Latest news with #CongressionalRace
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP veteran to challenge Democrat Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas congressional district
Eric Flores, a Republican Army veteran and lawyer from Mission, announced Monday he is running for Texas' 34th Congressional District, targeting Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen in a swing seat carried by President Donald Trump last year. Gonzalez won the district, situated on the Gulf Coast and stretching from Brownsville toward Corpus Christi, by nearly 3 percentage points — the closest margin of Texas' 38 congressional districts last November. It is one of just 13 House districts nationwide that elected a Democrat while being carried by Trump, making Gonzalez a top target for Republicans as they look to maintain their slim House majority in 2026. The prospect of Flores' candidacy has excited Republicans in Texas and Washington, due in part to his military and law enforcement credentials. Flores is a Rio Grande Valley native and Spanish speaker in a district that is more than 90% Hispanic. He has held numerous public positions in South Texas, serving as a city attorney and municipal judge in Alton before a stint as assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Texas' criminal division in McAllen from 2021 to the beginning of this year. There, he prosecuted transnational human smuggling along the border — an issue he hopes to raise in the election. 'I was prosecuting at a time when there were thousands and thousands of undocumented aliens coming into the U.S.,' Flores said in an interview. 'They're here unlawfully, and [we were] just, quite frankly, letting them in. It's policies like that that I want to go to D.C. and change.' But Flores is not as hardline as some members of his party. He said he wants to push for immigration policy that makes sense for a region that has struggled with labor shortages, especially as the Trump administration's immigration raids targeting undocumented workers have ramped up. 'Something that I'm going to be championing in D.C. is to ensure — especially [for] our farmers, for our boat manufacturers, for our steel mills that we have down here — that they have the workers that they need, having an efficient legal process for that,' he said. Though the district has shifted rightward in recent elections, Republicans have been unable to replicate their success down the ballot. Democratic Senate nominee Colin Allred won the district by 6 percentage points in 2024, and Gonzalez, a moderate who has represented South Texas since 2017, has proven difficult to beat. He defeated Republican Mayra Flores in 2022 and in 2024 by single-digit margins. Mayra Flores, who is not related to Eric Flores, has since announced a 2026 run in the nearby district of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo. The boundaries of the 34th Congressional District, and others in the Rio Grande Valley, could be changed as Texas Republicans move to redraw the state's political lines in a special session that began Monday. South Texas — where Republicans have rapidly improved their margins with Hispanic voters — is a key area the GOP is targeting to flip seats, and the 34th District could be redrawn to include more Republican voters and become a friendlier seat for whoever captures the GOP nomination. In a statement to The Texas Tribune, Gonzalez suggested that his old opponent could still end up running in his district — and pledged to beat either candidate. 'If Mayra comes back, she will be mopping the floor with him and every other Republican primary candidate,' Gonzalez said. 'So [Eric] needs to get in line before he gets to the general election. If our district doesn't move too much, we'll kick his or anyone else's ass, just as we have the 19 candidates before.' But if Republicans push the 34th District into Republican areas near Corpus Christi, Gonzalez could end up running in a district tilted more in favor of the GOP — a prospect he acknowledged. 'The only way Republicans can beat me is by cheating and changing the district maps,' he lives in the neighboring 15th Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz of Edinburg. Members of Congress do not need to live in the district they represent, though doing so opens them up to criticism from opponents. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: GOP veteran to challenge Democrat Vicente Gonzalez for Congress
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Teacher enters crowded race to topple Rep. Ken Calvert, with Barbara Boxer's blessing
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Katherine Aleman, an Inland Empire public-school teacher and part-time chicken farmer, is the latest Democrat to join a crowded field of challengers hoping to unseat 41st Congressional District Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in California's congressional delegation. The race against Calvert, who for more than 30 years has represented Riverside County, will be one of the most closely watched in the nation as Democrats push to retake control of the U.S. House in 2026. The congressman, a Trump loyalist, has been a perpetual white whale for Democrats despite his controversial votes to overturn the results of the 2020 election. This time, Democratic insiders are bullish that Aleman – a mother of four sons who teaches middle school in Corona – will be the one to break their cycle of losses. Aleman is leaning into her background as a working parent and lifelong Inland Empire resident as she works to make affordability her primary message. Along with cost of living, she said veterans' issues and education are important to her as the daughter of a Marine helicopter pilot and an elementary school principal. 