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McALLEN — Carlos Cascos, a former Texas secretary of state and political juggernaut in the Rio Grande Valley, died Wednesday. He was 71.
His death was confirmed by his office Thursday morning.
Cascos, who served as the 110th Secretary of State under Gov. Greg Abbott from 2015 to 2017, died of cardiac arrest, Cameron County Justice of the Peace Linda Salazar said, prompting the South Texas community to mourn the loss of a longtime public servant.
Cascos suffered a heart attack as he was driving home from a conference on South Padre Island.
Cascos had a history of heart issues and underwent a quadruple bypass surgery in 2022, said Morgan Cisneros Graham, former Cameron County GOP Chair who is the operations director at Cascos' firm, Cascos & Associates, PC, and considered him a best friend and mentor.
"He was a very pragmatic, moderate Republican," she said, adding that he was accessible to anyone, regardless of party. "Those of us who are considered family are not the only ones who lost — everybody has, even people who have never heard of him."
Before serving as secretary of state, Cascos, a certified public accountant, had held elected office for several years.
Cascos was elected Cameron County Judge in 2006 and reelected in 2010 and 2014. He also served on the Texas Public Safety Commission and as a Cameron County commissioner from 1991 through 2002.
Former state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, said he was proud to confirm Cascos to represent the Rio Grande Valley at a statewide level.
Though Cascos started out his political career in the Valley as a Democrat, he switched over to the Republican Party by the time of his nomination to be secretary of state in 2014.
Despite serving in opposing parties, Lucio said they always found a way to work together.
"He reached across party lines which I respected him for and I admired that of him," Lucio said.
"My heartfelt sympathy to his family," Lucio added. "I know that Carlos was proud of his service to the community and rightfully so."
In neighboring Hidalgo County, Judge Richard F. Cortez said he was shocked and saddened by the news of Cascos' passing.
“As a former Cameron County Judge, a former Cameron County Commissioner and a former Texas Secretary of State, Carlos embodied public service and served faithfully not only the people of Cameron County, but the Rio Grande Valley and the State of Texas as well," Cortez said in a statement.
Cascos is survived by his wife, Aurora Candida G. Cascos, and their two daughters.
He was born in Mexico, immigrating to the U.S. as a child. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin.
Reporting in the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
Disclosure: Texas Secretary of State and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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Correction, : A previous version of this article's summary incorrectly reported when Carlos Cascos changed his political party affliction. He first ran as a Republican in 2006.