Trump-endorsed candidate Eric Flores defeated former Rep. Mayra Flores in Texas Congressional District 34. Flores will face off against incumbent Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in the redrawn district.
Despite facing nine other Republicans taking part in the primary, Flores managed to surpass the 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff. Gonzalez also handily defeated his single challenger for the Democratic nomination.
Gonzalez, considered a moderate Democrat, is seen as vulnerable in the 74 percent Hispanic district that now extends into the more conservative areas surrounding Corpus Christi.
However, it’s unclear if President Donald Trump’s inroads with Hispanics will translate into downballot votes in South Texas, a traditionally solid Democratic area.
The Cook Political Report, for example, considers the redrawn District 34 a toss-up.
Republicans began focusing more effort on flipping the Rio Grande Valley after 2020, when several traditionally blue counties voted for Trump.
In 2022, Mayra Flores made headlines with a special election win in District 34 before the map was redrawn. Republicans pointed to her success as a sign of their growing strength among conservative Hispanic voters.
But after she lost to Gonzalez in 2022 and again in 2024, the party shifted toward a fresh start with a new candidate. Her opponent, Eric Flores, has gained the support of Trump and other Republican leaders.
Trump has received high marks from Texans on closing the border to illegal immigration and fighting crime. However, other factors such as the economy and voter enthusiasm are expected to affect the key South Texas race.
A voter survey poll taken Feb. 13–22 by the University of Texas at Tyler showed that inflation is the No. 1 issue in Texas, replacing border security.
However, 8 percent fewer respondents in the survey than in one taken a year ago said higher prices were having a major impact on their households.
