SouthernWorldwide.com – Carlos de la Cruz, an Air Force veteran endorsed by President Donald Trump, is projected to win the Republican primary runoff for Texas’s newly redrawn 35th Congressional District.
De la Cruz defeated longtime San Antonio state lawmaker John Lujan in the race. He is also the brother of Rep. Monica de la Cruz, a Republican representing a nearby district and an ally of Trump.
The de la Cruz siblings could potentially join a rare historical precedent of brothers and sisters serving concurrently in the U.S. House of Representatives. This lineage traces back to early American congressional leaders.
One of the nation’s first congressional leaders, Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania, served alongside his brother, Rep. John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg, also of Pennsylvania, during the late 18th century. This period was the 1780s and 1790s.
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Later, in the mid-19th century, the three Washburn brothers – Israel from Maine, Elihu from Illinois, and Cadwallader from Wisconsin – all served together in the House during the 1850s and 1860s. More recently, sisters Loretta and Linda Sanchez, both California Democrats, were colleagues in the chamber in the early 2000s.
De la Cruz and Lujan were competing for the newly redrawn 35th Congressional District. This district is currently represented by Rep. Gregorio Casar, a member of the progressive “Squad,” who hails from the Austin area.
However, Casar opted to run in an adjacent district that includes a portion of his current constituency. This decision came after the incumbent in that neighboring seat, fellow Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, chose not to seek re-election, contingent on the approval of Texas’s new congressional map.
The newly configured district now extends south to San Antonio. It is considered to be significantly more favorable to President Trump’s political leanings compared to previous election cycles.
In the initial March primary, Lujan secured a victory over de la Cruz with 33% of the vote to de la Cruz’s 27%. De la Cruz then advanced to Tuesday’s runoff contest as the second-place finisher.
Carlos de la Cruz has military experience, having been deployed to the Middle East and the Mexican border. He also boasts the endorsements of his sister, Rep. Monica de la Cruz, and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
John Lujan, his opponent, is a seasoned state lawmaker with extensive familiarity within the district. However, the more significant controversy appears to be on the Democratic side of the ballot in this race.
Democratic primary candidate Maureen Galindo, who lost her bid on Tuesday night, faced widespread condemnation, including from within her own party. This backlash stemmed from her proposal to utilize an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center within her district to house wealthy “Zionists.”
These remarks and proposed actions were denounced as profoundly antisemitic by prominent Democrats. Critics ranged from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat from New York City, to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also a Democrat from New York City.
Despite the challenges, Democrats reportedly remain optimistic about their prospects in the 35th district. This seat, which is majority Hispanic, is seen as more amenable to Trump’s influence and is a target for the party in the upcoming November elections.
