GOP Army veteran announces challenge to Democrat Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas congressional district
Gonzalez won the district, situated on the Gulf Coast and stretching from Brownsville toward Corpus Christi, by nearly 3 percentage points — the closest margin of Texas' 38 congressional districts last November. It is one of just 13 House districts nationwide that elected a Democrat while being carried by Trump, making Gonzalez a top target for Republicans as they look to maintain their slim House majority in 2026.
The prospect of Flores' candidacy has excited Republicans in Texas and Washington, due in part to his military and law enforcement credentials. Flores is a Rio Grande Valley native and Spanish speaker in a district that is over 90% Hispanic.
He has held numerous public positions in South Texas, serving as a city attorney and municipal judge in Alton before a stint as assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Texas' criminal division in McAllen from 2021 to the beginning of this year. There, he prosecuted transnational human smuggling along the border — an issue he hopes to raise in the election.
'I was prosecuting at a time when there were thousands and thousands of undocumented aliens coming into the U.S.,' Flores said in an interview. 'They're here unlawfully, and [we were] just, quite frankly, letting them in. It's policies like that that I want to go to D.C. and change.'
But Flores is not as hardline as some members of his party. He said he wants to push for immigration policy that makes sense for a region that has struggled with labor shortages, especially as the Trump administration's immigration raids targeting undocumented workers have ramped up.
'Something that I'm going to be championing in D.C. is to ensure — especially [for] our farmers, for our boat manufacturers, for our steel mills that we have down here — that they have the workers that they need, having an efficient legal process for that,' he said.
Though the district has shifted rightward in recent elections, Republicans have been unable to replicate their success down the ballot. Democratic Senate nominee Colin Allred won the district by 6 percentage points in 2024, and Gonzalez, a moderate who has represented South Texas since 2017, has proven difficult to beat. He defeated Republican Mayra Flores in 2022 and in 2024 by single-digit margins.
Mayra Flores, who is not related to Eric, has since announced a 2026 run in the nearby district of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo.
The boundaries of the 34th Congressional District, and others in the Rio Grande Valley, could be changed as Texas Republicans move to redraw the state's political lines in a special session that began Monday. South Texas — where Republicans have rapidly improved their margins with Hispanic voters — is a key area the GOP is targeting to flip seats, and the 34th District could be redrawn to include more Republican voters and become a friendlier seat for whoever captures the GOP nomination.
In a statement to The Texas Tribune, Gonzalez suggested that his old opponent could still end up running in his district — and pledged to beat either candidate.
'If Mayra comes back, she will be mopping the floor with him and every other Republican primary candidate,' Gonzalez said. 'So [Eric] needs to get in line before he gets to the general election. If our district doesn't move too much, we'll kick his or anyone else's ass, just as we have the 19 candidates before.'
But if Republicans push the 34th District into Republican areas near Corpus Christi, Gonzalez could end up running in a district tilted more in favor of the GOP — a prospect he acknowledged.
'The only way Republicans can beat me is by cheating and changing the district maps,' he said.
Flores lives in the neighboring 15th Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz of Edinburg. Members of Congress do not need to live in the district they represent, though doing so opens them up to criticism from opponents.
The lineup for The Texas Tribune Festival continues to grow! Be there when all-star leaders, innovators and newsmakers take the stage in downtown Austin, Nov. 13–15. The newest additions include comedian, actor and writer John Mulaney; Dallas mayor Eric Johnson; U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; New York Media Editor-at-Large Kara Swisher; and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. Get your tickets today!
TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
American Press
6 minutes ago
- American Press
Jim Beam column:Texas GOP wants more seats
Texas Republicans are trying to increase their congressional seats during a current special session.(Image courtesy of Wikipedia). Republican President Donald Trump and many GOP members are obviously concerned about the party's possible loss of congressional seats at the 2026 midterm elections. Texas began a special session this week that is aimed at increasing its GOP seats in Congress and addressing the state flooding that killed at least 135 people. Louisiana won't be changing its congressional elections. It did that during the first special session of 2024 when it redrew its election lines after a federal court order. It created a second majority-Black 6th Congressional District and U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields of Baton Rouge was elected with 51% of the vote on Nov. 5, 2024. The Associated Press said Trump is pushing Texas to take a 'high-risk, high reward push to get Texas Republicans to redraw their political map. Trump is seeking to avoid the traditional midterm letdown that most incumbent presidents endure and hold onto the House, which the GOP narrowly controls.' Trump supporters won't agree, but The AP said, 'Trump's push comes as there are numerous danger signs for his presidency …' One is the Jeffrey Epstein case that has some MAGA supporters upset with Trump and new polling that shows U.S. adults think his policies haven't helped them. Six recent national polls, according to one report, give Trump an average approval rating of 46%. Some voters said they think his tax cut and spending bill will only help the wealthy. Like the other 49 states, Texas redrew its election lines after the 2020 Census. The AP said there are two terms that explain what might happen when election lines are redrawn. Gerrymandering is when one party rigs the map against the other party. 'Dummymander' is when aggressively redrawing a map, which Texas wants to do, puts the redrawing party's own seats at risk. The AP said Texas drew its election lines cautiously in 2021 after the 2020 Census because in the 2010s it padded its majority and lost two seats to Democrats. In 2021, Republicans decided to mainly shore up their incumbents rather than target Democrats. Doing what Trump wants, Texas Republicans have decided to go after Democratic seats during the current special session. Democratic U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of the Rio Grande Valley area is being targeted. However, Gonzelez said he isn't worried. He said the Democratic voters they want to take out of his district will end up in districts that flank his and those districts will be more competitive for Democrats. A national GOP official doesn't agree. He said, 'Smart map-drawing can yield pickup opportunities while not putting our incumbents in jeopardy.' Texas has 38 seats in the House — Republicans in 25 and Democrats in 12. One Democrat, a former Houston mayor, died in March. The AP said Texas isn't the only Republican state engaged in mid-decade redistricting. Ohio Republicans hope to go from a 10-5 party advantage in the House to a lopsided 13-2 advantage. We won't know which party gained the most advantage in Texas until its session is over. And we may not know until after the Texas midterm elections next year. Louisiana will be holding its political party closed primaries on April 18, 2026, and May 30, 2026. U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, is seeking a third six-year term and already has three Republican challengers. Political analysts don't expect any changes in Louisiana's 6 congressional districts. Republicans hold four seats and Democrats have two. Louisiana legislators were involved in gerrymandering when they eliminated former Republican U.S. Rep. Garret Graves of Baton Rouge from the 6th Congressional District. Graves was targeted by GOP Gov. Jeff Landry because he endorsed someone else in the 2023 gubernatorial election. The redrawn 6th District map runs from Shreveport to Baton Rouge and some non-Black voters filed suit, saying it was based on race. Landry and GOP legislators argued it was based on politics to protect two north Louisiana Republican congressional districts. Although an appellate federal panel said the new lines were illegal, the U.S. Supreme Court said the new map could be used for the 2024 congressional elections. The nation's highest court has again delayed a hearing, which means the existing map will be used again for congressional elections in 2026. Rep. Fields will be happy about that, but most voters are tired of waiting for court decisions that take much too long. Jim Beam, the retired editor of the American Press, has covered people and politics for more than six decades. Contact him at 337-515-8871 or
