WASHINGTON — Most incumbent Congress members from Texas will cruise to reelection. One of the few competitive races is unfolding in South Texas — and it is a rematch. In the 34th Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez is again facing former Republican Rep. Mayra Flores. Both political parties want to win it and are spending thousands of dollars on ads.

What You Need To Know

  • In the 34th Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez is again facing former Republican Rep. Mayra Flores

  • The congressional district borders the Gulf Coast and Mexico and includes Harlingen, Brownsville and parts of McAllen

  • Flores briefly held the district after winning a special election two years ago, but a few months later, Gonzalez beat her by nearly 9 percentage points

  • This year, both candidates are focusing on the economy and border security
 

“I am only doing this because we don’t have the right representation in South Texas, and the people of South Texas are ready for new leadership,” Flores told Spectrum News in June. 

“I brought almost $8 billion to South Texas, and that’s something that my opponent can never compete with,” Gonzalez told Spectrum News shortly after the first and television only debate earlier this month. 

The congressional district borders the Gulf Coast and Mexico and includes Harlingen, Brownsville and parts of McAllen. 

Flores briefly held the district after winning a special election two years ago. But a few months later, that November, Gonzalez beat her by nearly 9 percentage points.

This year, both candidates are focusing on the economy and border security. 

Gonzalez, an attorney, was first elected to Congress in 2016, representing a neighboring district in South Texas. He is a moderate Democrat who crosses the political aisle on issues, including energy and the border. He supports creating safe zones in Central American, countries where migrants can seek asylum without having to cross the border, and he backed the bipartisan border security bill that former President Donald Trump helped to tank earlier this year.  

“It’s an American problem that requires bipartisan solutions, and the Senate bill was exactly that. It was a bipartisan solution that would have brought billions of dollars to our border. It would have added thousands of agents, hundreds of immigration judges, thousands of asylum officers. It would have taken the pressure off our southern border, it would have given the president the ability to shut the border in the event of an emergency,” Gonzalez told Spectrum News shortly after President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in March. 

Flores was the first Mexican-born woman to serve in Congress and she often says her immigration story is why border security is important to her. She supports a return to some of the hardline immigration policies Trump enacted as president. 

“We had a secure border, a strong economy, and we want that. We want that safe America and that strong America once again, and that’s what helps, because right now, most Americans are struggling, living paycheck to paycheck. Most don’t even have $1,000 in their savings account, and they want to be able to take care of their children and families, as well,” Flores told Spectrum News at the Republican National Convention in July.  

When asked during the congressional debate what needs to be done to ease the financial burden on Texans, Gonzalez said the pandemic hurt the entire world. He said the post-pandemic recovery in the U.S. is encouraging and said it was important to go after corporate price gouging. Meanwhile, Flores said she disagreed with sending foreign aid abroad while Americans were struggling economically.  

The district is nearly 90% Hispanic. One question shadowing this race is whether the gains Republicans have made with Hispanic voters in the past two election cycles will continue. The answer may help decide who wins in the 34th Congressional District this year.