<P> Women played a growing role in the party in Texas in the 1970s, holding party offices at various levels and running as political candidates, as well as doing campaign work in many localities . </P> <P> Political scientists have examined the 1972 gubernatorial race when La Raza Unida Party called for ethnic solidarity . There was deep alienation among Mexican Americans from Anglo - dominated politics . However, Mexican American support for LRUP was uneven across Texas and reflected differing levels of economic attainment and incorporation . </P> <P> In 1976, eleven officials in Crystal City, Texas, were indicted on various counts . Angel Noe Gonzalez, the former Crystal City Independent School District superintendent who later worked in the United States Department of Education in Washington, D.C., upon his indictment retained the San Antonio lawyer and later mayor, Phil Hardberger . Gonzalez was charged with paying Adan Cantu for doing no work . Hardberger, however, documented to the court specific duties that Cantu had performed and disputed all the witnesses called against Cantu . The jury unanimously acquitted Gonzalez . Many newspapers reported on the indictments but not on the acquittal . John Luke Hill, the 1978 Democratic gubernatorial nominee, had sought to weaken RUP so that he would not lose general election votes to a third party candidate . Victory, however, went not to Hill but narrowly to his Republican rival, Bill Clements . Compean received only 15,000 votes, or 0.6 percent, just under Clements's 17,000 - vote plurality over Hill . </P> <Ul> <Li> Maria L. de Hernández (1896--1986), Mexican - American rights activist </Li> </Ul>

How did la raza unida promote latino civil rights