Maclovio Perez retired from TV meteorology last year after 40 years in broadcasting. His next chapter is running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
"I have always been a political observer, but my journalism ethics prevented me from expressing myself in the newsroom or in stories or in interviews," Perez told mikemcguff.com. "I quickly realized that I was not ready for retirement. Some friends encouraged me to run for this office."
In the Texas March 1, 2022 primary election, Perez won the Democratic nomination for Texas' 27th Congressional District. District 27 includes the Texas Coastal Bend from Kingsville to Bay City with a stretch that includes northwest up to Lockhart.
"Obviously, I am not a fan of what is going on in the Congress right now and I thought I might be able to leverage my name identification into a position," Perez told me. "I began campaigning in January and found it to be just like television. I go out and meet people, we start to chat and most people are very reasonable."
The 1974 University of Texas at Austin grad actually started his TV career as a reporter, not a meteorologist. Check out the above clip of Perez reporting for then KMOL (now back to WOAI call letters) San Antonio in 1974.
As the legend goes, the audience reaction to a fill-in assignment on the weather desk led Perez into going back to school to earn a meteorological degree. He then joined KENS 5 San Antonio for five years.
In 1980, "Mac" as he is known by friends and viewers over the years, moved to KCBS 2 Los Angeles (KNXT call letters when he was hired) where he spent 16 years forecasting Southern California weather. Perez worked with Connie Chung and Lester Holt at the CBS owned and operated station.
Texas eventually came calling and Perez returned to his home state at News 4 San Antonio WOAI. He called it a career with KRIS 6 Corpus Christi in 2020.
"In television, the audience votes for you every night with the remote control," Perez said. "In politics one just needs to explain your views on what is important and on how you would go about making their lives better."
Perez's campaign website says he is focusing on 'kitchen table' issues that impact working families across the district.
"In my former viewing area of Corpus Christi, I won the nomination by a two to one margin," Perez added. "I believe my viewers feel that they not only know my name but also appreciate who I am and how I would treat issues. After all, we lived through Hurricane Harvey together!"
Perez will challenge Republican incumbent Michael Cloud at the polls on November 8, 2022.