Newsweek
7 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Greg Abbott Sets Out Vision for Texas THC Regulation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has pushed for strict enforcement to ensure that THC products are not sold to people under the age of 21. Abbott set out a vision for the future of Texas THC regulations after he vetoed a bill that would have fully banned consumable products containing the compound of marijuana that which makes it psychoactive, THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, in the state. "We need to have a highly regulated hemp industry," Abbott told Fox 4 on Tuesday. Newsweek has contacted Governor Abbott via email for comment. Main: THC products seen at the Dope Daughters dispensary, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Inset: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas. Main: THC products seen at the Dope Daughters dispensary, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Inset: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas. Main: Eric Gay, Inset: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo Why It Matters Abbott's approach to THC has put him at loggerheads with fellow Republicans who have supported a complete ban. Some law enforcement leaders have said the only way to fully regulate THC use is to ban it completely and that they will not be able to fully stop smoke shops from illegally selling THC above the state-mandated dose, according to Fox 4. Abbott says regulation is possible when police are given the right resources. What To Know Abbott's proposal for the future of THC is to keep it regulated at its 0.3 percent legal limit. He said he will not be legalizing marijuana in the state, and will be pushing for stricter enforcement to ensure that hemp products are not sold to people under the age of 21, and that they do not contain any synthetic compounds. He told Fox 4 that the industry can be regulated like alcohol, including making it illegal to sell products near areas frequented by children. He added he still wanted hemp farmers and people selling the products to be allowed. In June, Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have fully banned THC in Texas. The bill, introduced by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, received overwhelming Republican support in the state legislature. Critics of THC in the state say that it poses a danger to children who may find it and consume it, and have pointed to THC as a public health risk. Lieutenant Governor Patrick has said that THC consumption leads to addiction and brain alteration, as reported in The Texas Tribune. The governor vetoed it, saying that the "legal defects in the bill are undeniable." He mentioned that a similar ban in Arkansas was stalled by lawsuits for years. The bill would have banned hemp-derived cannabinoids in Texas, the market of which reached $2.78 billion industry in the state in 2023, according to the Baker Institute at Rice University. On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on State Affairs passed Senate Bill 5 with a 10-0 vote. The bill would eliminate the majority of hemp products, according to The Texas Tribune. Hemp-derived cannabinoids were made legal in Texas in 2019 following the passage of a 2018 federal law which legalized hemp. They must contain a THC limit of 0.3 percent. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick shows products containing THC while calling for a ban on the consumables on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the state Capitol in Austin, Texas. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick shows products containing THC while calling for a ban on the consumables on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the state Capitol in Austin, Texas. Jim Vertuno/AP Photo What People Are Saying Governor Abbott told Fox 4: "We need to have a highly regulated hemp industry to ensure that farmers are able to grow it and that hemp products that do not have an intoxicating level of THC in it can be sold in the marketplace." Steve Dye, a police chief, told The Texas Tribune: "It would take decades, in our opinion, and millions of millions of dollars to hire and train agents to understand chemistry, potency threshold, lab testing and labeling compliance, and they will never be able to keep pace with the retailers, wholesalers and shippers." What Happens Next Senate Bill 5 has now advanced to the full chamber. But, according to The Texas Tribune, lawmakers in the House are more open about regulating THC products rather than banning them outright.
