MICHELLE VALLEJO

De La Cruz defeated Democrat Michelle Vallejo, a political newcomer who ran on a platform of progressive social policy and close family ties to the region.

As of presstime, Monica De La Cruz led Democrat opponent Michelle Vallejo by about 11,000 votes. De La Cruz, speaking to supporters a little before 11 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel McAllen Airport, was jubilant. This election marks the second time De La Cruz has run for the District 15 seat. “Tonight, Texas Republicans will tell you that picking up TX-15 shows that they’re gaining ground with Hispanics in South Texas,” Hinojosa began. A half-dozen or so Republican candidates for state and local offices joined De La Cruz at her party.

Over 500 people showed up to hear President Bill Clinton stump for fellow Democrat Michelle Vallejo in Edinburg on Monday afternoon, a day before Election Day. Richard Gonzales, chairman of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party, introduced Vallejo who was welcomed by an energetic crowd. The Democratic candidate emphasized points in her platform like healthcare, education, and improving the quality of life for South Texas. “The first time I ever went to a political event was when Hillary Clinton was running in 2008,” Sabrina Gonzalez said. “She went to the Dodge Arena.”While Clinton represents a different time in the Democratic Party, Sabrina Gonzalez said she felt inspired to witness an act of solidarity during divisive times.

Local voters have one last chance to cast their ballots before polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Clinton traveled to Laredo in the morning to stump for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and then went to the Rio Grande Valley to boost Michelle Vallejo, who is running for an open seat.

Former President Bill Clinton will be in Edinburg on Monday in support of fellow Democrat and congressional District 15 candidate Michelle Vallejo.

Michelle Vallejo vs. Monica De La Cruz; results beginning at 7 p.m.

Democrats are spending big to stop Republicans from flipping any of the three key battleground seats that have historically gone blue.

McALLEN — If Beto O’Rourke’s visit to the Lark Community Center polling place Monday proved anything, it’s that political tensions are high in Hidalgo County. “Where’s Greg?” one O’Rourke supporter yelled at the other side. One O’Rourke supporter wore an Elvis suit, wielding a campaign sign cut out to look like a guitar. Alejandro Gonzalez, an O’Rourke supporter from San Juan, took off his Halloween luchador mask after he arrived. “I couldn’t hear it, thank God,” Hilda DeShazo, Hidalgo County Republican Party Secretary, said.

Photo Gallery: Bernie Sanders campaigns for Michelle Vallejo during a rally in...

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, visited the Rio Grande Valley on Sunday as part of a tour to energize young voters in the lead up to the midterm elections on Nov. 8, speaking at a rally here for Michelle Vallejo, the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 15th congressional district.

The two-time presidential hopeful stumped for Michelle Vallejo. The Democrat is running for the 15th Congressional District, which runs east of San Antonio.

The two-time Democratic presidential candidate visited Central Texas and South Texas amid concerns that young and working-class voters are not mobilized enough for the midterm election.

No matter who it is, the winner of the Rio Grande Valley congressional district will represent a sharp break from the region’s political past.

Details of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ planned visit to the Rio Grande Valley this weekend were announced Monday.

“We know the suffering that comes from not voting,” Juanita Valdez-Cox, executive director of LUPE, said. And they’re looking at South Texas Latino voters,” Dani Marrero Hi, LUPE’s director of communication, said. Republicans are investing heavily in the race for Congressional District 34 where a Republican, Mayra Flores, won the seat after the democratic incumbent suddenly vacated it. Joaquin Garcia, a community organizer with LUPE, reminded people about their rights at the ballot box, including the protection against intimidation. Their poison is to divide us and distract us, but here in LUPE the antidote is to unite and press ahead.”

Early voting starts Monday with a slew of competitive races on the ballot.Here’s a rundown of some of the most hotly contested races — state and federal — that Rio Grande Valley voters will decide.

