Texas candidate told to change his name for fear it will confuse American voters

Texas Democrat Ruben Ramirez Hinojosa has been told that he must drop his last name if he wants to succeed Ruben Hinojosa in the House of Representatives.

The law student had been hoping to use his full name for the March election, but the local Democratic party said he must change it over fears that it would confuse voters for its similarity to the outgoing member for Texas's 15th district and that he might pick up some extra votes as a result.

Party representatives want the candidate to cut his mother's maiden name from the ballot because they claim that he has failed to prove that he actually uses it day-to-day, according to the Texas Tribune.

After further review and on the advice of our legal counsel the Texas Democratic Party requested that Mr Ramirez clarify that he meets the statutory requirements to use 'Ruben Ramirez Hinojosa' as his ballot name in order for us to certify that all information in his filing is correct.

Mr Ramirez refused to sign a sworn affidavit attesting that he has gone by the name 'Ruben Ramirez Hinojosa.'

• Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party

Nevertheless, Mr Ramirez, an anti-establishment figure who also previously served in the military, has maintained that he does use 'Hinojosa' in his full name and is adamant that it would not confuse voters.

I think it’s a lapse in judgment.

They’re letting their political friendships pressure them, and they’re caving in to their friends.

Following the local party's request that he sign an affidavit, Mr Ramirez provided a copy his birth certificate and testimony from a friend who said he had known him as 'Ramirez Hinojosa' for three years.

While the party has rejected his evidence, Mr Ramirez said he believes he has legal grounds to challenge them but probably will not.

"You have to choose your battles," he later told the Tribune.

Although his campaign has now created this logo to try to capitalise on the publicity...