Picture Illustrations by Luis G. Rendon/The Each day Beast/Getty
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) formally received his major runoff election towards progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros Tuesday by simply 289 votes,in keeping with the Related Press—formally ending a months-long battle between warring factions of the Democratic social gathering.
Cuellar, some of the conservative Democrats in Congress, withstood an FBI raid on his house and marketing campaign workplace, hundreds of thousands in spending for his opponent, and a leaked Supreme Court docket draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade that put his anti-abortion stance entrance and middle.
Progressives, together with high-profile figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), rallied round Cisneros, as did influential organizing teams like Justice Democrats.
Neither Cisneros nor Cuellar hit 50 % within the authentic March 1 major—sending them to a one-on-one runoff on Could 24. Outcomes for the runoff have been delayed for weeks as mail ballots continued to be collected and a recount finally ensued. Cuellar already claimed victory within the race whereas Cisneros refused to concede till the recount was full.
In the end, the Democratic institution got here to Cuellar’s aspect and his loyal voting base received out. Now, he’ll doubtlessly lengthen his legacy within the district the place his household's title has been an establishment for years.
On Tuesday, Cisneros tweeted that “aggressive interference” from outdoors teams and the Democratic institution took a toll on the race. “With this shut of a margin, it’s clear that with out their aggressive interference within the lives of South Texas households, we'd have received,” she mentioned.
However the congressman’s electoral tribulations aren’t over but.
Texas’ twenty eighth district stays a GOP goal this cycle as Republicans hope their 2020 good points with Latino voters might assist flip the seat. Republican candidates for the district had a runoff of their very own between former Trump appointee Cassy Garcia and Sandra Whitten, the 2020 Republican nominee for the district who misplaced to Cuellar final cycle. Garcia received and can now face Cuellar within the common election.