Both Parties Pick Nominees In Newly Redrawn Texas 35th Congressional District
On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, both parties picked nominees in Texas's newly redrawn 35th Congressional District.[1]
Democrats nominated sheriff's deputy Johnny Garcia, whom party leaders in Washington had backed as their preferred candidate.[1] Republicans projected Air Force veteran Carlos De La Cruz as their nominee after he defeated longtime San Antonio state lawmaker John Lujan, and he received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.[2]
Texas Republicans redrew the 35th District in 2025 to favor a Republican, stretching the map south to include parts of San Antonio plus suburban and rural counties.[1] The new district is majority Hispanic with roughly one-third white residents.[1] The map shift prompted Rep. Gregorio Casar to run in an adjacent district and prompted Rep. Lloyd Doggett to decline to seek reelection there.[1]
CBS News projected Maureen Galindo would lose the Democratic runoff after accusations of antisemitism surfaced during the contest.[3] The New York Times reported that a Republican-linked super PAC called Lead Left paid for mailers that boosted Galindo and attacked Garcia.[1] House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Republicans of meddling, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Galindo's comments "bigoted garbage" and urged voters to back Garcia.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- The Democratic nominee, Johnny Garcia, is a sheriff's deputy and was described as the “preferred candidate” of Democratic leaders in Washington by The New York Times on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 (Johnny Garcia).
- Texas Republicans redrew the 35th District in 2025 to favor a Republican; the new map stretches south to San Antonio and combines parts of the city with suburban and rural counties, making the district majority Hispanic with roughly one-third white residents (35th District).
- On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Carlos De La Cruz, an Air Force veteran endorsed by former President Donald Trump, was projected to win the Republican runoff in the newly redrawn TX-35, defeating longtime state lawmaker John Lujan (Carlos De La Cruz).
- The redrawn TX-35 is considered significantly more Trump-friendly than in past elections, and Carlos De La Cruz also has the backing of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Monica De La Cruz (TX-35).
- A new Republican-linked super PAC called Lead Left paid for mailers that boosted Maureen Galindo and attacked Johnny Garcia, prompting House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to accuse Republicans of meddling, according to The New York Times (Lead Left).
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly condemned Maureen Galindo’s comments as “bigoted garbage” and explicitly urged voters to back Johnny Garcia, per The New York Times reporting (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez).
- Democrats view Johnny Garcia’s primary win as keeping alive the party’s hopes of holding the seat despite the redistricting, noting factors such as falling Trump approval among Hispanic voters over high prices (Democrats).
- Numerically the new TX-35 had been held by “Squad” member Rep. Gregorio Casar under the old map, but the redrawing led Casar to run in an adjacent district while Rep. Lloyd Doggett declined to seek reelection under the new map layout (Gregorio Casar).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Carlos De La Cruz, an Air Force veteran endorsed by President Donald Trump, was projected to win the Republican runoff in Texas' newly redrawn 35th Congressional District, defeating longtime San Antonio state lawmaker John Lujan.
- The new TX-35 district, numerically now held by "Squad" member Rep. Gregorio Casar, was redrawn so that Casar chose to run in an adjacent district after Rep. Lloyd Doggett declined to seek reelection under the new map.
- The redrawn TX-35 now stretches south to San Antonio and is considered significantly more Trump-friendly than in past elections, and Carlos De La Cruz also has the backing of House Speaker Mike Johnson and his sister, Rep. Monica De La Cruz.
- The New York Times confirms on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, that Johnny Garcia is a sheriff's deputy and the 'preferred candidate' of Democratic leaders in Washington.
- The article specifies that the 35th District was redrawn by Texas Republicans in 2025 to favor a Republican and details its composition: parts of San Antonio plus suburban and rural counties, majority Hispanic with about one-third white residents.
- It reports that a new Republican-linked super PAC called Lead Left funded mailers boosting Maureen Galindo and attacking Garcia, prompting Hakeem Jeffries to accuse Republicans of meddling.
- The piece adds that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly condemned Galindo's comments as 'bigoted garbage' and explicitly urged voters to support Garcia.
- The Times notes Democrats view Garcia's win as keeping alive hopes of holding the seat despite redistricting, citing Trump's falling approval among Hispanic voters over high prices as part of that political calculus.