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Former Rio Grande Valley Congresswoman Mayra Flores is running for Congress again. The Los Indios-based Republican announced her new campaign during an interview on Fox.
The announcement came a week after the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) released a poll showing Flores had a chance at winning the Texas 34 seat.
Currently, Democrat Vicente Gonzalez holds the district. He beat Flores in the 2022 election with 10,000 more votes.
Just as it was in 2022, Flores’ campaign is focused on border security and jobs in the Rio Grande Valley, she said during her Fox interview.
During that campaign, Flores, along with Republicans Monica De La Cruz and Cassy Garcia, were promoted as the potential new generation of South Texas leadership, a “red wave” that would wrestle away the Democratic Party’s power in the area.
Though Republicans made some gains, the wave didn’t materialize, and Democrats were re-elected mostly without struggle. De La Cruz was the only Republican who flipped a House seat in the Valley.
That narrative was spurred after Flores won a special election triggered by Representative Filemon Vela’s retirement. She held the Texas 34 seat for five months.
The NRCC’s poll, however, said Flores has a 14% point advantage over Gonzalez, making her race the only one national Republicans are focused on in the upcoming election season.
Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024.
