Democratic incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar will face Republican Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina in the midterm battle for Texas’ 28th Congressional District after winning their respective primaries in a district that Republicans hope to flip.
With 87 percent reporting, Cuellar won the Democratic primary with 58.1 percent of the vote, compared with his opponents: Army veteran Ricardo Villarreal, with 36.9 percent, and businessman Andrew Vantine, with 5 percent
On the Republican side, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina easily won the top spot with 74.3 percent of the vote, compared with 25.7 percent for animal rescue activist Eileen Day, with 87 percent reporting.
The competitive South Texas congressional district is one of five in the state that Texas Republicans redrew in hopes of bolstering their party’s chances of maintaining control of Congress.
Tijerina, a former Major League Baseball player who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, is seen as a promising challenger in the redrawn district, which is almost 90 percent Hispanic.
The movement of conservative Hispanic voters toward the Republican Party is thought to give Republicans a fighting chance of winning the seat.
Trump has received high marks from voters on closing the border to illegal immigration and crime. However, factors such as the economy and voter enthusiasm are expected to affect the key South Texas race.
Although the district was redrawn, it still contains much of Cuellar’s base, which is expected to give him a slight advantage over his Republican challenger.
Cuellar, considered a moderate Democrat, has held the seat for more than 20 years and is one of a handful of Democrats willing to cross party lines to vote with Republicans.
Cuellar is also likely to take advantage of Trump’s recent pardon to win over Republicans, Burton said. In December, Trump pardoned Cuellar and his wife, both facing a federal indictment on bribery charges.