Staff for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared to confirm on Wednesday his plans to make a stop in McAllen as part of an eight-state tour to rally young voters for the midterm elections. Though the New York Times report did not provide details about his McAllen visit, a reporter with the Texas Tribune later reported that Sanders planned to attend a McAllen event on Oct. 30. We’re not so fond of breadlines though.”The Sanders camp replied to De La Cruz just a few hours later. Sanders is just the latest high-profile political figure expected to make an appearance in South Texas. Having already earned Trump’s support during the primary election, De La Cruz received another high-profile endorsement Wednesday from Gov.

Vallejo and Garza — the Democratic nominees for Texas’ 15th congressional district and Texas Attorney General, respectively — held a town hall meeting that brought abortion rights, reproductive rights and health care to the forefront. “Right now, I’m not going to mince words about where we’re at, there is no access to abortion care,” Garza said. Vallejo and Garza also touched on the general health care needs of the Rio Grande Valley. “A lot of people in our region don’t have access to specialists, so health care is critically important,” Garza said. “The question that should be on our minds is, what is Ken Paxton going to do on November 9,” Garza said.

The Texas Democratic Party will be dedicating about a third of its staff to support progressive candidate Michelle Vallejo in the competitive race for Texas’ 15th congressional district after national democrats pulled political ads. Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said the party would be increasing resources to the race after news broke that the national Democrats would not be airing televised ads in support of Vallejo’s campaign. “We are sending in probably about a third of our entire state staff down to the Valley to work on this campaign,” Hinojosa said in an interview Wednesday. “We appreciate our partners at the DCCC for their early, sustained commitment to keeping South Texas blue,” Hinojosa said in the statement. “Instead, we’re going to team up … they’re going to team up with the Texas Democratic Party to work on her campaign there.”He added that the decision to divert a large portion of the state Democratic Party’s staff to one campaign was a rare one.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee disputed the suggestion that it was not contesting the race for the South Texas district.

Some prominent Texas Democrats are up in arms at what they see as a withdrawal of serious national investment in a South Texas congressional district that is the linchpin of Republicans’ drive to take over the region. “I’m really, deeply disappointed in the DCCC,” Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in an interview the next day. Redistricting made the 15th District more favorable for the GOP — but not out of reach for Democrats. Since Labor Day, Republican outside groups have flooded the district with TV ads assailing Vallejo as too liberal for South Texas. Of the three South Texas districts that Republicans are targeting, the 15th would have been the closest in the 2020 presidential election.

“I’m really, deeply disappointed in the DCCC,” Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said. “I hope they change their mind, and if we lose this election, it’s completely on them.”

In one of her few interviews with local media, Republican candidate Monica De La Cruz was short but concise Thursday on what her message consists of while progressive Democrat Michelle Vallejo expanded on hers during a recent press event.

Texas House candidate Monica De La Cruz says Hispanics in South Texas are embracing GOP politics because they want a secure border, love God and their love families.

In two of the three races, Democrats are hitting back as outside Republican groups try to turn the region red.

In two of the three races, Democrats are hitting back as outside Republican groups try to turn the region red.

In two of the three races, Democrats are hitting back as outside Republican groups try to turn the region red.

Democratic congressional candidate Michelle Vallejo continues to attract support from statewide leaders, drawing endorsements from current, former and aspiring Democratic elected officials.

ALAMO — With gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke yet to return to the campaign trail following a bacterial infection, other Democratic candidates took the helm here to fire up support for the party. Among them is Democrat Rochelle Garza who is facing off against Texas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton, a Republican, in the November election. “Everyone is saying that here, and I will reiterate that — it is absolutely critical that we get people to vote. Vallejo is currently running in one of the most closely-watched races in the country against Republican Monica De La Cruz. He also pointed to the outside corporations that were pouring millions of dollars to support Republican candidates in the region.

Rio Grande Valley residents are poised to miss out on a debate for the most heated race in South Texas. “Her Republican opponent, Monica De La Cruz, has yet to agree to any debates before voting starts,” the statement read. The District 15 Republican candidate, Monica De La Cruz’s campaign has not immediately responded when asked if they’re planning to participate in the debates. Vallejo criticized De La Cruz for her social media posts two years ago when she demanded a debate with then-opponent U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. “The voters of South Texas deserve to know where their congressional candidates stand on the issues,” Vallejo said.

