“During my time as Mayor of Eagle Pass I have done the hard work. I built coalitions with county, state, and federal officials to address both local and regional challenges. These experiences and these relationships have prepared me to represent the 74th District in the Texas House, and I'm excited to announce my candidacy and kickoff my campaign,” said Mayor Cantu. “In the coming days we will roll out my accomplishments, my platform, and announce an impressive list of endorsements. I am humbled and grateful to have had so many people across the district encourage and support this decision.”
Cantu has been at the helm of the City of Eagle Pass since 2008 when he was first elected as City Mayor.
Since then, he has worked tirelessly to represent and advocate for a growing community that he calls home.
Cantu began his political career at a young age and became the youngest person to be elected to the Eagle Pass City Council on May 13, 2006, at the age of 22 years old. Four years later he would go on to win the City Mayor position, becoming the youngest individual to be elected as City Mayor as well.
He was then re-elected as Mayor in 2014 and 2018. He is currently serving his last term as City Mayor which is set to expire in 2020.
Mayor Cantu is a life-long resident of Eagle Pass, Texas and is the son of Raul “Pecas ” Cantu and Byrdie English Cantu and has one Sister Kimberly D. Cantu, a local attorney.
He is the grandson of the late Tomas Cantu Flores and Rosa Cantu Galindo and the late Walter Willis English and Elvira Saucedo English. Cantu graduated from Southwest Texas Junior College with an Associates of Arts degree in education in 2004 and attended Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College in Eagle Pass with his studies focused in Organizational Leadership.
After taking an extended sabbatical from his higher education to tend to City Operations and serve the City which he loves and calls home. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership with a minor in Criminal Justice in 2015 and is currently pursuing to obtain his Master's degree in Public Administration.
Mayor Cantu's accomplishments as a public leader are bountiful and continue amassing as he guides our community on a daily basis.
Since his election to the Mayors seat in 2010, Mayor Cantu has worked tirelessly to assure that the needs of the Eagle Pass community are met.
Working together with the Eagle Pass City Council he initiated a 7-year capital improvement plan that would address the muchneeded infrastructure needs that the city had been lacking for many years. Said CIP monies would go to invest heavily in streets, drainage, parks, new municipal buildings and upgrades.
Under his leadership the city has been able to repave, reconstruct and or provide maintenance to over 80 miles of streets in the incorporated city limits.
Two new detention ponds have been constructed to address flooding issues throughout the city.
Mayor Cantu has been at the helm of Eagle Pass focusing in strengthening the resolve of the community by assuring the lines of communication between our city and governmental entities all across Texas as well as our neighbor to the South, Mexico.
He is now ready to take on the challenge to become the next Texas House District 74 State Representative if elected and
continue representing not only his border community but all communities under District 74.