GOP launches series of ads against Henry Cuellar: "He failed South Texas"

Henry Cuellar has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2006. The Democrat has capitalized on his perceived moderation to win re-election time and again in southern Texas. While it never had trouble at the polls, the trend began to change in 2020, when Hispanic voters began moving to the Republican Party. Despite surviving in 2022 and 2024, the GOP expects 2026 to be its last year in Washington, DC. To that end, they have launched a tough ad campaign in both Spanish and English.

Cuellar is part of a group of Democrats representing districts won by Donald Trump in 2024. They also include Gabriel Vasquez, Vicente Gonzalez and Adam Gray.

He represents Texas' 28th congressional district, which has become increasingly Republican since 2020, when it was redrawn by the state Legislature.

For example, in 2024, President Trump became the first Republican to win Webb County since 1912. This is one of the most populous counties in the district. In turn, between 2018 and 2024, Senator Ted Cruz improved his performance by 35 percentage points. The GOP has also made significant gains in Hidalgo County, which is now part of the 28th district.

In this context, and with the increasingly conservative electoral trend among Hispanic voters, the Republican Party is confident of defeating Cuellar next Nov. 3.

"Henry Cuellar failed South Texas"

The effort comes from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), charged with defending and increasing the House majority in the midterm elections.

The 30-second ad claims that Cuellar "failed South Texas." To substantiate the claim, it explains that the congressman no longer adequately represents the increasingly conservative 28th congressional district. It mentions his voting record, which is 80% in line with that of progressive Jasmine Crockett, a Senate candidate.

In addition, the video recalls that Cuellar voted in favor of attempts to impeach President Trump and endorsed Kamala Harris in the last presidential election.

The ad campaign against Cuellar is part of a strategy to build on momentum in the country's most Hispanic districts. As NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson previously told VOZ, the Hispanic vote is the "most important" heading into November.

"Henry Cuellar has collected millions of taxpayer dollars over his 20 years in office and has nothing to show for it. South Texans deserve a representative who works for them, not himself," noted Christian Martinez, national Hispanic press secretary for the NRCC.

Trump's Pick to Defeat Cuellar: Tano Tijerina

In this district, all indications are that the Republican candidate will be Tano Tijerina, a former Democrat, served for years as a 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.

The candidate has the endorsement of the NRCC and President Trump, who noted his leadership and "strong" views.