Progressive Democrat Michelle Vallejo and conservative Republican Monica De La Cruz face off in a South Texas district long represented by moderate Democrats.

Monica De La Cruz runs on a campaign against runaway spending and “socialist” policies, blasting Democratic measures to expand federal assistance amid the pandemic.

Monica De La Cruz, a firebrand Republican running in a fiercely competitive race for U.S District 15, received thousands of dollars for personal business interests from federal COVID relief programs despite disparaging federal assistance programs as harmful to the U.S. economy.

Monica De La Cruz runs on a campaign against runaway spending and “socialist” policies, blasting Democratic measures to expand federal assistance amid the pandemic.

Democratic congressional candidate Michelle Vallejo is challenging her Republican counterpart Monica De La Cruz to a series of debates in the lead up to the midterm elections in November.

Ten years ago, Republicans running for Rio Grande Valley congressional districts raised and spent lackluster amounts of money for the three seats in Washington D.C. that had been blue for as long as anyone could remember.

Notably absent, though, was acknowledgement of any threat posed by the Republican Party in South Texas. Despite the win, Democrats refute the GOP victory in the blue South Texas stronghold. “I think it’s unfair to say they’re making gains down here,” Gilberto Hinojosa, the Texas Democratic Party chairman, said Tuesday. “Not one single county elected official in South Texas has switched parties. While young Democrats push through internal challenges, external pressures threaten to suppress voter turnout for all parties.

Attorney General Ken Paxton declared on Twitter that he would be closing his office and...

Attorney General Ken Paxton declared on Twitter that he would be closing his office and “making it an annual holiday” in honor of the Supreme Court decision.

Victories by Mayra Flores and Michelle Vallejo illustrate the complex crosscurrents at work as the Tejano vote grows and splinters.

A separate recount found that Michelle Vallejo won the Democratic nomination for the 15th Congressional District.

A separate recount found that Michelle Vallejo won the party’s nomination for another congressional seat.

A separate recount found that Michelle Vallejo won the party’s nomination for another congressional seat.

A recount in Texas affirmed Democrat Michelle Vallejo as her party's nominee for a new congressional district along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A recount in Texas has affirmed Democrat Michelle Vallejo as her party's nominee for a new congressional district that Republicans are aggressively targeting this November as they demonstrate new strength with Hispanic voters along the U.S.-Mexico border. Vallejo defeated Ruben Ramirez by 35 votes, according to results of a recount announced Friday by the Texas Democratic Party. The victory by Vallejo sets up a significant test this fall for progressive Democrats who backed her in the 15th Congressional District, one of two new U.S. House seats awarded to booming Texas after a decade of explosive growth driven by new Latino residents.

Michelle Vallejo has declared herself the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 15th Congressional District following a recount that was conducted at the request of her opponent Ruben Ramirez.

Two hotly contested, Rio Grande Valley-centric congressional elections are headed for recounts. On Monday afternoon Ruben Ramirez, a moderate Democrat who ran against progressive Michelle Vallejo for the District 15 nomination, announced he would file a petition for a recount with the Texas Democratic Party on Tuesday. The Texas Democratic Party on Monday finished canvassing and certifying the votes, triggering the petitions for recount in the tight Democratic runoffs. In District 15, Ramirez lost to Vallejo by just 30 votes. In a statement, Ramirez said his campaign owes it to District 15 to ensure that every vote is accurately counted.

The state Democratic Party confirmed Monday that Ramirez’s opponent, Michelle Vallejo,...

The state Democratic Party confirmed Monday that Ramirez’s opponent, Michelle Vallejo, won by a slim margin.

That general election also saw a significant change in the traditionally blue Texas congressional District 15. In that race, Gonzalez raised $1,257,881.45 and spent $907,999.77 to beat De La Cruz, who raised $422,613.21 and spent $416,551.57. As has been the pattern over the last few years, another significant change has impacted District 15, which could ultimately flip it red: redistricting. Now, District 15 has seven counties, including Hidalgo County, and stretches north and northeast of San Antonio and Bexar counties. The next filing deadline for De La Cruz and whoever ultimately secures the Democratic nomination is June 30.