'Folks deserve someone who has walked in their shoes, who's had to balance a household budget, who's struggled,' Aleman told CalMatters. 'We have a congressman who really has only been serving himself and his friends.' Calvert will not be an easy target. This past quarter he outraised all of his Democratic challengers combined, pulling in more than $1.3 million in contributions and bringing his stockpile of cash on hand to an eye-popping $2.5 million. 'This massive fundraising haul shows just how energized voters are to keep him in Congress,' Christian Martinez, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee wrote in a statement when the fundraising numbers were released earlier this month. The W-shaped district spans from working-class towns like Corona and El Cerrito in the west to wealthier Coachella Valley cities like Palm Springs in the east. Aleman's fluency in Spanish, which she refined during two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, is an asset in a district where nearly 40% of the population is Hispanic. Aleman's supporters, who include former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, say her deep roots on the western side of the district – where more than 70% of the population is – differentiate her from her competitors. That background also sets her apart from Will Rollins, a former federal prosecutor who lost to Calvert twice and whose campaign Boxer vigorously supported. Former U.S. Sen Barbara Boxer is a fan 'She's an undiscovered star,' said Boxer, who sought to support a female candidate from the western side of the district. 'I've been around a long time, and I never say that.' Boxer, a 24-year veteran of Capitol Hill who, alongside former Sen. Dianne Feinstein, won election to the Senate in 1992's 'Year of the Woman,' pointed to Aleman's successful 2020 campaign for Norco City Council as proof that she can win Republican votes. Aleman, the council's lone Democrat, won despite a nearly 30% Republican voter registration advantage, but lost her reelection bid last November. When the two women met for lunch a month ago, Boxer said she was immediately impressed with Aleman's straightforward assessment of her district's top issue – affordability. 'She said, 'Senator, people can't afford to live here anymore, and I grew up here.' And I just saw the authenticity of her,' Boxer said of Aleman. 'She fits so well into what we're looking for,' Boxer added, 'someone who has lived the lives of her constituents.' This time, Calvert has attracted at least eight other Democratic challengers. Among them are Brandon Riker, an entrepreneur who ran for lieutenant governor of Vermont in 2016, and Anuj Dixit, a voting rights attorney who was born and raised in Riverside County. Tim Myers, the bassist for the band OneRepublic, has already bowed out and announced he will instead run for lieutenant governor. 'Katherine is exactly the type of candidate the Democratic Party needs,' said Orrin Evans, a media strategist working on Aleman's campaign launch. His has helped Democratic candidates such as Rep. Derek Tran defeat incumbent Republicans in tough races. Evans said the takeaway from the 2024 election should be the importance of candidate quality, and that a 'homegrown leader' like Aleman would gain the most traction. 'Katherine's not from Hollywood or Vermont,' he said. 'She's from the Inland Empire.' In addition to teaching, Aleman raises chickens and sells eggs at a family farm stand. What began as a side project during the pandemic to provide eggs for her family has grown into a small business known as 'Fluffy Butt Ranch.' The additional income helps cushion the family budget. She also runs a chicken club at her school, which provides extra food security for students in the form of farm-fresh eggs. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Who is challenging Ken Calvert for Congress Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Crystal Rhoades jumps into crowded Nebraska 2nd District field
Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades is running to be the Democratic nominee in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District.(Courtesy of Crystal Rhoades for Congress) OMAHA — Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades is done exploring a bid. She is running to be the Democratic nominee for the Nebraska 2nd Congressional District. She describes herself as a 'unique candidate' who can meet the moment for Democrats who want to win. 'I am tired of the chaos in Washington,' Rhoades told the Nebraska Examiner in recent days. 'I am tired of people who don't know what it's like to punch a time clock and live paycheck to paycheck.' The lifelong Omahan has a history of helping local Democrats win elections as a political consultant, including a significant role in helping John Ewing Jr. become the first Democrat to lead the largest city in Nebraska in roughly a decade. Last month, she shared internal polling indicating that she and State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha are within the margin of error for Democratic primary voters in NE-02. The polling has former political action committee co-founder and business owner Denise Powell at what Rhoades called a 'distant third,' a characterization Powell's campaign describes as wrong. Recent FEC filings have shown Powell out-fundraising Cavanaugh. Powell has connections to some of local Democrats' top donors. While Rhoades has faced criticism from her own and opposing parties, she remains the last Democrat elected to a statewide post as a member of the Nebraska Public Service Commission, the state's catch-all regulator for topics ranging from emergency telecommunications to pipelines. 