Tuesday, April 5, 2022

ABBOTT CALLS FOR SPECIAL ELECTION: GOP FLORES WILL RUN

By Patrick Svitek
The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday called a June 14 special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, in a South Texas seat that Republicans are working to flip.

The filing deadline for the special election is April 13, and early voting starts May 31, according to Abbott's proclamation.

Vela resigned Thursday to take a job with Akin Gump, a prominent lobbying and law firm. He had already announced he was not seeking reelection.

The special election will be held under the previous, more competitive boundaries of the district, under which President Joe Biden carried it by only 4 percentage points. His underperformance throughout South Texas emboldened Republicans who are now trying to make fresh inroads throughout the region.

The winner of the special election will only get to finish Vela's term, which goes through January 2023. Still, Republicans are eager to score an early win on their way to November, and the current GOP nominee for the full term in the 34th District, Mayra Flores, has already said she would run in any special election.

The current Democratic nominee for the full term in the 34th District is U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, who bailed on a reelection bid in his current seat after Republicans redrew it to be more competitive for themselves. Gonzalez has said he does not plan to run in the special election, leaving Democrats to scramble to find a viable candidate.

Abbott had the option of scheduling the special election for the Nov. 8 uniform election date or calling an "emergency special election" to slate it sooner. He went the latter route, citing his disaster declarations on COVID-19 and the Mexican border to argue that it is "imperative to fill this vacancy to ensure that Congressional District 34 is fully represented as soon as possible." He also cited the coming hurricane season.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Describing Republican-leaning FOX News as merely a mirror of the right doesn’t correctly convey the problem. In the facts and narratives it chooses to present or omit, it persuades its viewers to think in ways they might not think if they didn’t have access to the network. And in its editorial decisions to become cheerleaders for certain politicians, it forecloses its viewers’ ability to hold conservative leaders accountable for failing at their own projects or for the negative consequences they cause that a conservative might be interested to learn about.


Anonymous said...

Why did Vela bail out on the democratic local party right after the March democratic primary?
How can a democratic candidate win with a local democratic party who doesn't have meetings on any regular basis.

Anonymous said...

Abbott's self-serving move was predictable.


Conniving Republicans always go for the jugular.


Former RGV LEO said...

April 5,2022 at 2:51 PM

Sounds like your describing the left media?

Anonymous said...

Vela thank you, we knew you were a RAJON, well democRATS dont have a candidate who wants in office for a few months and vicente chingando la gente already said NO WAY JOSE, so my guess is the REPUBLICAN party will win this seat easily THANK YOU GILBERTO HINOJETE for all you have done, well at least your wife has a chamba for now as JP. Perhaps it might be better for the RED BONE aka el Hueso Colorado to take over once and for all. So much for believing in the Democrats all our lives, I am voting for the republican party from now on.

Anonymous said...

RGV Leo,

Are you impaired?


(seem to be)



Anonymous said...

Vela? What did he ever do for the valley?

Anonymous said...



The three corrupt amigos must have gotten themselves in a tight fit for resignations. Were these three amigos screwing the heirs to unclaimed mineral proceeds? They are big players for the oil and gas companies. Included are Henry Cuellar, Filemon Vela, and Vicente Gonzales, Cuellar has San Antonio, Laredo, and ZAPATA, Vela had Cameron, Nueces, Willacy, and Gonzalez had Hidalgo and counties with many unclaimed Porciones. The FBI is investigating allegations of wrongdoing. This is opinion.

Anonymous said...


Oye me la Mayra Flores no perdio tiempo. No mas oyo que los viejitos Republicanos se avientan ORGIES y narisasos de COCA( no la que viene en lata sino en ladriios). Mama Trompetas, Y los Republicanos que estan en ancias para probar carne tostadita. No te aguites Mayra, tu avientate ala mejor les da un paro cardiaco, ya que nada mas se les para. Make us proud Mayra.

MI RAZA A VOTAR VICENTE CON LA GENTE
El Valle es de nosotros loss DEMOCRATAS

Anonymous said...

LAURA CISNEROS is a sore loser who is an opporrunist & and hasn't demostrate any party loyalty she has no place running for the social congressional election,she never congratuled her formar opponent Congressman Vicente Gonzalez winning the Democratic Party nomination

Anonymous said...

Republicans taking over our county thanks to Hinojosa clique of political amigos.

Anonymous said...

Juan, write a post honoring PFC Menchaca. Remember, he was and is a local hero who tragically lost his life in Iraq. Honor him Juan and the sacrifices of his family! Put pressure so the City of Brownsville recognizes him! He got a section of a Highway named in his honor in San Marcos.. Why hasn’t Brownsville done anything to honor this brave man!?

Anonymous said...

Filemamon Verga. Mayra doesn't want to win. She can't point out Vicente Con Los Chinos' bank of China account or Vicente talking down cops after the George Floyd death. RINO.

Anonymous said...

Apoyo a cualquier Democrata menos a la Dra. Laura " La Loca " Cisneros

Anonymous said...

Mayra is a gringo name she does not look gringa so is she a coco?
NEVER VOTE FOR COCOS ashame to use her real name, a meskin name.

Gringos never vote for meskins FACT c/s

Anonymous said...

If this lady (Flores) has an open public meeting either in Harlingen or Brownsville, please let us know in advance, Mr. Montoya. I would like to attend, hear her platform and ask a couple of question on her beliefs and the beliefs of the CURRENT REPUBLICAN party.

Anonymous said...

COME ON DEMORATS VOTE RED...BLUE HAS GONE OFF THE RAIL!!!!

Anonymous said...

April 6, 2022 at 5:34 PM

She's a racist republican that's all you need to know.

rita