VICENTE GONZALEZ

Five Texans charged in connection with the Jan. 6 chaos have been sentenced so far — and four of those are serving prison time.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, knew as soon as he arrived at the U.S. Capitol building to watch the certification of the Electoral College votes that something was amok.

A former Hidalgo County Democratic Party precinct chair has announced his bid for Congress in the crowded race for the hotly contested Congressional District 15. Julio Garza, who says he is the first openly bisexual candidate to run for the seat, is also a former Democratic Party secretary, a small business owner and a part-time rancher. “Starting the year, I did not think District 15 would be in play, but Texas Republicans decided to gerrymander my congressman to another district,” Garza said in the announcement. “I have always lived in a blue district and Hidalgo County has always been the Democratic stronghold of South Texas. From Precinct Chair, to party secretary, and now party board member, I have been a part of local politics,” he said.

EDINBURG — A day after launching his “Tough as Texas” re-election campaign slogan, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz praised law enforcement personnel seated nearby, many of whom made up the organization that issued Cruz an endorsement on Tuesday. NBPC President Brandon Judd, a 20-year Border Patrol veteran and frequent Fox News contributor introduced Cruz. Cruz praised Paul Perez, president of the NBPC’s RGV chapter, for acting when the hurricane hit. He honored the family of former Border Patrol agent Javier Vega Jr., who was killed in 2014 while protecting his family when they were fishing in Raymondville. Cruz and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, co-authored a bill to rename the Border Patrol checkpoint along U.S. Highway 77 near Sarita after Vega.

LUPE organizers announced the launch of LUPE Votes, a 501(c)4 nonprofit group through which the organizations can endorse political candidates. The switch for Gonzalez was, itself, prompted by the redrawn district maps that make District 15 more competitive. The candidate that LUPE Votes is searching for, though, is one that would share the same political priorities. Around that time, LUPE Votes will launch a political action committee to be able to directly coordinate with the candidate. “We’re going to take some time to build the infrastructure for the candidate, really help launch, prepare,” Diaz said.

More changes continue to shake up the congressional races in the Rio Grande Valley as Rochelle Garza, a Democrat who previously announced her candidacy for District 34, is ending this bid in favor of a shot at running for Texas attorney general in 2022. In a Monday morning statement that included endorsements from U.S. Reps. Vicente Gonzalez and Filemon Vela, who’s leaving the District 34 congressional seat vacant at the end of his term next year, Garza focused entirely on her bid for the state AG job. Beatriz Reynoso, a Harlingen native and Air Force veteran who’s identified herself as a progressive Democratic candidate, is also seeking the District 34 congressional post. For District 15, Ruben Ramirez of Edinburg, a Bronze Star recipient and veteran of the Afghanistan war, and Eliza Alvarado, a director with the Region One Education Service Center, announced their intentions to run as Democrats. Monica De La Cruz, the Republican candidate who nearly bested Gonzalez for his District 15 congressional seat in 2020, is running for that post once again for the GOP.

Garza, a former lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, had been running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, is now running for Vela's seat after redistricting made Gonzalez's seat more competitive for Republicans.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced last week he’ll seek reelection in a new seat, leaving his 15th Congressional District open for the 2022 election. Candidate filing begins Nov. 13.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, officially announced his intent to run in the newly drawn 34th congressional district Tuesday, attributing the switch to “GOP gerrymandering” placing his home inside that district instead of District 15. Gonzalez will now run for the seat being vacated by incumbent U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. Rochelle Garza, a civil rights lawyer and a Democrat from Brownsville, had already announced her intentions to run for Vela’s seat in July. “It’s been my honor to serve South Texas and I am proud of what Vicente and I have accomplished together over the years. “There’s no one I trust more to stand up for the Rio Grande Valley and our values in Congress than Vicente.”

Texas lawmakers made Gonzalez’s current 15th Congressional District more competitive for Republicans. The representative now plans to run in the 34th District, which is safer for Democrats.

McALLEN — A conversation between U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and a group of Rio Grande Valley college students last week focused primarily on federal funds for higher education and pandemic response, and the importance those funds have in the tip of Texas. Cardona was in the Valley last week to talk about President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda. They told Cardona about how it had affected them, or their friends and family members. She told him how displeased she was that that isn’t the case for students at Valley high schools and middle schools. Valley students can do anything, she said, with a little help from Washington.

Texas gained two new seats in Congress based on population growth fueled by people of color. But the Senate’s proposal provides no new majority-Black or majority-Hispanic districts to reflect that growth.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Rio Grande Valley students and educators Wednesday afternoon in a quick-paced tour of Hidalgo County.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Rio Grande Valley students and educators Wednesday afternoon in a quick-paced tour of Hidalgo County.