'I've got 20 years of a proven track record of delivering results for the people of this district, Rhoades said. 'I have a track record of flipping seats from red to blue up and down the ballot. Nobody else in the race has all of those qualifications and criteria.' Critics of Rhoades' service at the courthouse and in politics, including some Democrats in Douglas and Sarpy Counties, have said she too often butts heads with coworkers and potential allies. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rhoades pointed to her record of 'doing the right thing even when it's hard' as a plus for voters. Her team's polling indicates that potential Democratic primary voters in the district want someone who would fight President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, someone with a proven record and someone who can win. Last week, Retired Navy veteran Kishla Askins joined the Democratic primary. Earlier this year, State Sen. John Cavanaugh, the son of a former Democratic congressman from Omaha, formally announced his candidacy. Denise Powell, the co-founder of a political action committee and a business owner, announced her bid in May. Mark Johnston and Evangelos Argyrakis also have confirmed that they are running. Rhoades gives the race a second longtime elected official, along with Cavanaugh, plus at least one well-funded newcomer, in Powell, and possibly two, with Askins. Rhoades has been in Nebraska politics for more than a decade. Rhoades said she plans to use her working-class background to separate herself from the candidates. She has said she would focus on kitchen-table issues. 'Democrats have seen an erosion of support from that particular demographic, because our policies and our positions haven't aligned with the needs of the working-class voters.' Nationwide, Democrats have been seeking answers as President Donald Trump made gains among working-class voters, including minority voters last year. Some economists and political scientists have argued that the flaws of free trade contributed to the rise of Trump and his political movement. Trump capitalized on working-class anxieties over some jobs being sent overseas and some people feeling left behind. Rhoades said she would focus on policy changes that protect and grow the middle class, creating jobs that pay a living wage, and protecting democracy. Specifically, she wants to address lingering inflation and push back against Trump's tariffs and approach to immigration. Another reason Rhoades said she is running is that she is concerned about Cavanaugh potentially vacating a statehouse seat at a time when one or two votes in the Legislature could let the Republican majority further erode abortion rights and pass more of the controversial legislation a handful of moderates, Democrats and progressives stop, because Republican Gov. Jim Pillen would get to appoint Cavanaugh's replacement if he wins. 'I want to make sure that we aren't sacrificing some of the things that the Democrats have been able to hold off in the Legislature,' Rhoades said. Supporters of other Democratic candidates have criticized Rhoades for leaving the Nebraska Public Service Commission for the local clerk's job and letting herself be replaced by a Republican appointee. Rhoades has said the stakes are not the same, that her regulatory role at the PSC wouldn't make possible a potential shift to winner-take-all or a stricter abortion ban. The 2nd District, which includes all of urban Douglas and rural Saunders Counties and a slice of suburban western Sarpy County, is typically a target of both national parties, as one of the rare remaining districts that is politically split. The district retains a slight GOP lean. With five-term U.S. Rep. Don Bacon retiring, the open-seat race is drawing a politically diverse and competitive field. The nonpartisan Center for Politics, the home of Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball, shifted the Omaha-based House race to lean democratic from toss-up. The Cook Political Report also shifted the race to lean Democrat. Omaha City Council Vice President Brinker Harding and former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha have announced bids to be the Republican nominee. National and local political observers expect it to prove one of the more competitive races in Congress for the 2026 midterms. 'There's too much at risk here for [Democrats] to be taking chances on this seat,' Rhoades said. 'We've got some really big problems in this country, and it calls for very serious people.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who's in, who's out: Meet the candidates running for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District