Politico
34 minutes ago
- Politico
Tax talks in Boston mayor's race
TAX TALK — Recent polling shows Michelle Wu crushing the competition in Boston's mayoral race. Her campaign is still keeping up the pressure. A gaggle of campaign surrogates held a press conference outside the JFK federal building Tuesday, calling on Josh Kraft, Wu's main competition in the race, to release his tax returns. 'He wants to be the mayor of Boston, and we're asking him to be totally transparent about where all of his money and all of his interests are going,' state Sen. Lydia Edwards said. 'He's not Trump, … but he's acting Trump-like when you don't disclose where your money's going. All we're asking for is a fundamental, basic level of transparency.' Wu wasn't there herself — she's in Maine until Sunday with family, according to her office — but she chimed in via a video she posted to social media. A spokesperson for Kraft said he applied for an extension for his 2024 tax return and will be releasing information before the Sept. 9 preliminary election. Yesterday's call for Kraft to disclose his financial details was in line with other attacks Wu and allies have leveled against Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, in a campaign that's become heavily focused on money. Wu has accused him of trying to buy the office and regularly points out that the super PAC backing him is funded in part by Republican donors. The Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll that was released this week shows those attacks seem to be sticking. Wu led Kraft 60-30 percent in the survey, and more than 42 percent of likely Boston voters said they had an unfavorable view of Kraft. The results prompted columns in both the Boston Herald and The Boston Globe questioning how Kraft can forge a path forward. Kraft went on the offensive early. His campaign, at least for now, is sticking with the strategy. In response to the Wu campaign's calls to release his tax returns, a Kraft spokesperson sent a lengthy statement knocking Wu over transparency within City Hall. 'Rather than talk about the issues that people actually care about and how she has failed to make the city work for everyone, from housing to schools to making City Hall more transparent and responsive to residents' concerns, Michelle Wu is trying to change the conversation while overseeing the least transparent City Hall in generations,' Kraft's spokesperson Eileen O'Connor said in a statement. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey chairs a Governors Council meeting at noon at the State House. Rep. Ayanna Pressley holds a press conference defending DEI at noon in D.C. THE MONEY VEEP WATCH — Vice President JD Vance raised $3 million at his Nantucket fundraiser Tuesday night, per the New York Post, a record for a fundraising event on the island. SPOTTED — at the fundraiser: Stefan Passantino, Mike Minogue Colin Greenspoon, Henry Howard, Kristan Nevins and Ozzie Palermo. DATELINE BEACON HILL — Healey says officials need to 'live within our means.' She's also giving managers in her administration $10 million in raises. by Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: 'When she signed Massachusetts' $61 billion state budget, Governor Maura Healey touted taking several cost-saving steps amid 'tight and uncertain' times, including halting a planned January pay hike for executive branch managers. … Left unsaid at the time: Healey is giving those same managers — 3,600 in total — a separate raise this month, a 2 percent increase her administration estimates will cost roughly $10 million this fiscal year. Members of Healey's Cabinet, most of whom were making more than $202,000 a year, are also eligible for the increase, which would boost their pay by more than $4,000 apiece. The raise would mark the second time in six months Healey has given administration managers and Cabinet members a salary bump.' FROM THE HUB — Massachusetts revenue commish disputes claims that Boston is 'secretly penalizing' commercial properties with tax spikes by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'The head of the state's Department of Revenue said he's found no evidence to support claims raised by a watchdog group that the City of Boston has been increasing the assessed value, and taxes, of commercial properties that file appeals. DOR Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder said he directed his staff to look into the matter following a letter his department received late last month from the Pioneer New England Legal Foundation requesting an investigation into what the watchdog alleged were and unconstitutional' assessment practices by the city.' — Business groups oppose ban on 'captive-audience' meetings by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'Business leaders are strongly criticizing a proposal on Beacon Hill to ban mandatory employer-sponsored meetings on religious and political matters, arguing it would infringe on free speech rights and lead to costly litigation. The proposal, filed by state Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven, D-Somerville, would prohibit mandatory 'captive-audience' gatherings by public and private employers and allow workers to file lawsuits if they are fired or disciplined for reporting or speaking out about any violations of the proposed rules.' FALL RIVER FALLOUT — Fall River fire caused at one of two points of origin by Dan Medeiros, The Herald News: 'State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said one of two factors caused the deadly fire at Gabriel House assisted living facility on July 13. Davine said, based on the available evidence, the fire began with either an electrical or mechanical