Republican Mayra Flores is slated to defeat Democrat Dan Sanchez in a special primary election in Texas’ 34th Congressional District in Rio Grande Valley.
Cook Political Report’s Dave Wasserman called the race for Flores on Tuesday night and noted that the district is 84 percent Hispanic.
As of 9:50 p.m. Central Time, she is leading with 51 percent of the vote compared to Sanchez’s 43 percent, according to The New York Times. Based on the direction the numbers are going with 95 percent estimated reporting, it’s likely that the race will not go to a runoff as Flores topped 50 percent. (See live results below.)
Wasserman pointed out that Flores will face a tough battle ahead running against incumbent Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez under new boundaries in the November general election due to redistricting. Still, Cooks Political Report ranks the race as “Lean Democratic” because of how hostile voters are toward Washington leadership right now.
The special election was prompted by the resignation of Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela Jr., who left to work at the lobbying firm Akin Gump.
This special election was held under the old #TX34 lines, which are Biden +4. In November, she'll face Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D) in the redrawn #TX34, which is Biden +15. @CookPolitical November rating: Lean D.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) June 15, 2022
Flores told PJ Media in May that “South Texas has always been conservative: pro-God, pro-life, pro-family,” and that her opponent “is against everything [they] stand for [there] in South Texas.”
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