The race for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District is getting crowded on both sides of the aisle. After U.S. Rep. Andy Barr announced a bid to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, candidates quickly began throwing their names into the ring to take his seat representing Central Kentucky. The district hasn't had an open seat in more than a dozen years, with many seeing the 2026 election as a rare chance to run for federal office. Here's a look at who is — and who isn't — running for the seat. Stay up to date: Sign up for the Courier Journal's On Kentucky Politics newsletter Who's in? Ralph Alvarado (R) Ralph Alvarado is a former state senator and ex-Gov. Matt Bevin's running mate in his unsuccessful 2019 reelection campaign. He made history as the first Hispanic person elected to the Kentucky General Assembly when he won his seat in 2014. After serving in the state Senate, he was hired as Tennessee's health commissioner by Gov. Bill Lee in 2022 and stepped down from the position July 11. In his campaign announcement, Alvarado called himself "Day One MAGA" with priorities to "close the border," "crush the woke left," "bring jobs home" and "save America." Zach Dembo (D) Zach Dembo is a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy JAG officer. 'Central Kentucky deserves to have a representative in Washington who stands up for families, works to lower their cost of living, expands access to affordable healthcare, and protects their safety," Dembo said in a press release. "Instead, D.C. politicians have put Medicaid on the chopping block, tariffs are targeting our most prized industries and jobs, and everything costs more – all while they give billionaires and coastal elites a massive tax break." Dembo has never served in an elected office, but he has previously worked as a policy advisor for Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Ryan Dotson (R) State Rep. Ryan Dotson announced his campaign minutes after Barr shared he would be running for Senate in 2026. Dotson has represented District 73 in the Kentucky state House since 2021 and has spent time in the Army. Now, he serves as a Pentecostal preacher and a businessman who owns a number of restaurants. Policy-wise, Dotson is known for being at the forefront of culture wars during his time in Frankfort. Ahead of the 2022 legislative session, he filed a bill to prohibit transgender women from playing on women's sports teams at public schools and colleges in Kentucky. Dotson in 2021 also called for Beshear's impeachment over a mask mandate in schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Deanna Frazier Gordon (R) State Rep. Deanna Gordon, one of the most recent contenders to make a bid, has represented District 81 in the Kentucky House since 2019. In her campaign announcement, she touted her small business background experience as an audiologist, saying she 'helped build the largest audiology clinic in Kentucky." Since selling her business, Bluegrass Hearing, Gordon started a clinic called Hear At Your Service in Richmond. Gordon emphasized she would serve the 'working class, not the Wall Street elite." Issues important to her include limiting government spending and stopping illegal immigration. David Kloiber (D) David Kloiber served on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council from 2020 to 2022. He also ran for Lexington mayor against incumbent Linda Gorton but lost with only 29% of the vote. Kloiber is hoping his business and nonprofit experience appeals to voters in the Democratic primary. He runs the Kloiber Foundation, which provides technology to students and teachers in Fayette County, and is expected to be able to put a significant amount of his own money into the race. During the 2022 Lexington mayoral race, he put $630,000 of his own money into the campaign. Cherlynn Stevenson (D) Former state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson is hoping to make a comeback in Kentucky politics. She made her campaign announcement in May, touting her Kentucky roots and previous experience in Frankfort. Stevenson represented Kentucky House District 88 from 2019 through 2024, serving as minority caucus chair during her second term. She lost the election for a fourth term to Republican Vanessa Grossl in 2024, receiving 49.5% of the vote. Stevenson has received the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, whose name was also thrown around as a contender in the Democratic primary. Since the launch of her campaign, Stevenson has focused on fighting against tariffs and cuts to the Medicaid program, if elected. Who's out? Amanda Mays Bledsoe (R) State Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, who represents District 12, was seen as an early front-runner in the Republican primary. But she recently ended speculation by announcing she wouldn't be running for Barr's seat. Mays Bledsoe said in a statement that while it "was not an easy decision," she knew it was "the right one" because the timing wasn't right for her and her family. 'As I imagined what it would take to fully commit to a campaign and to service in Washington, I kept coming back to Friday night games, school events, and everyday moments I don't want to miss," Mays Bledsoe said. Damon Thayer (R) Former state Sen. Damon Thayer, who previously served as Senate Majority Floor Leader while representing District 17, also announced he would not launch a campaign. Instead, he decided to endorse Alvarado, who he called a "true conservative who will put America First, secure the border and take the right to the radical left." "He's tough, tested, and ready to win," Thayer said in a social media post. "I'm all in for Ralph." Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@ or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky 6th Congressional district candidates: Who's in, who's out Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Kern County's 2026 primary candidates: One-on-one interview with CD-22 hopeful Jasmeet Bains