failure with an oxygen concentrator, or the improper disposal of smoking material, and began in a second-floor bedroom on the left side of the building. Davine said the room contained an oxygen concentrator 'and numerous smoking materials.'' MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — Federal spending data shows Massachusetts companies that work with ICE by Daniel Jackson, MassLive: 'Tactical vehicles, law enforcement badges, a 24/7 transcription and language interpretation service — these are some of the goods and services Massachusetts companies have provided to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. About a dozen companies across the Bay State, stretching from Pittsfield to Plymouth, work with ICE in some capacity, federal records show. A list of companies working with ICE from around the country, drawn from federal spending data, was recently compiled on a map as part of a website called which accuses Citizens Bank of funding a pair of private prisons.' DAY IN COURT — Judge dismisses more than 100 cases amid lawyer work stoppage by Sean Cotter, The Boston Globe: 'Defendant after defendant on Tuesday heard the same message from Boston Municipal Court Chief Justice Tracy-Lee Lyons: ;This case shall be dismissed without prejudice today.' All told, 102 people who had been charged with a wide range of crimes, from the petty to the violent, saw their cases dropped because the government had been unable to provide them a lawyer. Tuesday's hearing marked a remarkable step underscoring the ongoing crisis created by a work stoppage by the private court-appointed attorneys known as bar advocates, who represent most of the state's indigent defendants who otherwise can't afford lawyers. The charges, read out in quick succession by court clerks, spanned from shoplifting and driving on a suspended license to domestic violence, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and drug trafficking.' — Officials face down Republic in court by Caroline Enos, Gloucester Daily Times: 'Leaders of Gloucester, Beverly, Peabody, Canton, Danvers and Malden appeared in court Tuesday afternoon over against Republic Services' lacking service during the ongoing Teamsters' strike. Their lawyers asked a Salem Superior Court judge to issue a preliminary judgement demanding that Republic carry out all contracted services in these communities, as the company has routinely left trash to sit in dumpsters and on curbs days past scheduled collection dates during the strike. Republic has also failed to pick up any recycling in most of these towns since the strike began July 1.' FROM THE DELEGATION — Warren, Social Security chief to meet over agency concerns by Stephen Neukam, Axios: 'Social Security commissioner Frank Bisignano will huddle with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in Washington on Wednesday amid deep Democratic concerns about the agency's cuts to services, Axios has learned. … Warren will have the chance to air grievances about everything from staffing cuts to phone wait times in a meeting that follows incessant pressure from Democrats on Capitol Hill.' FROM THE 413 — Amherst Regional falls short on mandated learning time by 100 hours by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'Amherst school officials are being required by the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to take corrective action after the agency determined Amherst Regional High School students this past school year fell nearly 100 hours short of the required 990 hours of structured learning time.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — City Councilor Haxhiaj to be arraigned Wednesday for assault, interfering in ICE arrest by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette: 'The Northwestern District Attorney's Office will prosecute the Worcester Police Department's charges against District 5 City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj related to the May 8 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation on Eureka Street. Haxhiaj's arraignment for the counts of an assault and battery on a police officer and interfering with police is slated to take place Wednesday, July 23, at Worcester District Court.' — Who's running for mayor in Fall River? by Emily Scherny, The Herald News: 'Incumbent Mayor Paul Coogan is seeking his fourth term as the city's top executive. He has been mayor since being first elected in 2019. Previously, he served on the School Committee. Running against Coogan are Gabriel 'Boomer' Amaral, Carlos Cesar, Christopher Silvia and Michael J. Vandal.' — Salem City Council approves ordinance to regulate condominium conversion by Michael McHugh, The Salem News. MEDIA MATTERS — GBH to lay off 13 employees from PBS history program 'American Experience' due to federal funding cuts by Aidan Ryan, The Boston Globe: 'GBH is laying off 13 employees from its PBS history program, 'American Experience,' due to 'severe cuts in federal funding for public media,' GBH chief executive Susan Goldberg told staff Monday night. 'American Experience' will air its 37th season — which includes a documentary about Henry Kissinger — this fall as planned, but next year will focus on rebroadcasting the program's best documentaries to give GBH time to 'reinvent, create, and ramp up' the series with a focus on digital platforms, Goldberg said in a Tuesday interview with the Globe.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former state Sen. Kathleen O'Connor-Ives, Meg Montgomery, Vasundhra Sangar, Jeremy D. Goodwin, Mariane Pearl, the Telegram & Gazette's Kinga Borondy, Reynolds Graves, Jane Rayburn of EMC Research and Massachusetts Playbook alum Lisa Kashinsky.
