted a congressional race for the newly redrawn 28th CD. In a four way primary, I lost in a runoff, yet I gained a lot of knowledge. I stayed active with my party, attending conventions as a delegate; being invited to serve on the board of the TFRW as its only man member; serving on the Candidate resource committee of the SREC; and, chairing the Credentials Committee in the last convention. I now serve as the state party’s associate general counsel.

Our children have grown; Anni is a school teacher; Quico is a software engineer; and Carlos is to graduate from Churchill highschool next week. Gloria works as the development officer for Mercy Ministries, which provides healthcare and healthcare education for the underprivileged. We are practicing Catholics. In January of 2006 we pruchased a home in San Antonio so that Gloria could be closer to her partents, and so as to see to Carlos’ educational needs. We call San Antonio our home.

WHERE WE HAVE BEEN

For many years, the 23rd Congressional District of Texas enjoyed Republican leadership.  Then last year, following a decision by the United States Supreme Court that said the 23rd Congressional District as it was drawn was unconstitutional, the district was redrawn to be a  Latino Opportunity District, and  following a bruising election, our incumbent Republican Congresman, Henry Bonilla, was defeated.  In November, liberal Democrats gained control of the United States Congress, and in December of last year, Democrats took control of the 23rd Congressional District and thousands of South Texans were denied a conservative voice in our nation’s capitol.

Now, we have the opportunity to take back our district, but first we must elect the Republican who, as our party’s nominee, can defeat the Democrat incumbent in 2008—a true conservative leader will stand up to Nancy Pelosi and her liberal cronies and stand up for the traditional values of faith, family, and freedom that have made our state and nation strong.

I submit to you that I am that leader.

Last December, following the Special Election victory by Ciro Rodriguez, I became determined to take back the 23rd Congressional District, defend our Texas values, and work to restore conservative and moral leadership to the Congress.  I started thinking about running for the United States Congress and talking to my friends and family about seeking the office of United States Representative.

To me United States Representative is much more than just a title.  I believe it carries with it the sacred responsibility to represent your values and the only way I knew how to do that was to start listening to you and your concerns. 

And so, I began to to travel across the 23rd Congressioanl District and started to listening to the people who call it home.  I met with and listened to the concerns of farmers and ranchers, business leaders and militray retirees, young people and old, homemakers and students.  I met with and listened to literally thousands of South Texans who told me what they expected from their Congressman and about the issues that were most important to them and their families.  They were concerned, yet hopeful. The people of this district love and care about our great country and they want to keep it strong.  They are a people of faith—faith in God and faith in the strength and resiliency of our great nation and they are looking for a principled conservative leader in our nation’s capitol who will truly represent their values.

I submit to you that I am that leader.

I listened to thousands of South Texans and the listening continues.  I have a lot of good ideas about how to restore conservative leadership to the 23rd District and how to make our government leaner and more responsive to you, the taxpayer, but I certainly don’t claim to have all of the answers.  I am confident however that the answers to the problems facing our nation can be found right here in South Texas and that by working together we can solve them.  Together, we can continue to make Texas the greatest state in the greatest nation the world has ever known.  We have a lot of work to do and our task won’t be easy, but then nothing worthwhile ever is.

WHERE WE ARE GOING and WHERE WE WANT TO GO

Our country is at a cross roads.

One path leads to more government, threats to our sovereignty, higher taxes, and less personal freedom.  The other path leads to getting things done, more effective and responsive government, a safer and more secure nation, less bureaucracy, lower taxes, and more individual responsibility.

We must elect a leader who will choose the right path and who will have the vision, commitment, integrity, and courage to to serve their constituents while standing up to those who wish to weaken America and to strip away the moral foundations that have made us the envy of the world and the last true beacon of freedom on earth.

I submit to you that I am that leader.

If you disagree with the policies of Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat majority that endanger our nation and our troops on the battlefield.  If you disagree with the secular progressives who work daily to distort the very principle and values that our country was founded upon, help elect a strong leader to Congress who will take back our district, defend Texas values, and restore real moral leadership to our nation.

I submit to you that I am that leader.

Together we can change the course of America’s future.

We can restore America…by restoring our God-given values.

We can secure America’s future…by securing our borders.

We can elect honest and ethical leaders…so the promise of America can be fulfilled.

I thank you for being here this evening and for getting involved.

I humbly ask for your vote, your continued support and prayers.

God bless you, and may God continue to bless Texas and the United States of America.