National Republicans target South Texas Democrats for 2026 election

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WASHINGTON — National Republicans will target Democratic U.S. Reps. Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar in their reelection races next year, the House Republicans’ campaign arm announced Monday.

The National Republican Congressional Committee included the two border Democrats in a list of 26 Democrats across the country that Republicans view as prime pick up opportunities. Both Gonzalez and Cuellar represent border districts that have swung to the right in recent years. President Donald Trump won every county in the 34th Congressional District, which Gonzalez represents. Cuellar’s Laredo-based 28th Congressional District also went for Trump, with the president winning the district by more than 7 percentage points.

“House Republicans are on offense, and the shifting political landscape in Texas is fueling our momentum,” Zach Bannon, a spokesperson for the NRCC, said in a statement. “Out-of-touch Democrats Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez’s radical records and refusal to embrace common-sense solutions will cost them their seats next year.”

Gonzalez was Republicans’ biggest offensive effort in Texas last year and national Republicans flooded the district with ads casting him as far to the left, particularly on LGBTQ issues. Still, Gonzalez managed to beat his Republican challenger, former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, by 2.6 percentage points.

“Last cycle with Trump on the top of the ticket they outspent us more that 2-to-1 and turned up empty handed,” Gonzalez said in a statement Monday. “They’re easy to predict because they never learn. They will do it again with the same results, only this time they will lose the majority.”

The NRCC also singled out Cuellar last cycle after he was indicted on charges of corruption and money laundering. (Cuellar denies the allegations.) But the indictment landed before Republican leadership could recruit a candidate. The NRCC and Congressional Leadership Fund, the main House Republican super PAC, opted against seriously investing in the race that year relative to Gonzalez’s race. Cuellar won his race by 5.6 percentage points.

Cuellar's and Gonzalez's victories last year were by smaller margins than in the past. Gonzalez won his race in 2022 against Flores by more than 8 percentage points, and Cuellar won his by more than 13 percentage points. National Republicans heavily invested in those races in 2022.

Both Gonzalez and Cuellar have been tacking to the center. Gonzalez excoriated his party for whipping votes on LGBTQ issues and campaigning heavily on abortion last year — both issues he said don’t align with the values of his majority Catholic district and that Republicans used to attack him last year. Cuellar has long had strong relationships with Republicans and has worked with Republicans on border issues. He has met repeatedly with border officials in the Trump administration, including border czar Tom Homan.

“My constituents care about results, not NRCC target lists,” Cuellar said in a statement on Monday. “That is why I have been consistently re-elected with strong victories throughout the district. Keep in mind, I have also outperformed both national party tickets throughout my time in Congress because I get support from not only Democrats but also Independents and moderate Republicans. As always, I remain committed to the needs of my district and the results speak for themselves. I look forward to another successful re-election.”

Republicans are still months away from their primaries to pick the party's challengers against Cuellar and Gonzalez. Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, who recently switched parties to be a Republican, said he was “seriously considering” a run against Cuellar. He cited the congressman's votes with fellow Democrats on issues including LGBTQ rights and federal spending plans.

“As the Webb County Judge for the last 10 years, I’ve watched Henry Cuellar frequently assert that he is different from the rest of the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C. However, his voting record consistently aligns with liberal, radical DC Democrats,” Tijerina said in a statement Monday. “Henry no longer reflects the values of District 28, and it is time for new representation. I am seriously considering a run for Texas’ 28th Congressional District and will be making more announcements in the future.”

Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the incumbent Democrats have a "strong record of delivering results in their communities" that will overcome investment from national Republicans.

“The truth is House Republicans are running scared and refusing to hold town halls,” Shelton said, “because they don’t want to get yelled at for their failure to lower prices, bungling the economy, and cutting Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.”

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