Johnny Garcia Wins TX 35 Runoff After National Party Scrutiny Against Opponent Maureen Galindo
Democrat Johnny Garcia has won the runoff for Texas’ 35th Congressional District, defeating Maureen Galindo after a race shaped by national Democratic criticism, outside spending and questions over the future of a redrawn district Republicans hope to flip in November.
Garcia’s victory gives Democrats their nominee in one of Texas’ closely watched congressional races. He will face Republican Carlos De La Cruz, an Air Force veteran who also won his party’s runoff Tuesday night.
The district includes parts of San Antonio and surrounding areas. It was redrawn by Texas Republicans as part of a map designed to strengthen GOP chances in several congressional seats.
Galindo’s Comments Became A Central Issue In The Runoff
Galindo, a San Antonio housing activist and sex therapist, entered the runoff after finishing first in the March primary. But her campaign drew national attention after comments she made online were widely condemned as antisemitic.
In one Instagram post cited in the NBC report, Galindo wrote that she wanted to turn an immigration detention facility into a prison for “American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking,” among other comments.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic leaders publicly rejected Galindo’s statements, calling them antisemitic and dangerous. Democrats also accused Republicans of trying to influence the race by helping boost Galindo through outside spending.
Outside Spending Put The Race Under A Larger Political Lens
The runoff also drew attention because of money spent by outside groups. According to NBC News, an opaque outside group spent about $1 million boosting Galindo, while Punchbowl News reported the super PAC had links to a GOP fundraising platform.
Garcia also received major outside support. A political committee aligned with the Blue Dog Democrats spent heavily to support him, while other Democratic aligned groups also put money into the race.
The spending reflected the stakes of the seat. Republicans redrew the district to give their party a stronger shot in November, but Democrats view the race as still within reach with the right nominee.
Garcia Will Face Carlos De La Cruz In November
Garcia’s general election opponent will be Carlos De La Cruz, who defeated state Rep. John Lujan in the Republican runoff. De La Cruz was endorsed by Donald Trump, while Lujan had the backing of Gov. Greg Abbott.
De La Cruz is the brother of U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, who represents a nearby congressional district.
The race will now move into the general election with both parties watching whether the new map performs the way Republicans intended. Donald Trump carried the district by about 10.5 points in 2024, but the territory has been more competitive in earlier elections.
Redistricting Keeps TX 35 In The Spotlight
The new district’s voting age population is about 52% Hispanic, according to data cited by NBC News from the Texas Legislative Council.
Brandon Steinhauser, a longtime Texas Republican strategist and former top aide to Sen. John Cornyn, told NBC News that Republican lawmakers may have made “some big assumptions” about whether Trump’s support among Hispanic voters would translate to the rest of the party.
For Democrats, Garcia’s win closes a chaotic runoff and shifts attention to whether the party can compete in a district designed to lean more Republican. For Republicans, De La Cruz’s nomination gives the party a Trump backed candidate in a race central to its effort to expand its Texas congressional footprint.
The November contest will now test whether TX 35 is a safe Republican pickup or a district where Democratic turnout, local organizing and candidate strength can still make the race competitive.
