Ten years ago, Republicans running for Rio Grande Valley congressional districts raised and spent lackluster amounts of money for the three seats in Washington D.C. that had been blue for as long as anyone could remember.
Like clockwork during midterm elections, border Republican voters found themselves in a familiar place: come November, a candidate with little-to-no name recognition lost in a landslide to well-known Democrats like Vicente Gonzalez, Filemon Vela and Henry Cuellar.
But that was then, and this is now.
Now, newly reinvigorated border Republicans are riding a “red wave” here with candidates Monica de La Cruz, who is favored to flip congressional District 15 red, and Mayra Flores, who recently won the special election for the old District 34 seat to replace Democrat Filemon Vela, who resigned rather than run for re-election in the newly redistricted boundaries.
And they’re raising and spending money at a furious pace like no Republicans ever have here.
For instance, in just 35 days, Flores received a total of $665,174 in contributions, which is more than the combined Republican raising in District 34 since 2012.
She’s also spent $652,194 during that time frame, which is also more than the combined Republican candidate spending for a decade.
This trend runs true in District 15 with De La Cruz receiving far more contributions since she began running than the combined fundraising for the last decade. The same is true for her spending.
Both candidates are heading into November with significant warchests, but Flores and De La Cruz also face decidedly different opponents and battlegrounds.
The latest round of campaign finance data reflects the increased interest in Republican candidates on the border.
The books for the last quarter closed on June 30 and the candidates all filed reports with the Federal Elections Commission, or FEC, by the July 15 deadline.
In District 15, which is perhaps the closest watched Rio Grande Valley race because it may flip Republican, De La Cruz has received a total $2,582,120 in contributions and has spent a total of $2,366,992.
In her last bid in 2020, De La Cruz only raised $422,613 and spent just $416,551 to unseat Vicente Gonzalez — a race she almost won despite Gonzalez raising $1,257,881 and spending $907,999.
Gonzalez has now been redistricted into District 15 where he is running against Flores.
Instead, De La Cruz is facing progressive Michelle Vallejo, who has raised $699,131 and spent $540,643.
While De La Cruz has widespread support from Republicans that stretches to the national level, the vast majority of her contributions — $2,274,920 — have come from individuals and of that number, $1,015,876, has been in amounts of $200 or less.
She has also received a total of $771,442 in contributions of $2,000 or more.
In all, Texans have contributed $851,669 to De La Cruz with contributors in California, Florida, New York and Virginia giving the candidate large amounts of cash.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, a Super PAC aimed at gaining a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, has independently spent $124,500 supporting De La Cruz.
As for Vallejo, she has received a total of $389,713 from individuals with the majority of those contributions being $2,000 or more for a total of $86,583.
She also received a total of $64,014 in contributions of $200 or less.
Texans have contributed $155,727 to Vallejo while individuals in New York have provided more than $10,000 to her campaign.
However, over in District 34 where Flores is riding high following her win in the special election and has solid fundraising, she faces Gonzalez, who has continued to outraise and outspend her.
As of the latest report, Gonzalez has received a total of $2,211,755 in contributions to Flores’ $1,761,453.
He has also outspent Flores.
Gonzalez has spent $2,201,071 to Flores’ $1,651,532.
The majority of Gonzalez’s contributions have been in amounts of $2,000 or more for more than $630,000 with Texans contributing $410,034.
He has received large amounts of contributions from people in New York, California, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois and the District of Columbia.
Flores is the opposite. The majority of her contributions have been $200 or less for a total of $550,928 followed next by contributions of $2,000 or more for $396,000.
Texans have contributed $510,301 to Flores. People in Florida and Virginia have contributed in excess of $10,000 to Flores.
The Congressional Leadership Fund has also independently supported Flores.
Meanwhile, over in District 28, Cuellar has raised and spent more than he ever has to hold onto his seat, but the heavy spending and fundraising is likely connected to progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros, who he narrowly beat during the primary.
Cuellar has received a total of $3,275,343 in contributions and he has spent $4,664,602, which is record spending for the longtime incumbent.
He is facing off against Cassy Garcia.
While not as pronounced as her counterparts in Districts 15 and 34, the increased trend in Republican spending rings true here too.
Garcia has received a total of $562,373, which is more than Republicans have raised over the last decade in efforts to unseat Cuellar in years where the party even had a candidate in District 28.
She has also spent $470,707.
While Cuellar’s numbers dwarf Garcia’s, it does not take away from the Rio Grande Valley’s new political landscape: the Republicans are here – and they are well-funded.
