As early voting continues and the general election draws nearer in less than two weeks, candidates for Texas ‘ stone of legislative contests have submitted their quarterly finance reports for October.
A few of the tribes in South Texas are the most popular, especially as Republicans try to recoup the significant Latino vote that President Donald Trump received in the 2024 election and as the GOP’s towns don’t all appear to be guaranteed victories.
The Federal Ethics Commission’s monthly papers for October are due by October 15 and run through July 1 through September 30.
Republicans won over Democrats in four South Texas-area towns. Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15 ), the incumbent representative in Congressional District 15, will face Bobby Pulido, a rapper who raised about three times as much money as her. De La Cruz raised$ 1.27 million, while Pulido reported receiving$ 3.25 million. Pulido’s cash on hand ( COH) sits at$ 1.37 million, while De La Cruz has$ 802, 995 in COH.
In the redrawn district that was moved from Austin near San Antonio to a leaning Republican at R-55 %, according to The Texan’s Texas Partisan Index ( TPI), Monica De La Cruz’s brother Carlos De La Cruz and Democratic nominee Johnny Garcia are up against.
Garcia raised a little over$ 985, 000, reporting about$ 510, 000 in COH. His Democratic opponent, who has received Trump’s endorsement, raised more than$ 843,000 and has received over$ 476,000 in COH.
Former Democrat and Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, who is currently the leader of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28 ), won CD 28 favorably, raising slightly more than$ 760,000 from the latter’s$ 379,000. Tijerina’s COH is currently valued at about$ 211, 000, while Cuellar filed about$ 1.05 million in COH. After redistricting, CD 28 shifts from D-51 % to D-53 %, according to the TPI.
After Trump pardoned Cuellar for what he called politically motivated prosecutions under the Biden administration, and his anger that Cuellar did not switch parties after the fact, which Trump described as a” incredible act of disloyalty,” his race has become a particular focus.
The Congressional Leadership Fund withdrawn million from Cuellar’s campaign against CDs 15 and 34 in response to recent reports from the Texas Tribune, which indicated that Republicans resisted continuing to invest cash in their campaign to overthrow him.
In the fundraising battle for CD 34, incumbent U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34 ) surpassed his Republican challenger, Eric Flores. Gonzalez finished the third quarter of the year with a raise of$ 1.18 million, while his fellow South Texas Republican nominee, supported likewise by Trump, reported a raise of$ 955,000,000. Gonzalez currently has a strong$ 1.83 million in COH while the latter has around$ 282, 000 in COH. According to the TPI, the district is changing from D-54 % before to R-52 % after.
In this October monthly glass report, the GOP member, Alex Mealer, easily outdid her Democratic opponent, Leticia Gutierrez, in one of the redrawn areas held by U.S. Rep. Al Green (D-TX-09 ), who had been restored to gain Democrats. Mealer came in with a little over$ 596, 000 raised, and reported$ 479, 349 in COH. Gutierrez reported nearly$ 97, 000 in receipts, and$ 92, 965 in COH. Prior to redistricting, CD 9 was rated D-63 %, per the TPI, but it is now rated R-60 %.
With a full of$ 1.32 million reported and about$ 554, 000 in COH, Republican nominee Brandon Herrera outperformed his Democrat opponent in another revised district in West Texas. Padilla Stout received about$ 492,000 in COH, and she came out with just over$ 428, 000. The district continues to lean Republican at R-57 %, despite the Republicans ‘ mid-decade redistricting, per The Texan’s TPI.
Republican Jace Yarbrough significantly outperformed his Democratic challenger Richardson City Councilmember Dan Barrios in the open seat in CD 32, which is open after U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX-32 ), who has held the seat since 2025, switched to run for CD 33. The latter raised about$ 54, 000, while Yarborough brought in over$ 345, 000. Barrios has$ 28, 000 in COH, while Yarborough reported$ 293, 000. After the district’s dramatic shift from D-62 % to R-60 % in the TPI following its redrawn, Johnson planned to leave.
Although none of these Texas U.S. House District races can compare to the funding that is being poured into the state’s U.S. Senate contest between Texas’s attorney general, Texas representative James Talarico (D-Austin ), these races could very well determine which party has the upper hand in the Legislature, redefining the next two years of Trump’s presidency.
