South Texas is once again on the political frontlines. The 15th Congressional District, stretching from the border city of McAllen through Hidalgo County and north toward Seguin, just outside San Antonio, has become a symbol of the shifting political winds in the region.
Once a reliable Democratic stronghold, the district flipped Republican in recent elections, and in 2024 Donald Trump carried it by a wide margin.
Republican Mónica De La Cruz has been the Representative for Texas's 15th congressional district since Jan. 3, 2023.
In the coming midterms Democrats are looking for a comeback, and one of the candidates stepping into that fight is a familiar voice — not from politics, but from music.
Bobby Pulido, the Tejano singer, is trading the stage for the campaign trail.
We spoke with Bobby Pulido about why he’s running for Congress and what are the solutions he offers for South Texas.
'The Perfect Tuba' by Sam Quinones
Writer Sam Quinones, known for the critically acclaimed books Dreamland and The Least of Us, turns from documenting the grim stories of the opioid crisis to a more joyful subject: the tuba.
His new book is The Perfect Tuba: Forging Fulfilment from the Bass Horn, Band and Hard Work. In it he explores the history of the instrument, its role in American music, and the communities it sustains.
Quinones travels across the U.S., meeting tubists, band directors, and students who embody values of discipline, perseverance, and joy. Central to his argument is that music education and community bands are antidotes to isolation and despair.
He frames the tuba as the foundation of sound and spirit in multiple traditions, from classical orchestras to marching bands to regional popular music including South Texas.
