Trump-endorsed candidate wins GOP runoff in newly-redistricted House district
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President Donald Trump’s endorsed House Republican nominee for Texas’ 35th Congressional District He won his race against longtime San Antonio state lawmaker John Lujan.
Carlos de la Cruz, an Air Force veteran, is the brother of Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas, a Trump ally in a nearby district.
The de la Cruzes could be the next in a rare line of siblings to serve together in the House of Representatives.
One of America’s first congressional leaders also served with his brother.
Inaugural House Speaker Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania served with Representative John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania in the 1780s and 1790s.
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Republicans John Lujan (left) and Carlos De La Cruz (right) face off again in the Republican primary runoffs on Tuesday. (John Lujan’s Campaign Website for Congress; Carlos De La Cruz’s Campaign Website for Congress)
The three Washburn brothers — Israel of Maine, Elihu of Illinois, and Cadwallader of Wisconsin — served together in the 1850s and 1860s, while more recently, sisters Loretta and Linda Sanchez, both California Democrats, found themselves in the same chamber earlier this century.
De La Cruz and Lujan are running for the newly redrawn district, which is now represented numerically by “Squad” member Rep. Gregorio Casar of the Austin district.
But Casar opted to run in an adjacent district that covers part of his current district after fellow Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett opted not to run for re-election based on Texas’ new map passing legal regulations.
The new district extends south to San Antonio and is considered much more Trump-friendly than in past elections.
Lujan initially won the March primary by 33-27% over De La Cruz, who finished second and advanced to Tuesday’s contest.
De La Cruz has been deployed to the Middle East and the Mexican border and also has the support of both his sister and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
WATCH: HOUSE DEMS, ‘DEMENTS’ DUMPED TEXAS DEMOCRATS DUE TO ANTISEMIC COMMENTS
Texas State Rep. Richard Pena Raymond, D-Laredo, left; and John Lujan, R-San Antonio, right. (Jay Janner/Getty Images)
While Lujan is a long-time state lawmaker and knows the district deeply, the real debate is on the Democratic side of the issue.
Maureen Galindo, the Democratic primary candidate who lost Tuesday night, received backlash across the country, including from her own party, for floating the idea of using an ICE detention center in her district to imprison wealthy “Zionists.”
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The rhetoric and plans have been widely characterized as antisemitic by Democrats, from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the far left to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both Democrats from New York.
Democrats are reportedly still optimistic about taking the more Trump-friendly, majority-Hispanic seat in November.
