Home · Politics · Nov 4 archive
Dem wins Trump-targeted Texas district in rebuke of Republican redistricting shakeup
· Confirmed
In Short: In a surprising turn of events, Monica De La Cruz won the Texas 35th Congressional District, defeating the Republican incumbent.
Monica De La Cruz secured a victory in the Texas 35th Congressional District, defeating Republican incumbent Carlos De La Cruz in a race that was closely watched due to its significance in the broader political landscape.
The district was redrawn in 2025 at the urging of former President Donald Trump, transforming a Democratic stronghold into a territory that would have favored Trump by approximately 10 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, according to Fox News.
The new 35th District covers portions of San Antonio and surrounding communities in Bexar County and neighboring counties, making it a key battleground for both parties.
The Hispanic-majority electorate in the district placed the race at the center of a broader political question: whether Republicans could sustain Trump's 2024 gains among Hispanic voters in a midterm election without the president himself on the ballot.
The incumbent, Carlos De La Cruz, opted to seek election in the newly configured 37th Congressional District rather than defend his former seat, leaving the 35th District open for De La Cruz.
De La Cruz's victory was initially considered a steep underdog, given that Donald Trump would have carried the newly redrawn majority-Latino 35th District by 15 points in 2024, according to Rollcall.
The race was part of a larger effort by Democrats to flip about a dozen battleground districts to narrow the 88-62 Republican majority in the House, as reported by Feeds.
The district's Hispanic-majority electorate made the race a critical test for both parties, with Democrats hoping to capitalize on their momentum without taking any corporate PAC dollars, as Menefee stated in an interview with Houstonpublicmedia.
The indictment, announced by District Attorney Sean Teare, involved an incident where Morales allegedly ran over the legs of a fleeing immigrant man, according to Teare.
The victory in the 35th District underscores the shifting political dynamics in Texas and the broader implications for national politics.
The race was part of a larger effort by Democrats to flip about a dozen battleground districts to narrow the 88-62 Republican majority in the House, as reported by Feeds.
What this adds
The race in the 35th District was closely watched due to its significance in the broader political landscape, particularly in the context of Hispanic voter engagement and the impact of redistricting efforts.
What's confirmed
- The Leading Independent News Source in Houston, Texas A Harris County grand jury indicted ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales on Friday for intentionally running over the legs of a fleeing immigrant man on October 10, District Attorney Sean Teare announced.
- “Morales aggressively steered his vehicle into Parra-Hernandez,” Teare said.
What's still developing
- Polling hours vary by state and, in some cases, by county or congressional district.
- Angela Paxton's Senate Bill 13 would require school districts to create community advisory committees to oversee disputes about library materials.
- California voters last year approved Proposition 50, redrawing House districts to favor Democrats and counter a similar move by Texas to favor Republicans.
- (Don’t worry: We won’t share or sell your information.) Note: Republicans redrew Congressional districts last year, in an effort to gain more seats.