The Republican Party is betting on Hispanic candidates to win three crucial seats in Texas and California

With the Republican majority in the House of Representatives hanging on a few seats and a Hispanic vote increasingly decisive in competitive districts, the Republican Party is looking to make further inroads with this group. In the midterm elections, the GOP is betting on consolidating and expanding the unlikely coalition formed by Donald Trump in 2024, recruiting Hispanic candidates with strong local profiles and management track records who can win key seats in 2026.

The central goal is to capitalize on the trend in favor of Hispanics in some key districts. To that end, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has made a strong effort to recruit competitive Hispanic candidates across the country. For the moment, only three have won the official endorsements of President Trump and the NRCC, precisely the body charged with protecting and increasing the Republican majority in the House.

They are Eric Flores (Texas' 34th district), Kevin Lincoln (California's 13th district), and Tano Tijerina (Texas' 28th district). They face three incumbent Democrats in competitive districts.

These three candidates share Hispanic roots and verifiable management experience with which they hope to win in their respective races and help the party defend its slim majority in the House. They would also continue the Republican trend of continuing to grow among the Hispanic community.

Their election platform resonates with that of the GOP nationally: lowering the cost of living, ensuring safe communities and restoring the promise of the American dream.

"Republicans aren’t just talking about earning Hispanic voters’ trust; we’re continuing to work and build it," NRCC spokesman Christian Martinez told VOZ.

"Outstanding candidates like Eric Flores, Kevin Lincoln, and Tano Tijerina reflect their communities, understand the challenges working families face, and are stepping up to help grow a House majority focused on opportunity, security, and the American Dream," he added.

If they win the election, they would join other Hispanic House Republicans, including Maria Elvira Salazar, Monica De La Cruz, Nicole Malliotakis, Juan Ciscomani and Gabe Evans.

Eric Flores

Eric Flores is running for Texas' 34th district. His campaign touts him as a "fellow prosecutor, veteran and father."

Raised in the Rio Grande Valley, he is an attorney and served the country as an Army infantry officer, rising to the rank of captain. He later served in the Texas Army National Guard, where he helped protect the U.S.-Mexico border.

Back in Texas, he served as a municipal prosecutor and municipal judge before joining the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, McAllen Criminal Division.

According to his website, he stood out for fighting human trafficking and drug cartels. In addition, he managed to dismantle "the largest transnational human trafficking ring in the district and the conviction of one of the ten most wanted fugitives in Texas."

"For too long, Democrats took South Texas for granted, assuming our votes were virtually guaranteed, while they turned their backs on our values. They’ve traded the needs of hardworking families for a radical agenda that has left our borders open and our economy in shambles. I'm running because South Texans are tired of being ignored by career politicians like Vicente Gonzalez, who've forgotten long ago about the people they're supposed to serve," Flores told VOZ.

Should he prevail in the Republican primary, Flores will face Democrat Vicente González, incumbent since 2023. This district has an 83% Hispanic population, making it one of the clearest thermometers for the GOP. Gonzalez is one of the Democrats defending districts where Trump won in 2024.

Kevin Lincoln

Kevin Lincoln is a security expert whose grandfather came to California from Mexico in search of more opportunities. He joined the United States Marine Corps (USMC) in 2001. He was then recruited by the White House Military Office and assigned to Marine One, where he served the president of the United States directly. He then began an entrepreneurial career that led him to work for a leading private security firm in Silicon Valley.

Subsequently, he left the corporate world to serve as administrative pastor full-time at a local church in the city of Stockton, within San Joaquin County. In 2019 he entered politics and won election for mayor of Stockton.

"From bravely fighting in the United States Marine Corps to leading his city as mayor of Stockton, Kevin has served our nation with distinction and will bring that same fighting spirit to the United States Congress," President Trump wrote in his official endorsement.

Should he win the primary, Lincoln will face Democrat Adam Gray, who defeated Republican incumbent John Duarte in 2024 in what was the closest congressional election of the cycle. Among more than 200,000 votes cast, Gray prevailed by just 187.

"Hispanic families in the Central Valley are feeling the crushing pressures of the affordability crisis driven by Democrats from Sacramento to Washington who put political ideology ahead of kitchen table issues. Generations of families like mine came to America in pursuit of the American Dream, and the Republican Party is earning their trust by working to restore the affordability and opportunity that allows working families to get ahead again," Lincoln told VOZ.

California's 13th district has a 65.9% Hispanic population.

Tano Tijerina

The latest Hispanic candidate to get the endorsement of Trump and the NRCC is Tano Tijerina. A former Democrat, he served for years asa judge in Webb County, Texas.

"I've always believed that, if you love a place, you serve it. And I love South Texas with all my being. My wife and I have deep roots in Laredo, and it's where we chose to raise our children, work alongside local families and contribute to our community. This campaign is about faith. It's about family. It's about fighting for the place we call home," Tijerina said in a statement on his campaign website.

Tijerina is expected to potentially challenge incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar, who was recently pardoned by Donald Trump. The president argued that Cuellar, who has spent two decades in Washington, had been politically targeted by Joe Biden’s Justice Department. The Texas Democrat had faced charges related to allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes and laundering the funds.

The president had expected Cuellar to run as a Republican, so he was disappointed when the congressman announced he would seek another term as a Democrat.

"Tano's views are stronger, better and far less biased than Henry's, and he has my full and complete support to be the next representative for Texas' 28th congressional district. HE WILL NEVER DEFRAUD YOU!" Trump said in early December, when he formally endorsed Tijerina.

In a statement to VOZ, the Republican candidate explained the reasons behind his decision to switch parties: “People in South Texas didn’t suddenly wake up with new beliefs. I didn’t change. The national Democratic Party did. When I ran for county judge, South Texas Democrats were different because this place is different. We’re working people. We raise our kids here. We look out for our neighbors.”

“We just want to work hard, raise our families in the communities we love, and have the government leave us alone. That’s it. That’s who we are. And that’s why people are stepping up and looking for leaders who actually understand their lives and values,” he added.

The 28th district in Texas has a 65% Hispanic majority. In 2024, Trump won the district with 52% of the vote.