Henry Cuellar, the nine-term congressman from South Texas in the political struggle of his career, won his second round of the Democratic primary against a young progressive opponent, overcoming the fierce attacks on his history and an investigation of the FBI with a last minute push from the top national. Democrats.
Mr. Cuellar, whose victory was called by the Associated Press after a second round biting his nails on May 24, led to a count, defeated Jessica Cisneros, a lawyer who was once a fellow of the congressman . Unofficial results released by the Texas Democratic Party showed that he got the nomination by just 289 votes.
His survival in a rare second round for the seat of the House representing the 28th district of the Texas Congress won a limited victory for the moderate Democrats who had seen his career as a substitute battle for a broader leadership. for the match.
The two candidates had the support of Democratic stars from their respective centrist and progressive corners, and established clear ideological distinctions between them on many of their party’s main issues, such as abortion, immigration, the energy industry and the environment.
Shortly after the totals were released, Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Democratic Justice, a progressive political action committee, expressed outrage with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top Democratic leaders for denying to support Ms. Cisneros.
“The establishment of the party would rather protect one of its own than give results for Democratic voters and families in South Texas,” Ms. Red in a statement. “It’s embarrassing and I’m deeply worried about November.”
Mr Cuellar, 66, the last anti-abortion Democrat in the House, represented the old guard. He highlighted the federal dollars he had brought to the area, his efforts to tighten border security and his firm stance against abortion, citing his Catholic faith and the role he plays in his border region.
Mr. Cuellar had an “A” rating from the NRA, but fell in 2020 after he voted in favor of extending the background check. The return was celebrated on the same day that a gunman killed 19 children and two adults at a school in Uvalde, Texas, located in a neighboring district.
He has supported more oil drilling and often votes with Republicans on energy policy. His harsh talk on immigration sparked anger and concern among immigrant rights activists, who said he was playing with dangerous right-wing characterizations about immigrants and the border.
Earlier this year, the FBI raided the home of Mr. Cuellar in the border town of Laredo as part of an ongoing investigation that appears to be linked to an investigation into the political influence of Azerbaijan, the former Soviet republic.
Ms. Cisneros, 28, as Mr. Cuéllar, is a native of Laredo and the son of Mexican immigrants. He first challenged the longtime congressman for the first time in 2020 when he had just graduated from law school and reached about 3.6 percentage points to expel him. In March, Ms. Cisneros was less than 1,000 votes below the total of Mr. Cuéllar, which forced them both to a second round.
Mrs. Cisneros, who has worked with migrant families seeking asylum, addressed immigration and border policy from a humanitarian perspective. He framed abortion as a health issue and advocated for progressive causes such as Medicare for All, a $ 15 minimum wage, and the Green New Deal.
In early May, the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, who established a constitutional right to abortion, seemed to give a boost to Ms. Cisneros at the end of the race. Mr. Cuellar was the only House Democrat to vote against the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have guaranteed the right to abortion under federal law.
The district of Mr. Cuellar goes from Laredo to San Antonio, and the redistricting changes made him a little more democratic, with more voters in Bexar County. The district dropped from 76.9% of Spaniards to 75.3%, but a slight increase in white voters was expected to help Ms. Cisneros if these new voters were San Antonio Liberals.
Mrs. Cisneros disturbed by progressive fire brands: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Like Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Cisneros was recruited by the Justice Democrats, a progressive political action committee that had published a full-page ad in a local newspaper looking for candidates. Laredo community leaders sent his name.
Mr. Cuellar received the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who recorded automated calls for him, as well as Rep. James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the Whip of the House majority, and Rep. Hakeem. Jeffries of New York, President of the Democratic House Caucus. .
The race was controversial at times.
Mrs Cisneros criticized Mr Cuéllar as a corrupt politician. In the final stretch of the contest, billboards appeared in Laredo denouncing Ms. Cisneros’ political positions as well as her personal life, calling her a “house destroyer.” Mr. Cuéllar denied that he had anything to do with the billboards and said he did not approve of them.