Mayra Flores, Republican representative-elect in a Texas special election, says that Democrats should take the victory as a sign to not take Hispanic voters for granted.
Flores was the victor in an election for a recently opened House seat on the southern border of the state, in the Rio Grande Valley. She makes history as the first Mexican-born congresswoman, as well as being the first Republican to win the heavily Hispanic district since its creation 10 years ago. South Texas has been largely controlled by the Democratic party for nearly 100 years.
In an interview with Fox News after her victory, Flores said, “The Democrat Party has been in control here in South Texas for over 100 years and feel entitled to our vote. They feel they don’t have to do anything to earn our vote. And we sent a strong message to Washington, and we sent a strong message to the Democrat Party that you have to get to work. If not, you’re going to get voted out.”
In 2012, former President Barack Obama won the district by over 22 points, but by President Biden’s election in 2020, the district was won by only 4.2 points, a much narrower margin of victory. Now, Flores was able to confidently win the district, avoiding a runoff by topping 50% of the vote, and beating Democrat Dan Sanchez by eight full points. Flores will complete the final six months of former Democratic Representative Filemon Vela, who resigned in March.
Many Republicans are taking the victory as a sign of things to come. With the November midterm elections looming, a major goal of the GOP is to flip Democratic controlled Hispanic majority districts.
“This is just the beginning and I believe that Hispanics throughout the country are going to see that more Hispanics are joining the Republican Party and they will do the research of why and when they do, they’ll realize that their values align with the Republican Party,” Flores predicted.
“Democrats have dominated elections in the heavily Hispanic Rio Grande Valley for over 100 years,” said a memo from the National Republican Congressional Committee, the reelection arm of the House GOP. “Flores’ victory in the TX-34 Special Election is proof that Republicans have a winning message with Hispanic voters and that no Democrat is safe in the current political environment.”
The memo continued: “Mayra’s victory proved we have the blueprint for success in South Texas, and it sets Republicans up for even greater success in November. This is the first of many Democrat-held seats that will flip Republican in 2022.”
The seat will be up for reelection in November, and the congressional district will be redrawn before that election in a district that Democrats believe will be more favorable to them. House Democrats do not believe that the seat will remain in Republican hands for long.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Representative Sean Patrick Maloney said after the news of the victory broke, “MAGA Republican Mayra Flores shouldn’t get too comfortable — she’ll barely have enough time to set up her desk before South Texans send her packing again. It’s all eyes on November now as we gear up to send Vicente Gonzalez back to Congress this fall.”
Flores, however, believes that the change is one that will be more permanent. “We won because of Cameron County, and we came really close in Hidalgo County. And these counties remain in my district. So, this idea that it’s going to be easier for the Democrats in November, it’s completely wrong,” she said.
Flores believes the victory in those districts was “because I’m one of them and I’m also standing up for our values. God, family, our community. That’s who we are in South Texas. We’re all about hard work.”
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