Republicans outraise Democrats in battle for South Texas U.S. House seats

Republicans outraised Democrats over the summer season in all three congressional races in South Texas that the nationwide events are contesting, in response to new campaign-finance reviews.

The three GOP nominees hauled in a mixed $4.3 million over the previous three months, whereas their Democratic opponents collected $2.4 million collectively. Two of the Democrats — incumbents Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez — nonetheless ended the interval with extra on money available than their challengers, although Gonzalez had solely a slight edge.

But the big GOP fundraising exhibits how intent Republicans are on taking up the predominantly Hispanic area after President Joe Biden underperformed there in 2020. They are focusing on Cuellar’s twenty eighth District, which incorporates Laredo in a protracted stretch of the border after which runs up north of San Antonio; the fifteenth District, which is an open seat and runs in a skinny line from McAllen as much as east of San Antonio; and the thirty fourth District in the Rio Grand Valley and southernmost a part of the Texas Gulf Coast, the place Gonzalez is operating for reelection in opposition to U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, who captured the seat in a June particular election.

Winning the seats might assist the GOP retake the U.S. House, however would additionally present a significant psychological win for a celebration intensely targeted on border coverage and intent of gaining floor with Hispanic voters.

All three Republican nominees raised over $1 million, and Cuellar’s challenger, Cassy Garcia, had the biggest haul — $1.7 million. The largest disparity, nonetheless, was in the thirty fourth District, the place Flores greater than tripled Gonzalez’s fundraising, $1.6 million to $497,000.

Cuellar has the most important cash-on-hand lead, with $836,000 in reserves as of Sept. 30 in comparison with $384,000 for Garcia. While she posted the most important fundraising quantity, she spent by means of most of it through the interval.

Gonzalez reported a smaller cash-on-hand benefit over Flores, $820,000 to $799,000.

In the fifteenth District, Republican Monica De La Cruz raised simply over $1 million, whereas Democrat Michelle Vallejo was not far behind with $867,000. They had been the closest in fundraising throughout the three elections, although De La Cruz completed the interval with greater than double Vallejo’s money available.

The fifteenth District race has been in headlines these days on account of in-state frustrations with nationwide Democrats’ lack of significant funding in the district.

The reviews had been due Saturday. All of them coated July 1 by means of Sept. 30 besides for Flores’, which started on July 5 on account of a earlier submitting she needed to make associated to the particular election.