I’ve just received the following from a source in the Legislature:
San Antonio, TX – State Representative Frank Corte Jr., R-San Antonio, will announce at a press conference on Thursday that he is being deployed to Iraq as part of his tour of duty with the U.S. Marines, 3rd Civil Affairs Group. The press conference will be at the Raytheon FBO Aircraft Services at the San Antonio International Airport Complex, 1115 Paul Wilkins Rd., starting promptly at 12:45 pm. Rep. Corte will also announce his intention to appoint a Temporary Acting Representative in case a special legislative session is called in his absence. Governor Rick Perry and other legislators will also be in attendance at the press conference. Rep. Corte will be available for questions after the press conference.
My source tells me that the acting rep will be Corte’s wife. That would make his situation almost exactly parallel to that of Rick Noriega, who was deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 and who had his wife Melissa take his place in Austin last year.
My best wishes to Rep. Corte and his family. May he return home safely when his service is complete.
UPDATE: Larry Stallings, Corte’s opponent and a combat veteran from Desert Storm, wishes him godspeed.