House Republicans are eyeing an unexpected chance to flip one other Democrat-held municipality. This comes after the Federal Bureau of Investigation ransacked the residence and candidacy office of Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar in Laredo, Texas, on Wednesday.
ICYMI- Democrat Congressman Henry Cuellar’s house and office was raided by the FBI today in Texas.
Media silent.
— Kambree (@KamVTV) January 21, 2022
Cuellar, 66, is a centrist who has been a common target of Republicans and the left since getting elected to Congress in 2004.
Cuellar might become unexpectedly susceptible starting March 1, when he seeks re-election in the Democrat primary against a leftist rival, or this autumn, against a Republican.
That’s if it is revealed that the congressman is the subject of an FBI probe that runs well into the election year.
The Red Wave
“What is Henry Cuellar covering up?” Torunn Sinclair, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the GOP is getting ready to make a play for his seat in the wake of recent developments.
The GOP is eyeing many Democrat-held seats in the House, in anticipation of a red wave in the 2022 polls.
On Thursday afternoon, few details about the ongoing FBI probe, such as whether the congressman was the inquiry’s subject, were available.
Among Republican and Democrat agents in Texas, there was little rumor or supposition about what may have prompted federal authorities to take action.
However, it was noted that Cuellar’s campaign director, Colin Strother, temporarily disabled his Twitter account.
Henry Cuellar's campaign manager just deactivated pic.twitter.com/u86BIL8dc3
— Opinion Haver (@AsInMarx) January 20, 2022
Cuellar’s congressional office on Capitol Hill messaged reporters a brief, opaque declaration in response to a request for comment on the FBI raid.
“Congressman Cuellar has stated that he will cooperate fully with any investigation. He is committed to upholding justice and the law.”
Democrat Primary Elections
The 28th Congressional District still encompasses a sizable portion of South Texas’ Hispanic communities, stretching from San Antonio to the Mexican border.
On the other hand, Cuellar’s newly formatted 28th district is more Democrat-friendly, making him less appealing to Republicans in the midterms.
President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump 52.8 percent to 45.8 percent in this district in 2020.
Voters across the Rio Grande Valley and the border region are abandoning Democrats, particularly those Democrats who have not spoken out against Biden’s deliberate dismantling of border protection, a Republican strategist in Texas stated.
In other words, Republicans would love to run against Jessica Cisneros, the liberal who is engaging Cuellar in the Democrat primary.
This is particularly true given Republicans’ perception of the plus-7 Biden area as a safe Democrat municipality in South Texas.
In 2010, Republican contender Blake Farenthold trounced then-Rep. Solomon Ortiz in a district similar to this one, which President Barack Obama managed to win by seven points.
Cisneros, meanwhile, refrained from instantly condemning Cuellar. Cisneros stated only that she is “aware of the headlines” and “carefully following as this develops” in reaction to the FBI crackdown on Cuellar’s residence and campaign headquarters.
