AUSTIN, Texas — Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas engaged in his first election on Tuesday following his indictment on bribery accusations. This election represents one of three closely-monitored races along the U.S.-Mexico border, as Republicans seek to expand their influence in this predominantly Hispanic area.
The election poses another challenge for Democrats in a region that has traditionally been a safe haven for their party and is frequently referenced in the national conversation surrounding immigration policies.
Cuellar, along with his wife, has pleaded not guilty to allegations linking them to nearly $600,000 in bribes from an energy company tied to Azerbaijan and a bank in Mexico. The Republican Party attempted a vigorous campaign in 2022 to dislodge Cuellar, regarded as one of the party’s most vocal moderates; however, they suffered a significant setback, losing by a considerable margin and chose to tone down their efforts in the district despite the indictment this year.
In Texas, the House districts along the border present a competitive anomaly, as Republicans enjoy enduring dominance over the state legislature, and no Democrat has occupied a statewide office for over three decades.
Cuellar is contending with Jay Furman, a political novice and veteran of the Navy, who stands as the Democrat’s first challenger following Cuellar’s indictment earlier in May. The couple is accused of receiving substantial bribes, which have allowed Furman to position himself within District 28, a seat Cuellar has held since 2005.
Nonetheless, this electoral cycle has seen less Republican interest in the race compared to 2022 when a multi-million-dollar campaign ended with a clear victory for Cuellar.
In another race, Republican Monica De La Cruz is battling it out once more against Democrat Michelle Vallejo, having won their previous encounter by 8 percentage points in 2022. De La Cruz labeled as the pioneer Republican congressperson in South Texas, is competing in the newly drawn 15th Congressional District after Texas received extra representation following the 2020 census, influenced by the state’s growing Hispanic demographic. The district was sketched by Republican strategists to favor their candidates.
Vallejo’s campaign highlights the need to safeguard Social Security and Medicare, addressing the interests of her primarily Latino and working-class constituents. Conversely, De La Cruz has emphasized her backing for more stringent border enforcement policies that align with former President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Republican efforts are especially concentrated on challenging Democratic Representative Vicente Gonzalez in a rematch against former Representative Mayra Flores, who many Republicans regard as a rising star along the southern border. Out of the three border races in Texas, the Republican investment has been greatest in the attempt to unseat Gonzalez, a moderate Democrat who triumphed over Flores by more than 8 percentage points the previous year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has actively campaigned for Flores, the first Mexican-born woman to be elected to Congress, who has outpaced Gonzalez in campaign fundraising within what has emerged as a key target for the GOP nationally. Flores had previously occupied the seat after a special election victory in early 2022 when the electoral map was more favorable to Republican candidates.
The political dynamics in South Texas have undergone noticeable transformations. Numerous counties adjacent to the Texas-Mexico border noticeably shifted in favor of Trump during the 2020 elections. This rightward movement signifies a changing political environment where border security has increasingly become a pressing concern for the electorate. Notably, President Biden’s margin in Hidalgo County, a district that historically favored Democrats, reduced dramatically compared to Hillary Clinton’s victory there in 2016. Meanwhile, rural Zapata County witnessed a complete reversal, swinging to Trump after Clinton’s considerable win in the previous election cycle by 33 percentage points.
These shifts have prompted Republicans to invest substantial resources into areas once deemed solidly blue. Nevertheless, Democrats managed to narrow the statewide gap in 2020, as Trump’s victory in Texas came with a margin of less than 6 percentage points, marking the closest result for a Republican presidential candidate in the state in decades.
The election poses another challenge for Democrats in a region that has traditionally been a safe haven for their party and is frequently referenced in the national conversation surrounding immigration policies.
Cuellar, along with his wife, has pleaded not guilty to allegations linking them to nearly $600,000 in bribes from an energy company tied to Azerbaijan and a bank in Mexico. The Republican Party attempted a vigorous campaign in 2022 to dislodge Cuellar, regarded as one of the party’s most vocal moderates; however, they suffered a significant setback, losing by a considerable margin and chose to tone down their efforts in the district despite the indictment this year.
In Texas, the House districts along the border present a competitive anomaly, as Republicans enjoy enduring dominance over the state legislature, and no Democrat has occupied a statewide office for over three decades.
Cuellar is contending with Jay Furman, a political novice and veteran of the Navy, who stands as the Democrat’s first challenger following Cuellar’s indictment earlier in May. The couple is accused of receiving substantial bribes, which have allowed Furman to position himself within District 28, a seat Cuellar has held since 2005.
Nonetheless, this electoral cycle has seen less Republican interest in the race compared to 2022 when a multi-million-dollar campaign ended with a clear victory for Cuellar.
In another race, Republican Monica De La Cruz is battling it out once more against Democrat Michelle Vallejo, having won their previous encounter by 8 percentage points in 2022. De La Cruz labeled as the pioneer Republican congressperson in South Texas, is competing in the newly drawn 15th Congressional District after Texas received extra representation following the 2020 census, influenced by the state’s growing Hispanic demographic. The district was sketched by Republican strategists to favor their candidates.
Vallejo’s campaign highlights the need to safeguard Social Security and Medicare, addressing the interests of her primarily Latino and working-class constituents. Conversely, De La Cruz has emphasized her backing for more stringent border enforcement policies that align with former President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Republican efforts are especially concentrated on challenging Democratic Representative Vicente Gonzalez in a rematch against former Representative Mayra Flores, who many Republicans regard as a rising star along the southern border. Out of the three border races in Texas, the Republican investment has been greatest in the attempt to unseat Gonzalez, a moderate Democrat who triumphed over Flores by more than 8 percentage points the previous year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has actively campaigned for Flores, the first Mexican-born woman to be elected to Congress, who has outpaced Gonzalez in campaign fundraising within what has emerged as a key target for the GOP nationally. Flores had previously occupied the seat after a special election victory in early 2022 when the electoral map was more favorable to Republican candidates.
The political dynamics in South Texas have undergone noticeable transformations. Numerous counties adjacent to the Texas-Mexico border noticeably shifted in favor of Trump during the 2020 elections. This rightward movement signifies a changing political environment where border security has increasingly become a pressing concern for the electorate. Notably, President Biden’s margin in Hidalgo County, a district that historically favored Democrats, reduced dramatically compared to Hillary Clinton’s victory there in 2016. Meanwhile, rural Zapata County witnessed a complete reversal, swinging to Trump after Clinton’s considerable win in the previous election cycle by 33 percentage points.
These shifts have prompted Republicans to invest substantial resources into areas once deemed solidly blue. Nevertheless, Democrats managed to narrow the statewide gap in 2020, as Trump’s victory in Texas came with a margin of less than 6 percentage points, marking the closest result for a Republican presidential candidate in the state in decades.