U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez Jr. advanced from the Democratic Party primary in Texas’ 34th Congressional District on March 1. Gonzalez, who currently represents Texas’ 15th Congressional District, elected to run in the 34th District after redistricting. As of 11:15 pm E.T. on March 1, Gonzalez had received 65% of the vote, and Laura Cisneros was second with 23%.
Incumbent Filemon Vela (D) announced in March 2021 that he would not run for re-election and endorsed Gonzalez on October 27, 2021. Gonzalez was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016.
Gonzalez’s campaign website said that he supported increasing funding for Medicare, expanding Social Security to adjust for cost-of-living adjustments and inflation, and increasing funding for mental health and healthcare services for veterans. He said a goal of his was to create a full-service VA hospital in the Rio Grande Valley.
