Vicente Gonzalez declares victory to carry onto South Texas congressional district

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BROWNSVILLE —U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez declared victory late Tuesday over his Republican challenger, former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores.

Gonzalez had a slim lead over Flores late Tuesday, in response to unofficial outcomes. If his lead holds, it will likely be the second time he beat Flores to symbolize South Texas.

He informed supporters the margin of victory was slimmer than they had been anticipating however credited Flores’ efficiency to having former President Donald Trump on the prime of the ticket.

“A win is a win,” Gonzalez informed the Texas Tribune. “We’ve been through tight races in the past. With Trump at the top of the ticket, he excites a lot of people that don’t normally come out to vote.”

His victory dashes Republican hopes of regaining the seat and making positive factors within the traditionally Democratic area, which incorporates Congressional District 34.

Gonzalez, D-McAllen, defeated Flores, R-Los Indios, two years in the past. The district was one of many few aggressive congressional races this election cycle and one by which Home Republicans poured thousands and thousands of {dollars} into to attempt to win again.

When the 2 confronted off in 2022, Flores, 38, was the incumbent, having been elected throughout a particular election just some months prior. Gonzalez, 57, defeated Flores that 12 months by 8.5 share factors.

Although he’s at the moment in his first time period because the consultant for District 34, Gonzalez served three phrases because the consultant for neighboring District 15 earlier than Texas lawmakers redrew him into the thirty fourth district throughout state redistricting, making District 15 extra aggressive

District 34 stretches from Brownsville up the state’s southeastern coast to Kingsville. It additionally runs west into components of Hidalgo County together with components of McAllen and Edinburg. About 87% of the residents listed below are Hispanic.

In the course of the marketing campaign, Flores emphasised the financial message shared by different Republican candidates this election cycle –– that Trump is healthier for the economic system and that he wants folks in Congress who would assist his agenda.

Throughout a televised debate final month, Flores additionally deferred to Trump-era insurance policies on immigration.

She additionally repeatedly criticized Gonzalez for voting towards a invoice that will have prevented transgender ladies from taking part in feminine sports activities.

The Nationwide Republican Congressional Committee additionally launched an advert on her behalf accusing Gonzalez of pushing “sex changes for kids” over caring concerning the economic system.

Gonzalez has denied supporting tax-funded gender transition surgical procedures for minors.

“We don’t want four more years of this crazy,” Flores mentioned throughout a rally for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Sunday. “We want a strong economy, we want more money in our pocket, we want a border that is secure.”

The thirty fourth District attracted appreciable funding from nationwide Republicans, who seen the race as its prime choose up alternative in Texas. The Nationwide Republican Congressional Committee and the Congressional Management Fund invested thousands and thousands in tv advertisements focusing on Gonzalez, and Home Republican leaders together with Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana rallied within the district for Flores.

A reasonable Democrat, Gonzalez campaigned on the federal investments dropped at the district throughout his time in workplace. He is additionally expressed assist for securing the border however emphasised addressing the basis causes of migration by creating “safe zones” in migrants’ nation of origin so they would not must journey to the U.S. to use for asylum.

Flores, nevertheless, criticized Gonzalez for voting towards a Republican-led immigration invoice that will have prompted extra development of the border wall and would have additional restricted asylum for migrants.

Gonzalez replied that the invoice would have made it obligatory for employers to confirm the immigration standing for his or her employees by way of E-Confirm, a system he mentioned was too defective. He additionally mentioned the invoice would have required residents to current a passport at an inside border patrol checkpoint about 80 miles north of McAllen, a priority Flores shrugged off.

Gonzalez’s marketing campaign has accused Flores of mendacity to voters and referred to her positions as extremist, together with accusing her of supporting a nationwide abortion ban.

In the course of the debate, each mentioned they’d oppose such a ban, nevertheless, Gonzalez famous Flores co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act. The invoice, which didn’t move, outlined a human being to incorporate all phases of life, together with the second of fertilization, or cloning with no exceptions for in vitro fertilization

Throughout a rally for Colin Allred final week, Gonzalez hoped to remind voters of what he characterised as historic Democratic victories corresponding to equal pay for girls, minimal wage, voting rights, and the G.I. Invoice which gives advantages for veterans.

“The Democratic Party has helped the people of the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas come up — come up, be upwardly mobile, enter the middle class, get educated,” Gonzalez mentioned.

The congressman has been underneath scrutiny throughout the marketing campaign for a few of his remarks — evaluating Hispanic Trump supporters to “Jews for Hitler” in March and extra lately evaluating the present political local weather to the Civil Battle.

Flores seized on his remarks, referring to Gonzalez as hateful. Gonzalez, nevertheless, stood by his feedback.

Reporting within the Rio Grande Valley is supported partly by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.