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WASHINGTON — Republicans had been handed a present earlier this yr, when U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar — a beloved son of Laredo — was indicted on expenses of bribery, cash laundering and dealing for the Azerbaijanis and a Mexican financial institution.
The South Texas congressman was one of many GOP’s largest targets final election cycle, and some weeks after his indictment, the Nationwide Republican Congressional Committee, the celebration’s U.S. Home marketing campaign arm, introduced he was as soon as once more on their hit record.
However with just some weeks till Election Day, Republicans have little to indicate for it. Their candidate, Jay Furman, raised a modest $323,000 this cycle by way of the top of September with over $181,000 in money owed, based on a submitting with the Federal Election Fee. For comparability, Cuellar raised over $2.3 million with no money owed.
There have been no advert reservations introduced by the NRCC or the Congressional Management Fund — Republicans’ predominant tremendous PAC for the U.S. Home — in Laredo, the district’s inhabitants middle. In the meantime, each teams have collectively invested over $2 million in Harlingen to spice up former Rep. Mayra Flores, a Republican, in her bid to unseat Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in one other aggressive South Texas race. GOP leaders even have but to stump for Furman as Home Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana did for Flores.
Cuellar is completely happy.
“As far as we know, there’s no investment in the race, and we really haven’t seen our opponent around,” Cuellar mentioned in an interview. “I think he’s put up a few signs.”
When requested in regards to the NRCC’s involvement in his race, Furman declined to specify how the group has helped him, although he mentioned it has “opened up to us to help extend our campaign capabilities.”
“We’re in an active conversation right now, and I can’t speak more to that,” Furman mentioned.
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The NRCC is strapped for money this cycle relative to its Democratic counterpart. The Democratic Congressional Marketing campaign Committee has raised greater than $67 million greater than the NRCC as of the top of August, incentivizing Republicans to be extra strategic of their spending.
Federal prosecutors accuse Cuellar of abusing his workplace to advance favorable insurance policies for the Azerbaijani authorities and the Mexico-based Banco Azteca. In change, Cuellar obtained over $600,000 in bribes, based on the indictment. Cuellar is a member of the Home Appropriations Committee and chaired its subcommittee on Homeland Safety. He stepped down from the chairmanship after the indictment.
Cuellar is barred from leaving Texas apart from congressional work in Washington. He has not but confronted vast cries for his resignation, with Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries sustaining his endorsement for Cuellar.
Cuellar maintains his innocence, saying his conduct is according to different members of Congress. He declined to touch upon the case throughout a current interview.
Republicans are nonetheless bullish within the area. They’ve been focusing predominantly in Flores’ Rio Grande Valley-based thirty fourth Congressional District, which they see as their largest offensive alternative. Republicans have reserved $800,000 in NRCC advert buys focusing on the district. The Congressional Management Fund additionally reserved $1.9 million in advert reservations within the district.
Furman’s staff additionally expresses confidence his grassroots effort could make a dent, no matter funding from nationwide teams. Hispanic voters’ shifting assist for conservative stances and unfavorable protection of Cuellar’s indictment have given Furman hope that Cuellar stays weak. Inner NRCC polling within the district reveals former President Donald Trump pulling forward of Vice President Kamala Harris within the presidential race, probably giving Furman a leg up.
And regardless of Cuellar’s deep coffers, he’s needed to spend a substantial portion on his authorized charges. Cuellar’s trial begins subsequent spring.
“Commander Furman looks forward to communicating with all of the voters in South Texas’ 28th Congressional District and is prepared to deliver his own plan for how to reduce inflation, make everyday necessities affordable again for South Texans and end the policy of open borders,” mentioned Ross Hunt, a seasoned Republican marketing campaign operative engaged on Furman’s marketing campaign. “Commander Furman’s campaign anticipates being able to fully fund communicating this message to all the likely voters of his district.”
Furman introduced a sequence of TV advertisements on Tuesday accusing Cullar of being corrupt and weak on the border. He has additionally launched a web site focusing on Cuellar, calling him a “corrupt elitist who stands with Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden.”
“Henry Cuellar’s 95% voting record with Biden-Harris has made life harder for families from Laredo to San Antonio,” Furman mentioned in an advert. “Our district deserves a representative who goes to DC to help the people of South Texas—not for his own profit.”
Earlier than Cuellar’s indictment, the district was hardly on Republicans’ radar this cycle. Cuellar defeated Republican candidate Cassy Garcia in 2022 by a 13-point margin in a carefully watched race the place Republicans and Democrats collectively spent over $20 million. The costly and deep defeat warded Republicans off of launching one other severe problem this cycle.
Furman doesn’t match the profile of a typical candidate nationwide Republicans would wish to problem a member like Cuellar, who’s so ingrained within the space’s politics that Laredo’s airport terminal bears his title. He’s a political neophyte with positions typically to the proper of Republican management. He has beforehand expressed antipathy towards Home Republican management, together with Johnson, significantly over continued support for Ukraine.
“I’m not in Speaker Johnson’s camp ideologically in his vote, or in his leadership, as recently expressed,” Furman mentioned in Might forward of his main runoff about Johnson’s assist for Ukraine.
Nonetheless, Furman careworn on the time that he could be keen to fulfill with Johnson and work with him within the common election. He echoed the sentiment in a current interview, the place Furman mentioned “I support the leadership.”
“In January, when President Trump is sworn in, we’re going to have to hit the ground sprinting to save our ship,” Furman mentioned within the interview. “If we don’t, then we may lose this entire democratic experiment.”
Furman has secured endorsements from a number of right-wing Republicans in Congress, together with U.S. Reps. Chip Roy, Byron Donalds and Lauren Boebert. U.S. Home Homeland Safety Chair Mark Inexperienced and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller additionally assist him.
“Henry Cuellar is leaving Congress one way or another — at the ballot box or in handcuffs,” NRCC spokesperson Delanie Bomar mentioned in an announcement. “Every day Henry Cuellar is in office is a day Texans are being cheated out of honest representation.”
