https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142930044Polybius (9,553 posts) Tue Jun 14, 2022, 11:48 PM
Republicans flip a Democratic-held House seat in South Texas, at least for now.
A U.S. House district in South Texas will send a Republican to Congress for the first time in its 10-year [sic] history.
Mayra Flores, a Republican and respiratory-care health aide, scored a significant victory in a special election on Tuesday for the party, which has been trying to capitalize on its successes in 2020 in the Democratic stronghold of the Rio Grande Valley. She will be the first Latina Republican from Texas in Congress.
Ms. Flores defeated three opponents in the special election to replace former Representative Filemon Vela, a Democrat who retired this year before the end of his term. She captured more than 50 percent of the vote in Texas’ 34th Congressional District, according to The Associated Press, and will avoid an expected runoff with Dan Sanchez, a Democrat and former commissioner in Cameron County.
Her win may only be temporary, however.
The special election was held to determine who would fill the remainder of Mr. Vela’s term until the end of this year. Voters in the general election in November will decide who will become the district’s permanent representative beginning in January. Representative Vicente Gonzalez, who currently represents a neighboring district, is the Democratic nominee for November, and is widely favored to win the race against Ms. Flores, who is also running to fill the seat permanently in November.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/14/us/politics/mayra-flores-texas-election.html
turbinetree (22,930 posts) Tue Jun 14, 2022, 11:52 PM
1. This gives the fascist party 213 seats until November....
Cry me a river, Nazi-boy.
RussBLib (5,826 posts) Tue Jun 14, 2022, 11:55 PM
2. very pissed at Filemon Vela
Vela had already announced he was not going to run for reelection, which is fine. But suddenly, Vela just HAD TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY and go to work for Akin Gump, one of the biggest lobbying firms in DC. He literally RAN thru the revolving door between Congress and lobby firms.
And his sudden, unexplained abrupt departure gave an opening to Flores, a huge Trumper. So Pelosi has one fewer Dem in the House. Now the margin is 4, not 5.
And this was not necessary. Vela tucks tail, costs the state extra money to run a special election, and the GOP takes the seat.
Conventional wisdom says that Vicente Gonzalez will beat Flores in November and will take back the seat for Dems. He'd better not take it for granted.
GREED.
But isn't greed what motivates Democrats?
LeftInTX (19,210 posts) Wed Jun 15, 2022, 12:12 AM
3. I know! This lobbying job could have waited six months!
RussBLib (5,826 posts) Wed Jun 15, 2022, 12:31 AM
4. easily
no one seems to know WHY he had to leave immediately. ****ing asshole.
Trust me, Russ, it was for the money; the quicker he got to it, the better.
He's a Democrat after all.