Republicans outraise Democrats in battle for South Texas congressional seats

[TexasTowelie]

by Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune


Republicans outraised Democrats over the summer in all three congressional races in South Texas that the national parties are contesting, according to new campaign finance reports.

The three GOP nominees hauled in a combined $4.3 million over the past three months, while their Democratic opponents collected $2.4 million together. Two of the Democrats — incumbents Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez — still ended the period with more cash on hand than their challengers, though Gonzalez had only a slight edge.

But the large GOP fundraising shows how intent Republicans are on taking over the predominantly Hispanic region after President Joe Biden underperformed there in 2020. They are targeting Cuellar’s 28th District, which includes Laredo in a long stretch of the border up through San Antonio; the 15th District, which is an open seat and runs in a thin line from McAllen up to east of San Antonio; and the 34th District in the Rio Grande Valley, where Gonzalez is running for reelection against U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, who captured the seat in a June special election.

Winning the seats could help the GOP retake the U.S. House, but it would also provide a major psychological win for a party intensely focused on border policy and gaining ground with Hispanic voters.

All three Republican nominees raised over $1 million, and Cuellar’s challenger, Cassy Garcia, had the largest haul — $1.7 million. The biggest disparity, however, was in the 34th District, where Flores more than tripled Gonzalez’s fundraising, $1.6 million to $497,000.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/16/south-texas-GOP-fundraising/

Immigration policy is having an effect in these elections.

[Lovie777]

1. Sometimes money don't buy .......

people do win.

[onecaliberal]

2. Votes win elections, not illegal donations given by criminals to criminal candidates.

[TexasTowelie]

3. I haven't seen any allegations that the donations received were illegal,

nor have I seen any allegations that the GOP candidates are criminals (although some insinuations were made against Democratic Rep. Cuellar after the FBI raid of his home and office). If we are going to use those terms against our opponents, then we need to be sure that the statements are accurate.

[GreenWave]

4. Any of them support the Insurrection?

[onecaliberal]

6. Yes a lot of them and we don't know where their dark money went.

They also paid to get people there. They conspired to over throw the government.
To act like I’m impugning the integrity of people who want to kill me and control my body and destroy everything they touch is well…

[GreenWave]

7. TY!

[onecaliberal]

5. This is a year old but not the only one.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/19/politics/jeff-fortenberry-indictment/index.html

[TexasTowelie]

8. I'm not denying that there are GOP congressmen that are criminals,

but none of the three GOP candidates have been charged with crimes. Considering that two-thirds of Republicans have doubts about the 2020 elections, it would be unusual if none of the three candidates supported the insurrection.

As far as dark money is concerned, I do not believe that dark money fundraising is considered a crime. Unscrupulous, but not criminal.

For a Democratic candidate to say that their opponent is a criminal will raise questions among voters. If there are no convictions for that candidate, charges along that line are likely to be considered as hyperbole as the GOP will likely say that the current immigration policy is "criminal" so I think that a wise Democrat would refrain from using the term.

As far as the three congressional elections are concerned, I believe that the 15th district is more vulnerable than the other two districts. The district splits the span between Corpus Christi and Laredo, then juts around the east side of San Antonio. The only TV markets are in the Rio Grande Valley and the far north end of the district is more than 200 miles away from the RGV. This is also the district that does not have an incumbent and probably the most conservative.

[onecaliberal]

9. Trump hasn't been charged with crimes either. Is he innocent too.

[TexasTowelie]

10. Is he guilty?

I know how I feel about Trump, but at this point in time he has been neither acquitted or convicted. All it takes is for one member of a jury to refuse to convict and he will be considered as innocent, regardless of what either you or I think.