McALLEN — With only two weeks left before early voting begins in the midterm elections, the two candidates for Texas’ 15th congressional district are keeping busy knocking on doors and attending events in hopes of getting their message across.
In one of her few interviews with local media, Republican candidate Monica De La Cruz was short but concise Thursday on what her message consists of while progressive Democrat Michelle Vallejo expanded on hers during a recent press event.
Their respective messages differ in a lot of ways but inflation and rising costs is a topic both said they are focusing on when they communicate with potential voters.
THE ECONOMY
“What I’m hearing up and down the district is that people are concerned about inflation, the cost of groceries and gas prices,” De La Cruz said, listing the issues that she believes are most important to voters, “and, of course, border security as well.”
De La Cruz spoke to The Monitor following a prayer breakfast put on by the Republican National Committee in McAllen on Thursday.
“I think the first thing we need to do is stop the out-of-control spending by the Biden administration that has caused the inflation,” she said about what legislation she would support to help constituents deal with rising costs.
Aside from inflation, she said the needs of the U.S. Border Patrol were among her local priorities.
“In TX-15, we have the largest Border Patrol sector in the entire nation,” De La Cruz said, “so giving the brave men and women the tools that they need to protect our country, our communities is first and foremost.”
At a news conference held last week at her campaign headquarters, Vallejo spoke of wanting to help families make ends meet.
“I am advocating for an increase in wages so that people are able to cover the costs of just the very basic needs,” Vallejo said. “I am also fighting to make sure that we are bringing the costs of medication down, which we have already seen at the federal level — Democrats advancing and pushing forward so that we could push back on any price gouging or any other mechanisms that would be hurting every day American people, especially here in South Texas.”
She said she also supported protections for small businesses that would help them keep their doors open through rising inflation.
“I also am advocating for increased investments in South Texas so we have good paying jobs that tackle our infrastructure challenges,” Vallejo said, adding she also advocated for investments in the region’s ports of entry.
Another prominent issue in her campaign is abortion, calling the implementation of strict abortion restrictions in the state and nationwide as “horrific.”
ABORTION ACCESS
A fews days after the news conference, Vallejo’s campaign launched an attack ad criticizing De La Cruz’s position on abortion, calling it an “extreme” stance.
De La Cruz clarified her position on abortion in a statement to The Monitor.
“Like most Americans, I believe we should make every effort to protect human life and encourage adoption,” the statement began. “It is just absolutely shameful that we are one of the few countries in the world, along with China and North Korea, that allows elective late-term abortions. That is what my opponent supports and it is completely out of touch with our values here in South Texas.”
“Of course, I also believe in sensible exceptions for women, such as life-threatening medical conditions,” De La Cruz continued. “We also need to help women avoid this situation in the first place by making birth control much more accessible, especially in our community where many people struggle with access to doctors.”
Regarding the claim that Vallejo supported late-term abortions, Vallejo issued a responding statement to The Monitor.
“I believe women should be able to access abortion care when there are serious complications later in pregnancy, like when the fetus can’t survive or the woman’s health is in jeopardy,” Vallejo said. “Ultimately, this is a very personal and sensitive decision that should be kept between a woman, her family, and her doctor, and never with interference from politicians.”
“My opponent, however, supports Texas’s current near-total abortion ban, which makes no exceptions for rape or incest and puts physicians who perform the procedure at risk of facing life in prison and fines of no less than $100,000,” the statement further added.
“My opponent is ready to strip women of their privacy rights, their dignity, and in some cases even their life for the benefit of her radicalized agenda and political career. This is not the type of representation that South Texas deserves. We are worthy of so much more.”
FACE TO FACE
Vallejo says voters she talks to want to know if the two candidates will ever meet on a debate stage.
While Vallejo has challenged De La Cruz to a series of three debates, and community organizations have invited both to participate in candidate forums, De La Cruz has not accepted any of those invitations.
Asked directly if she would be willing to debate Vallejo, De La Cruz indicated she would not.
“My opponent and I actually shared a stage earlier this year and I think that we have done excellent messaging with my team to share with the community that what I stand for is faith, family, and the opportunity for the American Dream,” De La Cruz said.
The stage she was referring to was the “Women in Politics Dinner Forum” held by the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas in January, before either candidate had won their respective primary race.
CONNECTING WITH VOTERS
Both candidates have been making appearances at events such as Floresville Peanut Festival, which they both attended on Saturday, and are attempting to reach voters through canvassing.
“We have a great grassroots game that volunteers up and down the district have been door knocking and calling people about our messaging and how it relates to the values of South Texas,” De La Cruz said about her campaign’s efforts to convince people to turn out to vote. “I believe at the end of the day that the failed Democratic leadership that has been here for over 100 years has frustrated people enough to get to the polls.”
When Vallejo was asked about reaching reluctant voters, she recalled a conversation one of her campaign fellows had with a Republican voter.
“It’s been so exciting to be having conversations with people who see things a little differently and to find a common ground,” she said, adding the voter had pledged their support to her campaign.
“What people are seeking out is someone who’s willing to listen and someone who’s willing to have a conversation about the challenges, the issues and the policies that, quite frankly, could be very confusing,” Vallejo said. “When as a community we come together and we figure things out and we drive things forward, we all become stronger and I think that is the foundation and that is the point or the place that we’re coming together at no matter what our perspective or ideology is.”
But De La Cruz argues that she best reflects the values of South Texas which she says include “a strong faith, a love of their family, and the opportunity for work and the American Dream.”
“I think that the failed Democratic leadership that has been in this district for over 100 years has frustrated the people of South Texas,” she said about why people should vote for her. “They’re ready for a change in leadership, for leadership that reflects their values of hard work, of faith, and of family.”
Vallejo, on the other hand, says De La Cruz and other Republicans are misrepresenting South Texas as a place overrun by drugs and cartels.
“South Texas is a beautiful, deserving place and it’s deserving of leaders that will speak with dignity and honor of where we live,” Vallejo said, “and when we get to Congress, I will make sure every single person knows across our country, that South Texas is viable, South Texas is strong, South Texas is ready for more investments so that our children and our elderly can live a dignified life every single step of the way.”
CASTING A BALLOT
Though they share very few things in common, both candidates echo the same message to supporters of, not just turning out to vote in the midterms, but also gathering as many friends and family as they can to go vote as well.
Texans have until Oct. 11 to register to vote.
Checking your registration, updating your address, or downloading a voter registration application can be done by visiting VoteTexas.gov.
Early voting begins Oct. 24 and lasts through Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8.
