Trump-backed Republican Carlos de la Cruz won the GOP runoff for Texas’ newly redrawn 35th Congressional District, defeating longtime San Antonio state lawmaker John Lujan.
De la Cruz, an Air Force veteran, is the brother of Rep. Monica de la Cruz, a Trump ally who represents a nearby Texas district.
If Carlos de la Cruz wins in November, the siblings could become one of the rare brother-sister pairs to serve in the U.S. House at the same time.
The newly redrawn 35th District is currently represented by progressive Rep. Gregorio Casar, but Casar is running in a neighboring district after Texas Republicans redrew the congressional map.
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The new district stretches toward San Antonio and is considered much more favorable to Republicans than before.
Lujan finished ahead of de la Cruz in the March primary, winning 33% to de la Cruz’s 27%, but neither candidate secured a majority. That pushed the race into Tuesday’s runoff.
De la Cruz received key support from President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and his sister, Rep. Monica de la Cruz.
He also highlighted his military service, including deployments to the Middle East and the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Democratic side of the race was also closely watched after Maureen Galindo, who drew national backlash for comments about imprisoning “American Zionists,” lost her runoff to Bexar County Sheriff’s Office official Johnny Garcia.
Democratic leaders, including Hakeem Jeffries and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, had condemned Galindo’s remarks as antisemitic.
Garcia will now likely face Carlos de la Cruz in November in a district Republicans believe they are well-positioned to flip.
Although Democrats remain hopeful because the district is majority Hispanic, the new map gives Republicans a stronger advantage than in past cycles.
The race could become another test of how Trump-backed candidates perform in redrawn districts and whether Republicans can continue expanding their influence in South Texas.
Why It Matters
The race brings together several major political themes: Trump’s endorsement power, Republican gains in South Texas, Hispanic voter shifts and the rare possibility of siblings serving together in Congress. It also follows a Democratic runoff marked by controversy over antisemitic remarks.
What Comes Next
Carlos de la Cruz is expected to face Democrat Johnny Garcia in November. Republicans will try to flip the redrawn district, while Democrats will argue they can remain competitive with Hispanic voters in South Texas.
DDHQ projects Johnny Garcia has defeated Maureen Galindo in Texas’ 35th congressional district Democratic primary
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