Despite a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee effort to flip several seats blue in Texas, Republicans have raised more money and are in stronger financial positions heading into Tuesday’s runoff election.
Nearly all key congressional races statewide are in newly redistricted districts. In border districts, Democrats face an uphill battle where President Donald Trump won by more than 10 points in 2024, and Hispanics are increasingly voting Republican.
In the new Congressional District 9 in Houston, Democrat Leticia Gutierrez had only raised $33,000 in the first quarter with almost $6,000 cash on hand.
She is expected to lose in November to whoever wins the Republican runoff. Both candidates have far outraised her.
Republicans Alex Mealer and Briscoe Cain have raised millions, with Mealer facing scrutiny for receiving funds pouring in from outside Texas.
In the new Congressional District 15 in the Rio Grande Valley, Latin Grammy-winning singer Bobby Pulido, a Democrat, has raised $898,048.30 with $402,993.63 cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The majority of his donations, 76%, came from outside of Texas. He’s received at least $28,000 from Democrat mega-donors like billionaire Jonathan Soros, according to FEC records.
To help him win his primary election, he received nearly $1 million from Blue Dog Action’s political arm, CBS News reported. He’s also being backed by the Bench political action committee, one of two new PACs boosting Democratic candidates this primary season.
They are described as “a new dark-money-backed enterprise of unparalleled scale and complexity,” reportedly funded by Silicon Valley billionaires and a “venture capitalist-turned-secretive Democratic adviser.”
Pulido, who’s never been elected to office, is mired in scandal, including his longtime connection to a convicted sex offender, alleged lude cross dressing videos, alleged cartel connections and far left policies, The Center Square reported.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz entered the race with more than $2 million in the bank. The race is close with De La Cruz ahead.
In the new Congressional District 23, Democrat Katy Padilla Stout has raised $238,000, with only $145,000 cash on hand. She is expected to lose in November to Republican Youtuber and gun rights activist Brandon Herrera. who has raised more than $1.5 million, with more than $305,000 cash on hand. Former Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales held the seat until he was forced to resign after two sex scandals, including one involving a former staffer who killed herself.
In the new Congressional District 28 in Laredo, incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar raised $259,000 in the fourth quarter, with $491,000 cash on hand.
Cuellar was indicted by the Biden administration on foreign bribery, unlawful influence and money laundering charges. Last year, President
Donald Trump pardoned him. Now his brother, the former Webb County sheriff, is being prosecuted on fraud charges, The Center Square reported.
Republican Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, who left the Democratic Party in 2024, raised roughly $600,000 in the first quarter. It was “the strongest first quarter of any Republican challenger in Cuellar’s career,” the Texas Tribune reported. Tijerina has nearly the same amount of cash-on-hand as Cuellar after only entering the race last December. Tijerina is seen as the strongest Republican candidate to challenge Cuellar and could flip the seat red.
In the new Congressional District 34 in the Rio Grande Valley, incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez raised more than $1.1 million in the first quarter with $1.9 million cash on hand.
Republican challenger Eric Flores raised $1.2 million in the first quarter and had $444,000 cash on hand.
The race is nearly statistically tied.
Flores is the strongest candidate in years to potentially flip the seat red.
In the new Congressional District 35, two Democrats in a controversial runoff have raised small amounts.
Johnny Garcia raised $146,000 during the first quarter with only $42,000 cash on hand. Maureen Galindo only raised $5,000 with $2,000 cash on hand, according to FEC filings. She has received widespread condemnation, including from her own party, for her ongoing comments about Zionism and Israel, The Center Square reported.
Whoever wins the Democratic runoff is expected to lose in November to whoever wins the Republican runoff — both of whom have outraised their Democratic counterparts.
Republicans John Lujan and Carlos De La Cruz, have raised more than half a million combined during the first quarter with more than a combined $217,000 cash on hand, according to FEC filings.
In 2024, Hispanics in south Texas overwhelmingly voted for Trump. In congressional districts 23, 28 and 35, Trump won by 10 points. In Congressional District 15, he won by 17 points.
