‘Simple plan’ gains Texan national attention from media
by John Woelke, reporter

    Voted best dancer in his high school class, Victor Morales still has a spring in his step.

    The Texas politician shared some of his experiences as the first Hispanic nominee for U.S. Senate last week with students on the NE Campus. As such, he traveled the state speaking at various civic, religious and educational functions.

    Although he started most speeches the same way, the reception was varied.

    “‘I’m Victor Morales; I’m the replacement for Phil Gramm,’ I would say. Sometimes people would just smile; sometimes they would say ‘Martha get back in the truck,’” he said.

    Commenting on Phil Gramm’s recent announcement that he was stepping down, Morales said he would have started campaigning the next day if he did not have a family.

    Morales is currently teaching high school geography and coaching track and does not believe his wife would be thrilled if he decided to take another year off from teaching.

    “I might still do it, but I will still have to work. I don’t know if people still remember me,” he said.

    Morales grew up in a small town south of San Antonio. He graduated in the top 10 percent of his high school class and attended a junior college before joining the U.S. Navy, where he received a Vietnam Service Medal for his service in Vietnam.

Morales was a government teacher in Mesquite before deciding to run for the Senate. He had a simple plan to work hard and gain the respect of the people.

    “I’m going to drive my truck,” he remembered saying. “When I get tired, I’ll stop. Then I’ll walk, and when I run out of money, I’ll walk, but no one stops me,” he said.

    Morales drove his pick-up truck 80,000 miles around the state of Texas.

    Morales’ simple plan gained him international attention landing him on the front page of newspapers across the country and interviews on news programs on every level. However, Morales said his fame was not enough to keep the cover of People magazine. T

he cover he was scheduled for went to Tom Cruise instead.
    While standing in line at a Dallas Stars game, a man tapped Morales on the shoulder and asked, “Are you Victor Morales?”

    When Morales verified his identity, the man said, “I’m a Republican, and I voted for you. I didn’t agree with everything you said, didn’t like everything you said, but I respected you.”

    “Y por que’ no?” (and why not), his supporters ask. Morales said he spends a large portion of his free time speaking to students.

    TCC students who missed last week’s presentation have two more opportunities to hear Morales. He will speak Monday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. in B-118 on NW Campus and Tuesday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m. in the Recital Hall in the Performing Arts Center on South Campus.