Woman Falls Short in Bid for Presidency of LULAC

ANAHEIM —  A San Antonio businessman fought off an attempt Sunday by an El Toro woman to become the first woman president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation’s oldest and largest Latino organization.

Oscar Moran, 40, a San Antonio insurance regulations analyst, turned back the bid by Anita Del Rio, 44, who conceded after it became apparent that Moran had won a majority of the 600 Latino delegates.

Founded in 1929 in Texas, the 110,000-member league has been closely associated with civil rights causes.

Del Rio, who has clashed with some Latina feminists during the year because she promotes a “traditional” woman’s role, said she purposely asked her husband, Raymundo, and her two sons to accompany her to the podium.

Del Rio, who helped to found the Irvine LULAC chapter, said she will continue to be active in LULAC activities but also will consider running for public office.

After the election, Moran said his first priority will be in education to help motivate Latino underachievers. He noted that the Latino high school dropout rate nationally is 45%, compared to 17% for Anglos.

Moran, the son of a Texas plumber, will become one of the most visible Latino spokesmen in the United States as the new LULAC president. He succeeds Mario Obledo, former director of health, education and welfare under former California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.