In Ms. Cisneros’ campaign, he sees an identity-driven approach in which she casually switches between English and Spanish.talks about identifying with South Texas and its struggles, contrasts that with outsiders in Washington, and then turns to issues like health care and reproductive rights.
After Trump’s shake-up, the region may be ready for a new approach, said Cecilia Balli, an anthropologist and researcher at the University of Houston, who conducted extensive interviews in South Texas following Trump’s 2020 successes. For decades, the region has been ruled by isolated political families such as Mr. Cuellar. His brother is the Webb County Sheriff in Laredo; his sister is a former municipal judge and tax collector.
With no real competition between parties, Ms Balli said Democrats have won loyalty through rallies and free food, but without focusing on issues or retail politics. Mr. Trump’s brand of personality-driven, outsider bombast has erupted to many disillusioned Latino voters.
Ms Cisneros agreed: “They voted Democrat for so long, and obviously the poverty rate hasn’t gone down, the unemployment rate hasn’t gone down. People still have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet.” she said. Add to that the pandemic and border crossing closures that have crippled Laredo’s trade, “and I think it just created the perfect storm.”
Mr. Cuellar has weapons of his own: an unrivaled network of patrons in the political establishment and a seat on the House Appropriations Committee, from which he directs a vast area of federal bounties from $45,520,000 to transportation projects for Atascosa County in the county. north to $15,142,000 for bovine health in Zapata County in the south.
In addition, there are fears that a Cisneros victory on March 1 will give the newly confident Republicans a seat. Ms. Cisneros insists she is a response to the rise of the Republicans, a voice from the outside that brings hope to the region’s frustrations. The change in constituency actually made the 28th ballot a little more Democratic, with more voters from Bexar County in San Antonio, potentially boosting Ms. Cisneros’s chances — Tuesday and into November. The county’s Hispanic percentage increased from 76.9% to 75.3%, but a small increase in the number of English-speaking voters could actually help Ms. Cisneros if those new voters are San Antonio Liberals.
But Mr. Cuellar handily defeated his Republican rival in 2020. with 58 percent of the vote, while Mr. Biden scored 51.5 percent. Those Trump-Cuellar voters can move on to the Republican House nominee who will appear in the seven-candidate primary.