The initial redistricting maps released this week are raising fresh questions about Texas Republicans’ hopes of flipping seats in South Texas.After President Joe Biden underperformed there last year, [San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced Friday he is considering switching districts to represent a different area of the Rio Grande Valley as a result of the congressional boundaries state lawmakers are proposing.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced Friday he is considering switching districts to represent a different area of the Rio Grande Valley as a result of the congressional boundaries state lawmakers are proposing.

With proposed maps out, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, says he might switch to a neighboring district where U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, is retiring. The initial maps are also sure to impact decisions in regional legislative races.

The Democratic incumbent, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen, had a surprisingly close race last year as President Joe Biden underperformed across the region, and his 2020 challenger, Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez, is running again.

WESLACO — Former broadcast journalist Frank McCaffrey announced his intention to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, a seat currently held by Vicente Gonzalez, at the San Martin de Porres Food Distribution Center in Weslaco on Monday. McCaffrey believes he has an understanding of government that would help with his run for his congressional run. His interest in local business and job creation comes from his concern of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it’s changed the economic landscape. “These things are a lot of challenges that you just have to have someone who’s willing to go up to Washington and fight for and not ignore the people of the Valley,” McCaffrey said. I said, well I guess I got to run, I guess this is my calling.”

Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar joined two others to introduce bipartisan legislation that, if passed, would reimburse farmers and ranchers for property damage caused by migrants. “When fencing on ranch land is cut due to increased migration, it takes a serious financial toll on South Texas farmers and ranchers,” Gonzalez said in the release. The proposed legislation was endorsed by the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Both said ranchers and farmers have had their land and livelihood “harmed by the border crisis.”“As stewards of large sections of the Southern Border, ranchers suffer a disproportionate share of the burden associated with illegal border crossings,”NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said. Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said the nonprofit, which has more than 500,000 member-families, has been listening to the concerns of many farmers and ranchers that have been affected.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced Monday that the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley would be receiving more than $1.25 million as part of an initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

After seeing a 55% drop in passenger traffic in 2020, the McAllen International Airport is already bouncing back this year, reporting a 43% increase as of May compared to the same time last year.

McALLEN, Texas — In Republicans’ bid to retake control of Congress, this...

In Republicans’ bid to retake control of Congress, a traditionally Democratic stretch of South Texas has quietly become a top battleground.

In Republicans' bid to retake control of Congress, this traditionally Democratic stretch of South Texas has quietly become a top battleground. After making unexpected gains last November, the GOP is zeroing in on a trio of House seats in the region as key targets heading into next year's midterm elections. Republican leaders believe the party is on the precipice of a political realignment among Hispanic voters in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border like McAllen.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez on Thursday announced the re-introduction of a bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for deported veterans.

The City of Schertz officially accepted more than $9 million in federal COVID-19 relief...

Over $5.4 million in federal funding is going toward certain Rio Grande Valley airports to assist in ongoing COVID-19 pandemic recovery attempts, with the bulk of the money allocated for the McAllen airport.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra visited the Rio Grande Valley this week with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez to tour a migrant child care facility. Data from the government suggests fewer children are coming into the U.S. without their parents.

Just days after the ninth anniversary of the passage of the DACA program, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, local elected officials and business leaders gathered here with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez for a roundtable discussion on immigration reform.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $480,000 in federal funding to UTRGV’s Mental and Behavioral Health Education and Training Programs.

A Rio Grande Valley congressman announced Friday that $1,684,497 had been allocated for the State Veterans Home in McAllen under the American Rescue Plan.

The City of San Marcos was recently allocated $18.1 million through the American Rescue Plan. The funding is distributed by the U.S.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

As part of the American Rescue Plan, congressmen in the Rio Grande Valley urge families to file their 2020 taxes before the June 15 deadline to receive child tax credit monthly payments. Families will get their remaining expanded child tax credit when they file their 2021 tax return. The aim is for the child tax credit to lift 29,300 children in the 15th District out of poverty. This year United Way of South Texas provided over 2,100 families in Hidalgo and Starr counties with free tax preparation services this tax season. Those who qualify may file their taxes for free online through the IRS Free File program at apps.irs.gov, by visiting myfreetaxes.com or getourfund.org.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, along with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, met with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday to discuss the number of asylum seekers being encountered at the border, according to a news release issued by Gonzalez's office.

Under pressure from Texas politicians and education advocates, Gov. Greg Abbott released $11.2 billion in new federal funds to help public schools address student learning loss and costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic Wednesday, funds Rio Grande Valley leaders say will be instrumental in helping local districts ride out the end of the pandemic and put students back on track academically.

