Vela’s retirement was first reported by Axios. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.) became the first House Democrat to announce their retirement last week. Democratic presidential candidates carried it with roughly 60 percent of the vote in 20, but Joe Biden received just 52 percent in 2020. Vela’s seat, which spans 300 miles and includes the city of Brownsville and part of McAllen, was solidly Democratic territory before 2020. Texas is on track to gain two or three seats in reapportionment, which will be announced next month. But Republicans are eager to capitalize on the 2020 results - and they will be able to carve up the region in redistricting. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, who represent adjourning districts.īoth Cuellar and Gonzalez believe that Trump’s gains in the valley were a fluke, and voters will revert back to Democrats with Trump off the ballot. Trump’s unexpected success with Latino voters in the Rio Grande Valley and the upcoming Texas redistricting have heightened the pressure on Vela and Reps. He won against that same candidate with 60 percent in 2018. He beat Rey Gonzalez, an underfunded challenger, with 55 percent of the vote in 2020. Vela saw his victory margin shrink in 2020, thanks to Trump’s surge in the region. It does not store any personal data.“I will continue to focus on maintaining a Democratic House and Senate majority in my capacity as a member of Congress and vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, while working diligently for the people I am so grateful to represent,” Vela said in a statement. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. ![]() ![]() The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. ![]() Alex Dominguez (D), Oscar Longoria (D), Ryan Guillen (D), Abel Herrero (D), Sergio Munoz (D), Armando Martinez (D), Terry Canales (D), and Robert Guerra (D), who represent nearby districts and could be drawn in. (D) is a DINO on good terms with the GOP, as well as fellow State Reps. Potential candidates could include State Rep. On the Dem side, Dems have a much deeper bench in this area and the seat is likely to be at least somewhat winnable. Vicente Gonzalez (D) by 3 points last year. Former appointed SoS Carlos Cascos (R), who previously served as Cameron CE, is also likely to be interested in the race, as is 2020 TX-15 nominee Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez (R), who lost to TX-15 Rep. Todd Hunter (R) also lives in the district but has declined opportunities to move up. Potential Republicans who could seek this seat include State Rep. A swingy or even GOP-leaning seat could be created out of the GOP-friendly parts of the Rio Grande Valley, especially around Harlingen, and potentially parts of the Corpus Christi area further north. There will likely be a drive by Republicans to make at least a swingy seat in this area, and Vela’s retirement will likely make that easier. After graduating with a double-major in Political Science and Humanities, he wrote for The Texan as a reporter through June 2022. Daniel Friend is the Marketing and Media Manager for The Texan. Vela’s decision not to seek re-election could have major redistricting implications. to Resign Early, Trigger Special Election. Vela was first elected to Congress in 2012 and had a closer than expected re-election in 2020 in a district that went from 59 – 38% Clinton in 2016 to Biden 52 – 47% in 2020. Filemon represents a south Texas border district that is 83% Hispanic. ![]() (D) announced that he will not seek re-election in 2022.
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