Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
Seby is running for Texas State Representative for District 41 with a message centered on preparation, practicality, and public service. Seby presents his candidacy as a continuation of work already done in the community, shaped by years of involvement in local government, economic development, community engagement, and regional leadership. His decision to run, he explains, comes from seeing firsthand where state government can better support South Texas and believing his experience and trusted relationships equip him to deliver results.
That experience is deeply informed by a family legacy of leadership and execution, particularly through his father, Seby, whose career spans nearly two decades in community banking, small business, technology, and civic leadership. As Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at Lone Star National Bank, Victor Haddad oversees a team which manages a $1.7 billion lending portfolio and lends out hundreds of millions of dollars of capital to small businesses and consumers a year. His work has blended financial stewardship with operational discipline, technology project management, and public service, setting a clear example of leadership rooted in accountability and measurable outcomes. Seby points to this foundation as formative. It shaped his understanding that leadership is not about promises, but about preparation and follow-through.
District 41 sits entirely within Hidalgo County and includes parts of McAllen, Edinburg, Pharr, Mission, and Palmhurst. Home to roughly 188,000 residents, the district is one of the most densely populated in South Texas and among the fastest growing. District 41 is the urban core of Hidalgo County and the area Seby has strongly represented and is most familiar with given his tenure on the McAllen City Commission and business roots. With that growth has come pressure on infrastructure, schools, healthcare systems, and housing affordability. Seby frames his campaign around these realities, arguing that state policy must better align with the day-to-day challenges that cities and families face.
Flood control and infrastructure are central concerns. District 41 has experienced repeated but reduced flooding, and Seby draws directly from his work in McAllen, where the city prioritized more than $500 million in drainage and infrastructure projects over the last six years. “To get the state to participate, you need to be ready to contribute and have projects shovel-ready,” Haddad said. He plans to work with cities and Hidalgo County to identify priority projects and pursue funding through the Flood Infrastructure Fund, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and other state sources. “I understand what both sides are looking for when choosing projects and approving funding,” he said.
Economic development and job creation form another pillar of his platform. As a current community banker and longtime small business owner, Haddad emphasizes that he has operated on both sides of the table. “I know what it requires to make payroll, manage costs, deal in a competitive landscape, and operate in all types of economic conditions,” he said. He points to expanded partnerships with UTRGV, Texas A&M, and South Texas College to strengthen workforce training and keep education affordable. His experience working with farmers, contractors, physicians, engineers, retailers, manufacturers, and all types of small businesses informs his view that access to capital and practical workforce pipelines are essential to sustaining growth. Seby also believes industry has an obligation to pay living wages and create pathways for better paying jobs.
Property taxes and affordability remain top-of-mind for many residents. Haddad highlights McAllen’s record of reducing the property tax rate for four consecutive years and maintaining some of the lowest utility rates in Texas for a city its size. At the state level, he supports reforms focused on appraisal practices, assessment stability, and increased state funding for public education. “The State needs to demand more efficiency while also creating stability on property taxes,” he said, adding that Texas ranks near the bottom nationally in per-student funding. “Property tax reform should be a bipartisan issue.” If the State contributed more to public education, it would reduce the burden of property tax on property owners while generating greater outcomes of quality in our schools; it’s a win for all.
Education and healthcare are closely linked in Seby’s view of long-term opportunity. He argues that underfunded schools limit workforce readiness and economic mobility, while gaps in healthcare strain families and employers. Seby supports raising per-student funding to at least the national average, expanding nursing and trade programs, and strengthening partnerships between school districts and higher education institutions. On healthcare, he has called the issue “one of the region’s greatest needs,” noting shortages of hundreds of nurses and ongoing coverage gaps. “We must also expand Medicaid to help cover the demographic of our region,” he said, while continuing to support clinics, nonprofits, and mental health services.
Seby’s views on government accountability are shaped by his role in championing term limits in McAllen, which voters approved by an overwhelming margin. “The needs of the people always come first, over power and comfort,” he said. He advocates for transparency through regular reporting, public workshops, and town halls, arguing that accountability builds trust and better outcomes.
Regionally, Seby brings experience as President of Texas Municipal League Region 12 and as a state-level director within the organization. He describes the network built through those roles as critical to effective advocacy. “At the Capitol, a goal will sometimes require some added support,” he said. “The trusted individuals from this network will be a resource and help ensure I am an effective legislator.” Seby is also a trusted executive board member of the Foreign Trade Zone, sits as Vice President of the Development Corp of McAllen, and sits on the McAllen Chamber and International Museum of Arts & Science Boards.
That results-driven style is reflected in the endorsements he has received from sitting state lawmakers across South Texas, including Bobby Guerra, Terry Canales, Sergio Muñoz, Oscar Longoria, and Armando Martinez. Seby views these endorsements not as the story, but as confirmation of trust earned through results. “I take a common-sense approach, I remain accessible, and I welcome anyone willing to focus on solutions,” he said.
As the race for District 41 unfolds, Seby is positioning himself as a candidate shaped by experience, trust, and proven leadership. His campaign emphasizes preparation, fiscal responsibility, and regional cooperation, grounded in a clear understanding of how policy decisions affect real communities. In a district defined by growth and complexity, Seby argues that steady, informed leadership is not just preferred but necessary.
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