President Joseph Biden was optimistic Wednesday evening, looking back on his first 100 days in office and forward to his next 1,361. He declared that “America is on the move again,” and outlined an ambitious agenda for post-coronavirus America.

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez is seeking a meeting with the president to urge him to take swift action on two pressing issues facing residents in his district, both related to the construction of a border wall the president has pledged to halt.

click to enlarge Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas TribuneThe foundation for a South Texas-centered election cycle was laid in November, when Biden underperformed across South Texas in stunning fashion. The foundation for a South Texas-centered election cycle was laid in November, when Biden underperformed across South Texas in stunning fashion. “For the first time in generations, or maybe ever, we lost … South Texas counties with significant Hispanic populations. Hinojosa also suggested the GOP focus on South Texas "will ultimately help retain and gain other seats in tougher regions.”Cuellar may be the biggest question mark of the GOP’s three targets in South Texas. Much remains uncertain, and until the maps are drawn later this year, the future of South Texas politics is theoretical.

Recent headlines about the influx of unaccompanied minors at the border have only intensified the GOP’s drive to turn South Texas into a new political background. The foundation for a South Texas-centered election cycle was laid in November, when Biden underperformed across South Texas in stunning fashion. “For the first time in generations, or maybe ever, we lost … South Texas counties with significant Hispanic populations. Hinojosa also suggested the GOP focus on South Texas "will ultimately help retain and gain other seats in tougher regions.”Cuellar may be the biggest question mark of the GOP’s three targets in South Texas. Much remains uncertain, and until the maps are drawn later this year, the future of South Texas politics is theoretical.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm of House Republicans, announced Wednesday that it's targeting five Texas Democrats in the U.S. House as they seek to regain their majority in 2022. The list of targets is three more than the GOP seriously targeted last year and includes three Democrats in South Texas where the party underperformed in November. Republicans are especially emboldened after the NRCC's Democratic counterpart, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, targeted 10 GOP-held seats in Texas last election cycle and won none. But Biden underperformed in all three South Texas districts, carrying Cuellar's and Vela's seats by 4 points and González's by 2. And he has said South Texas is a priority as he begins his term as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the federal government owns less than 2% of the land in Texas. “Texas ... has been ravaged by the coronavirus and this recent Executive Order will hurt an already suffering community. Therefore, I urge the Biden administration to rescind this federal order and reevaluate the impact of this measure with input from relevant stakeholders and experts,” Gonzales said in a news release. Of the leases that are active, slightly more than 2.5 million acres are producing or have produced oil or gas. The letter does not mention where the four Texas Democrats stand on Biden’s decision to revoke the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.

But Stewart and other South Texas voters who spoke to The Texas Tribune said the Democratic Party as a whole does not. And a similar swing by Mexican Americans in South Texas offset some gains Democrats made in the state’s suburbs. Trump’s statements condemning protesters and backing law enforcement connected with voters in South Texas, where a significant portion of the population either works in law enforcement or has friends or family members who do. I just think as a result, he didn’t make Latinos a priority until way later.”Some South Texas voters said they do not recognize the Democratic Party any more. Jay Peña, an attorney in Rio Grande City, said as a kid he was raised a Democrat like most people he knows.

But Stewart and other South Texas voters who spoke to The Texas Tribune said the Democratic Party as a whole does not. And a similar swing by Mexican Americans in South Texas offset some gains Democrats made in the state’s suburbs. Trump’s statements condemning protesters and backing law enforcement connected with voters in South Texas, where a significant portion of the population either works in law enforcement or has friends or family members who do. I just think as a result, he didn’t make Latinos a priority until way later.”Some South Texas voters said they do not recognize the Democratic Party any more. Jay Peña, an attorney in Rio Grande City, said as a kid he was raised a Democrat like most people he knows.

President-Elect Biden will receive 306 electors and the most votes in history. Biden garnered the same ‘massive landslide’ victory as Trump did in 2016 when he lost the popular vote by over 2 million. Yes, President-Elect Biden did “beat [Trump] like a drum,” but down-ballot Democrats struggled in their respective races. Many in the Democratic party have blamed progressives, pollsters and party elders. The Democratic party and President-Elect Biden are uniquely placed to restore our politics, but to do so we have to get our own house in order first.

Nearly every member of Congress from Texas has publicly condemned the police actions captured in the video. Thanks to the pandemic, House members are not engaging with each other face-to-face, which is typically vital to moving legislation into law. Despite the turmoil in Washington, U.S. House members were mostly in their own districts on Tuesday. "We can be united for change in our society and we can be thankful that law enforcement is enabling our First Amendment rights. Like the president, Texas Republicans have almost uniformly called for law and order in the same press releases where they express despair over Floyd's death.