Progressive candidate Michelle Vallejo declared victory in the Democratic primary runoff election for Texas’ 15th congressional district on Wednesday, while her opponent, Ruben Ramirez, is still waiting for all votes to be canvassed. Eight days after the primary runoff elections, the Vallejo campaign issued a statement declaring victory in the race against Ramirez, the moderate Democratic candidate. We look forward to knowing the true result once all the ballots are counted and canvassed,” the Ramirez campaign said. As of Wednesday afternoon, results from Hidalgo County had Vallejo with 4,728 votes and Ramirez with 4,638 votes, a 90 vote difference. On election night, Hidalgo County votes had the candidates separated by 89 votes — Vallejo with 4,707 votes and Ramirez with 4,618 votes at the time.

Her opponent Ruben Ramirez is not conceding, saying the race is still too close to call. Counties have to submit final vote counts by end of day Thursday.

Two nationally watched Democratic primary runoffs in South Texas remain too close to call...

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, is leading his challenger, Jessica Cisneros, by 177 votes, while the margin is even smaller in the 15th Congressional District, where Michelle Vallejo is ahead of Ruben Ramirez for the open seat.

Progressive Democrat Michelle Vallejo held on to a 23-vote lead early into Wednesday morning.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s too-close-to-call runoff got most of the attention, but three other primary runoffs Tuesday carried big stakes for Democrats as they try to defend South Texas from a new GOP offensive.

The Democratic runoff for congressional District 15 turned into a nail-biter late Tuesday night, with the progressive candidate leading the moderate by 23 votes as of deadline.

Tonight is the night where two Democrats will prevail in Rio Grande Valley congressional races that have been the focus of local and national attention.

Two of the most closely watched races in the state will be decided during Tuesday’s primary runoff election, in part, by voters in the Rio Grande Valley.

In the Republican primary runoff, 253 people voted in person, while 140 mail-in ballots were submitted. “Throughout this part of early (voting), we are focusing on staying in Hidalgo County, visiting a few of the polling sites,” she said. The two were the top vote-getters in the March primary election from a field of six candidates. The redrawn maps made District 15 friendlier to Republicans who are hoping to flip the district in November. Early voting for the runoff will continue through Friday and election day is Tuesday, May 24.

Democratic primary runoffs for two congressional districts and two legislative seats in South Texas highlight the candidates’ divergent visions for the party in a region the GOP is heavily targeting.

As Democratic voters prepare to pick their party’s nominee for one of the nation’s most closely watched congressional races, a Rio Grande Valley nonprofit is being accused of violating federal campaign finance law for how it has backed one of the candidates.

Michelle Vallejo faces Ruben Ramirez in a runoff for the Democratic nomination in the 15th Congressional District. A nonprofit that supports Vallejo is accused of breaking campaign finance rules.

The race to be the next representative for Texas’ 15th Congressional District drew a handful of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, six individuals who ranged from moderate to progressive.

A new internal poll shows progressive candidate Michelle Vallejo leading by 10 percentage points against moderate Ruben Ramirez in the race for the Democratic nomination for Texas’ 15th Congressional District. The poll, released by the Vallejo campaign, showed her leading by 39% to Ramirez’s 29%. Conducted by Lake Research Partners, the poll surveyed a total of 400 likely 2022 Democratic primary voters in Texas by phone as well as text-to-online from March 23 to March 27. In response to the Vallejo campaign’s internal poll, Ramirez’s campaign drew attention to another poll conducted in February, prior to the Democratic Primary that was held March 1. As the top two vote-getters, Ramirez and Vallejo will face off against each other in the runoff election scheduled for May 24.

With the dust beginning to settle on the primary race for Congressional District 15, it appears Democratic frontrunner Ruben Ramirez will face second-place vote getter Michelle Vallejo in a runoff election.

Find the latest, updated election results for the 2022 primary election in Texas on March 1, 2022.

South Texas Democrats are facing an identity crisis and trying to distance themselves from out-of-state progressives after the party underperformed in the region in 2020.