Cisneros, lagging Cuellar by 136 votes, says she’ll demand recount in S. Texas primary

WASHINGTON – Challenger Jessica Cisneros, lagging by a mere 136 votes, mentioned Monday she’ll file for a recount in her congressional primary runoff towards 9-term U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar.

The incumbent, a Laredo Democrat, has claimed victory and predicted his lead will stand up to additional scrutiny.

Independent analysts haven’t referred to as the race both means. The race drew nationwide curiosity as a result of Cuellar is a uncommon Democrat who opposes abortion rights and attracts excessive grades from the NRA for his assist for gun rights.

“Our community isn’t done fighting,” Cisneros, a 29-year-old immigration lawyer, mentioned in an announcement. “We are filing for a recount. With just under 0.6 percent of the vote symbolizing such stark differences for the future in South Texas, I owe it to our community to see this through to the end.”

The head of the get together’s House marketing campaign arm, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, informed The Dallas Morning News final Tuesday that “it appears that Congressman Cuellar has won again,” although he acknowledged it wasn’t but official.

“It’s my expectation that when the dust settles, he will be the Democratic nominee. And we are going to hold that seat,” he mentioned.

Cuellar declared victory hours after polls closed on election night time May 24, with a lead of 177 votes out of 45,211 ballots forged – shut, although not as shut as his 58-vote win in the 2004 primary, when he ousted incumbent Ciro Rodriguez.

Last Wednesday, remaining a remaining replace from Bexar County, Cuellar’s lead dwindled to 136 votes out of 45,282 ballots counted.

Counties had till Friday to certify outcomes from the May 24 primary runoffs.

Two years in the past, Cisneros fell brief to Cuellar by 4 factors.

This time round, progressives irked by Cuellar’s opposition to abortion rights and most types of gun management pumped thousands and thousands into the hassle to push him out. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez promoted the challenger.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others in House Democratic management flocked to Cuellar’s protection, inflaming the left and fueling arduous emotions inside the get together.

Cisneros had been interesting to donors to lift $250,000 for a recount.

“Our movement was never just about one politician,” Cisneros mentioned. “It was about taking on an unjust system that rewards corruption and corporate profits at the expense of the needs of working people.”