Republicans outraise Democrats in battle for South Texas congressional seats

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Republicans outraised Democrats over the summer time in all three congressional races in South Texas that the nationwide events are contesting, based on new campaign-finance experiences.

The three GOP nominees hauled in a mixed $4.3 million over the previous three months, whereas their Democratic opponents collected $2.4 million collectively. Two of the Democrats — incumbents Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez — nonetheless ended the interval with extra on money available than their challengers, although Gonzalez had solely a slight edge.

However the giant GOP fundraising reveals how intent Republicans are on taking on the predominantly Hispanic area after President Joe Biden underperformed there in 2020. They’re focusing on Cuellar’s twenty eighth District, which incorporates Laredo in an extended stretch of the border after which runs up north of San Antonio; the fifteenth District, which is an open seat and runs in a skinny line from McAllen as much as east of San Antonio; and the thirty fourth District within the Rio Grand Valley and southernmost a part of the Texas Gulf Coast, the place Gonzalez is working for reelection in opposition to U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, who captured the seat in a June particular election.

Profitable the seats may assist the GOP retake the U.S. Home, however would additionally present a serious psychological win for a celebration intensely targeted on border coverage and intent of gaining floor with Hispanic voters.

All three Republican nominees raised over $1 million, and Cuellar’s challenger, Cassy Garcia, had the most important haul — $1.7 million. The largest disparity, nevertheless, was within the thirty fourth District, the place Flores greater than tripled Gonzalez’s fundraising, $1.6 million to $497,000.

Cuellar has the most important cash-on-hand lead, with $836,000 in reserves as of Sept. 30 in comparison with $384,000 for Garcia. Whereas she posted the most important fundraising quantity, she spent by way of most of it throughout the interval.

Gonzalez reported a smaller cash-on-hand benefit over Flores, $820,000 to $799,000.

Within the fifteenth District, Republican Monica De La Cruz raised simply over $1 million, whereas Democrat Michelle Vallejo was not far behind with $867,000. They have been the closest in fundraising throughout the three elections, although De La Cruz completed the interval with greater than double Vallejo’s money available.

The fifteenth District race has been in headlines these days as a result of in-state frustrations with nationwide Democrats’ lack of great funding within the district.

The experiences have been due Saturday. All of them coated July 1 by way of Sept. 30 aside from Flores’, which started on July 5 as a result of a earlier submitting she needed to make associated to the particular election.