ke ▁lost ▁his ▁first ▁two ▁races , ▁for ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁El ▁Pas o ▁Community ▁College ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁for ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁El ▁Pas o ▁Community ▁College ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁A ▁friend ▁described ▁him ▁as ▁un m ist ake ably ▁Irish ▁American ▁and ▁he ▁sus pected ▁it ▁would ▁used ▁against ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁mostly ▁Mexican ▁American ▁elect or ate ▁so ▁he ▁emb rac ed ▁it ▁by ▁campaign ing ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Saint ▁Patrick ' s ▁Day , ▁dressed ▁up ▁as ▁a ▁le pre cha un . ▁Also ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁he ▁gathered ▁friends ▁to ▁jog ▁along ▁Trans ▁Mountain ▁Road , ▁an ▁idea ▁that ▁evol ved ▁into ▁the ▁annual ▁Trans ▁Mountain ▁ 2 0 - kil ometer ▁challenge ▁each ▁Saint ▁Patrick ' s ▁Day . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁El ▁Pas o ▁County ▁commission er ▁and ▁then ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁served ▁as ▁El ▁Pas o ▁County ▁judge . ▁O ' R our ke ▁and ▁El ▁Pas o ▁Mayor ▁Jonathan ▁Rog ers ▁worked ▁to ▁cons olid ate ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁govern ments ' ▁services ▁to ▁try ▁to ▁save ▁tax p ayer ▁money . ▁O ' R our ke ▁did ▁not ▁seek ▁re - e lection ▁saying ▁public