U.S., Mexico agree to new deal that sends water to South Texas
The latest development in a years-long push by South Texas farmers and officials to get Mexico to fulfill a 1944 treaty would still fall short of what is owed. Full Story
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![The Lake Falcon Dam International Crossing, seen from Starr County, on May 15, 2024.]()
Credit: Carlos Kosienski/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
"Somebody needs to get fired": Vicente Gonzalez blasts Dem strategy on abortion, trans issues
After Democrats underperformed nationally and in Texas, the McAllen Democrat had some sharp commentary for his party and said he won't be taking their advice. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, in his office the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. Gonzalez defeated former Republican Representative Mayra Flores to secure the seat for Texas' 34th District in the U.S. House.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Vicente Gonzalez defeats Mayra Flores to hold onto South Texas congressional district
Both major parties poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into winning the seat, a rematch between Mayra Flores and Vicente Gonzalez. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, declares victory over his Republican challenger, Mayra Flores, at a Brownsville watch party on Nov. 5, 2024.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
At debate, Mayra Flores shrugs off concern about mandating South Texans carry passports
During a tense debate with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, Flores attacked Gonzalez for being soft on border security, then suggested requiring residents to prove citizenship in some instances was appropriate. Full Story
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![Republican challenger Mayra Flores speaks during a debate with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Harlingen.]()
Credit: Courtesy: CBS4 NBC23/NewsNation -
Vicente Gonzalez and Mayra Flores clash in fiery South Texas congressional debate
In their only debate before Election Day, Gonzalez and Flores traded jabs over the economy, immigration and abortion, and regularly spoke over each other. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, left, and Republican challenger Mayra Flores, take part in a debate for U.S. House District 34 hosted by KVEO on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Harlingen.]()
Credit: Courtesy: CBS4 NBC23/NewsNation -
A Texas rematch: Republican Mayra Flores aims to beat Democrat Vicente Gonzalez for U.S. House seat
Flores briefly represented the district after winning a 2022 special election. Gonzalez went on to beat her by nearly 9 points in the general. Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, is facing a challenge from Mayra Flores in Texas' 34th congressional district. Flores briefly represented the district after winning a special election in July 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
South Texas congressional races remain the most competitive — but this time Democrats are playing offense
The same candidates will be running in Texas’ 15th and 34th Congressional Districts, though the presidential and Senate races could mix things up. Full Story
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![Voting signage outside of the Firemen's Park polling place in McAllen on Nov. 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Republicans feature 9/11 conspiracy theorist in South Texas ads
The small business owner featured in the ad previously shared memes calling 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic inside jobs and mocking U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, left, and former Rep. Mayra Flores.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Republicans pour money into attacking Texas Democrats on LGBTQ+ issues ahead of Election Day
In his largest ad buy to date, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz attacks U.S. Rep. Colin Allred for his support of the Equality Act. It would have prohibited gender discrimination in public places. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled "Texas Unconstitutional Abortion Ban and the Role of the Shadow Docket", in Hart Senate Office Building in Washington on Sept. 29, 2021.]()
Credit: Tom Williams/Pool via REUTERS -
Mayra Flores gets boost in training, resources as Republicans seek to flip South Texas district
Republicans view Flores’ race against Democrat Rep. Vicente Gonzalez as potentially competitive race. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, and incumbent candidate for Texas’ 34th Congressional District at her watch party in Weslaco on Nov. 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazan for The Texas Tribune -
National Republicans target Henry Cuellar’s South Texas seat after indictment
The move is a shift in strategy for Republicans who previously focused on other South Texas races even after federal authorities filed criminal charges against the Democrat. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, at a Get Out the Vote rally in San Antonio on May 4, 2022.]()
Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune -
After U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s indictment, why aren’t Republicans trying to flip his district?
Instead, Republicans are trying to tie Cuellar’s allegations of bribery and corruption to Democrats in other competitive races in South Texas. Full Story
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![Sandi Villarreal, deputy editor for digital at Texas Monthly, moderates a panel with US Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and former speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 24, 2022 in Austin, TX.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Mayra Flores raises twice as much as U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in bid to unseat him this November
National Republicans are investing heavily in Flores’ bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, at a GOP event in McAllen on Nov. 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Vicente Gonzalez compares Latino Trump supporters to “Jews for Hitler”
The South Texas Democrat said Latinos who support former President Donald Trump are voting against their self interest, but Republicans recoiled at the comparison. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, at his election night watch party in Brownsville on Nov. 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez wants GOP voters to believe that Mayra Flores is the weaker primary candidate
Gonzalez’ campaign sent mailers to GOP voters suggesting a candidate who has raised no money would be harder to defeat this November than Flores. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, at a press conference with U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California about the money the Rio Grande Valley is receiving from President Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure bill at the Texas Southmost College auditorium in Brownsville on Sept. 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores accused of cribbing others’ pictures of Mexican food as her own cooking
Flores, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez for her old seat, is being accused of routinely stealing stylish photos of Mexican campfire cooking and passing them off as her own idyllic life on a ranch. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, speaks at a rally in Brownsville on Nov. 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Democrats confident U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez will keep his South Texas seat in 2024 election
Republicans recently announced Mayra Flores’ comeback effort with great fanfare, but Democrats argue that a redrawn district — and Flores’ voting record — are hurdles the GOP can’t clear. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, at a polling location in Mercedes on Nov. 8, 2022. Rep. Gonzalez is running for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in a new district, TX-34.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Republican Mayra Flores announces bid to retake South Texas congressional seat
Flores won a special election in 2022 but lost to U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat, five months later in the general election. Redistricting may complicate her comeback. Full Story
![U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, at a GOP event in McAllen on Nov. 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
National GOP recruiting Mayra Flores, ousted from her South Texas seat, to run again for Congress
The Los Indios Republican won a special election in 2022 but lost to U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez five months later in the general election. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, speaks at a rally in Brownsville on Nov. 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. House passes border bill shaped by Texas Republicans as Title 42 ends
The Secure the Border Act would resume construction of the border wall, limit asylum eligibility and require asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico. It faces tough going in the Senate. Full Story
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![A group of migrants are escorted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents near the Paso del Norte International Bridge in El Paso on June 15, 2019.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune