McALLEN — The three Republican candidates running to represent the Rio Grande Valley in Congress came together for a prayer breakfast here, highlighting their faith as they called on people to vote in the midterm elections.
Joined by faith-based leaders, candidates Monica De La Cruz, Mayra Flores and Cassy Garcia spoke at a prayer breakfast hosted by the Republican National Committee in McAllen Thursday morning.
Addressing supporters at the event, they portrayed the recent Republican win in the 34th congressional district in Texas as just the beginning of victories for Christian values that would again be on the line in the November midterm elections.
“It’s not about just Republican or Democrat, it really is about good versus evil,” said U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios. “It really is.”
Flores is currently running for reelection in the 34th congressional district in Texas, the seat she won in a special election held in June after the resignation of former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville.
Now, she is running for a full term as the Republican candidate against U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, who currently serves in the 15th congressional district.
Flores, who was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico, said she won’t allow anyone to shame her about her background.
“Do not allow this government to shame you for who you are. Do not allow this government to shame you for your Christian values,” Flores said. “This nation is a Christian country. That is who we are.”
She also reiterated her support for legal immigration while pushing for immigration reform that included securing the border.
“It’s important that we focus on legal immigration and improve the legal process because it takes years to be able to come here to this country,” she said.
Both De La Cruz and Garcia emphasized the advancement that Republicans made with Flores’ victory in June and were confident that their strides would only continue in November.
“In 2019, it was not socially acceptable to say you were a Republican,” De La Cruz said, adding she felt she had to stay quiet like in the biblical story of Daniel in the lion’s den.
De La Cruz is currently running to replace Gonzalez in the 15th congressional district against progressive Democrat Michelle Vallejo.
“There were many in this community that said, ‘Monica, never ever will there be a Republican elected to Congress in South Texas,’” she said, “and that couldn’t be further from the truth because we now have Congresswoman Mayra Flores and in November we’ll have three of us.”
Of Flores’ win in June, Garcia said it was part of a red wave that will carry both her and De La Cruz to victory.
“People are ready for a better way forward for each district down here,” Garcia said. “I talk to voters every single day and I have so many people throughout the district that tell me ‘Cassy, we’re praying for you.’”
Garcia is challenging U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, for the 28th congressional district which includes Starr County.
On top of praying for them, Garcia asked that voters gather their family, friends, and fellow churchgoers to vote in the midterms.
“We are seeing the worst in this country right now but I tell people, a revival is coming, hope is coming, change is coming to South Texas but we need you, we need everybody to get out,” Garcia said. “It’s so important; our values are on that ballot come Nov. 8.”