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The 2026 Election is already underway, as candidates throw their names in the ring for local, state and federal offices. Wednesday morning, Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains announced her run for California's 22nd Congressional District. 17 Political Reporter Jenny Huh sat down with Bains for a candidate profile. CD-22 is one of the most contentious house races nationwide, each election cycle, without fail. The big question for 2026 — will Bains be the Democratic candidate? 'This is about being a doctor who's taking her oath to the highest level to protect her community,' said Bains of her decision to throw her hat in the ring. The assemblywoman — just re-elected to her second term in California's 35th Assembly District — is now eyeing the title of congresswoman. 17's Jenny Huh: 'Did you feel like 2026 was really your year to run, just given that health care, your expertise is front and center?' Asm. Dr. Jasmeet Bains: 'I never signed up for this to be a career politician. I'm a doctor. Things lined up in a way that this community needs their doctor. When I first got elected and I brought in about $10 million for the fentanyl task force, one of the things we did with it was open up a detox option for people on Medicaid,' Bains recalled. Speculation of Bains' congressional run began with Congress considering President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. On the chopping block — billions in funding to health care programs like Medicaid. And in the hot seat — David Valadao, who ultimately voted with his party in passing the bill. 'The beginning of this year, a lot of people were asking me, are you going to run? Are you going to run? And I waited. I waited to see if he would do the right thing and put the I mean, we all have seen David Valadao do that before,' Bains said. Like, she noted, when he was one of 10 House Republicans that voted to impeach Trump. 'When you vote to impeach Trump? That brought nothing back to the district. That didn't put food on the table. That was politics.' Jara standoff: Police feared county supervisor's husband wanted officers to shoot him Bains went as far as to say when Valadao faced off against 2018 Democratic challenger TJ Cox and lost, she had actually voted for the congressman. Cox, after just a term, was charged with fraud. The 40-year-old Bains is a family doctor at the Delano branch of Adventist Health. During the week, Bains is in session in Sacramento. During the weekend, she's back in the district at her clinic. 'I'm a doctor, and this community saw a doctor that put the people over politics over and over and over again,' Bains said. 'I have bucked my own party.' Most notably, Bains in her first term was the lone Democrat to vote against Gov. Gavin Newsom's bill to prevent price-gouging by oil companies and was temporarily stripped of a committee assignment. Recently, in the two special legislative sessions addressing the state's gas prices, she was the only Democrat to oppose both measures, though the bills eventually passed. 'Kern County has been bullied by both sides. It's been bullied by the Republicans and bullied by the Democrats. We need someone that's going to stand up for the Valley,' Bains said. 'Running for Congress, especially in a race like this. It's not easy. You know how ugly it's going to get. I'm going to get beat up from both sides.' CD-22 has a history of being one of the most expensive, contested congressional races nationwide, with the House majority running right through it. It's described as a moderate district — majority Latino, leans Democrat, yet a Republican has been reelected time and time again. 17's Jenny Huh: 'Do you feel like voter turnout is really the problem or has it, quite frankly, just been weak candidates, weak messaging about your party? Asm. Dr. Jasmeet Bains: 'That's a really good question. And it's both. Yes, we have some of the worst voter turnout in the state here, right here. But at the same time, what is it that gets voters to turn out?' Again, it's health care, Bains underscored. She also pointed out that her people have, historically, shown up when it matters. She cited the labor rights movement founded in Delano and the national impact it carried. It all depends on a 'community believing in someone,' she said. 'Instead of doing more to strengthen health care, we cut it by a trillion dollars?' Bains said. 'I stutter saying that because through my eyes as a doctor, I and every doctor in this community, every health care worker, every nurse, every person that's on the frontlines of health care in this community sees what's about to happen.' She also noted a direct impact of the bill when it comes to her work at the state capitol. 'My biggest dream for this community was my UC, the Kern medical school,' Bains said. 'Well within the Big Beautiful Bill is a tax on endowment funds that Congressman David Valadao voted for.' Bains said as the bill made its way through Congress, it was actually her patients that asked her to do something, amid looming health care cuts. Her work about being a party loyalist because the issue of health care will only get worse, the congresswoman hopeful said. The daughter of immigrants from India, Bains was born in Cleveland but grew up in Delano. She's fluent in English, Spanish, Punjabi. She was the first South Asian woman elected to the California Legislature and first Sikh American in California state office. Bains cannot run for CD-22 and reelection to her AD-35 simultaneously. So, she's taking the risk of being out of office, if she did not advance past the June primary or emerge victorious in November. If that's the case, Bains said, she can be found, 'Right back in that clinic in Delano providing care.' Also in the candidate pool is fellow Democrat Randy Villegas — viewed as the more progressive candidate. Click here for the full interview with Jasmeet Bains. Click here for the full interview with Randy Villegas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
