Mayra Flores Wins Special Election to Turn Texas House Seat Republican

 

Mayra Flores is the first Mexican-born woman elected to the U.S. Congress. She will face Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in the general election in November. In addition to being a conservative Democrat, she is also a Catholic. While many Republicans are happy to see a Latina elected to the U.S. Congress, many Democrats are displeased by Flores' choice of party.

Mayra Flores becomes first Mexican-born U.S. congresswoman

While she is Mexican-American, Flores has strong conservative values. She was born in Burgos, Tamaulipas, and grew up in Texas, working in cotton fields. When she was six, her family immigrated to the United States legally. Her father facilitated the process of naturalization, which made her a U.S. citizen at age 17.

After her victory, Sanchez conceded the race and declared that Gonzalez would win in November. However, Sanchez criticized Flores for relying on out-of-state interests. As a result, the Republican Party made significant commitments to Flores' campaign. Republicans used Flores' victory to attack national Democrats, the Democratic Party, and President Obama on issues like the border crisis, high gas prices, and record-high inflation.

A special election in Texas has paved the way for Flores' candidacy. The Democrat, Dan Sanchez, has conceded to Flores, and blamed her loss on the 'lack of Democratic support' at the state and national level. In an effort to make the contested race more difficult for Flores, Republicans opened engagement centers in Texas' Hispanic areas. Flores will face Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in November.

She faces Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in November general election

Former Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela resigned from the seat and accepted a job with lobbying firm Akin Gump. This special election came at a critical time, with voters eager to see how the Democrats would defend the seat heading into the November midterm elections. The special election was called after Vela resigned in March to work for lobbying firm Akin Gump. Although the special election was called by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Democrats stayed out until late and national Republicans leaned toward Flores. With Vela's departure, Democrats are now favored in the Texas 34th House district. However, despite the favorable results, Republicans will likely still have a strong presence in the district in the 2020 midterm elections.

Sanchez conceded hours after the election, describing the race as "a David vs. Goliath battle." While she compared the special election to a "David versus Goliath fight," Sanchez said that she was confident Gonzalez would take the seat in November. While the special election may not be the best indicator of the future of Texas politics, it does signal that Republicans are getting increasingly more support from the QAnon movement. If Flores wins the general election in November and retains the seat for another four years, she will be able to take over Gonzalez's seat.

She is a conservative Democrat

As a candidate for the open seat in the Arizona congressional district, Mayra Flores is an unlikely conservative Democrat. She was born in Mexico and raised by conservatives. She and her family emigrated to the United States legally at age six, where her father helped them become citizens. While she has not stated exactly what her views are on QAnon, it is clear that Flores's conservative values have remained constant throughout her life.

Although Flores beat out Rep. Dan Sanchez in a special election, Democrats were outspent in the race. Sanchez said it was like a "David versus Goliath" battle. Despite the overwhelming Republican spending, national Democrats did not spend much on the race as early voting began. Still, the DCC and House Majority PAC both spent about $115,000 on television ads and paid for a $100,000 digital ad buy.

She is pro-life Catholic

Flores's victory is an example of how a strong Latino base can help Republicans win an office. The Republican Party is booming in the Rio Grande Valley, with the state's second-largest city, San Antonio, backing several Latina candidates. Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Sanchez, and the state party's chairs endorsed Flores. But Flores' campaign was more than just a political party endorsement. Flores has already been endorsed by President Donald Trump, and her endorsement by Right to Life Texas is proof of this.

The special election was the first time Flores has defeated a Democratic incumbent in Texas' 34th Congressional District. Flores smashed three other Democrats in the race, including two who were Democrats. But she has been aggressively trying to make new inroads among Hispanic voters in South Texas. As the daughter of migrant workers, Flores has a proven track record of helping Republicans in the area. And in November, she'll be the GOP nominee to take Gonzalez's seat.