MEMO: NRCC’s Electoral Delusion In TX-34

INTERESTED PARTIES MEMORANDUM

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To:           Interested Parties
From:       Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Date:        July 14, 2023
RE:           MEMO: NRCC’s Electoral Delusion in TX-34
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Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee went into overdrive touting former Congresswoman Mayra Flores as a star recruit in Texas’s 34th Congressional District, one of their “best pickup opportunities nationwide.” Unfortunately for the NRCC, their delusions about winning this district back are as great as their chances of maintaining a House Majority in 2025 are small.

DISTRICT CHARACTERISTICS FAVOR GONZALEZ

National Republicans talked a big game in South Texas ahead of the November 2022 election, with one local TV station stating a Flores win “would [have been] the sweetest victory for Republicans,” but their gains never materialized. The data says it all:

• Rep. Gonzalez won TX-34 by over 8 points – in a cycle that was supposed to heavily favor Republicans;

• President Biden won the major party vote in the currently drawn TX-34 district by nearly 16 points.

  • No House Republicans represent a district that President Biden won by over 15%.

FLORES’ VULNERABILITIES WILL BE ON FULL DISPLAY 

Now that Flores has decided to run, her extremism will be on full display – and voters in South Texas will once again reject her dangerous agenda.

• Flores has “openly affiliated [herself] with the QAnon conspiracy theory” and frequently espoused conspiracy theories;

• Flores opposes exceptions to extreme abortion laws, putting the lives of Texas women at risk;

  • In Congress, she voted against a bill to protect birth control access following the Dobbs decision, claiming birth control “creates a back door to abortion;”

• Flores voted against a commonsense, bipartisan gun safety bill – introduced by fellow Texan Senator John Cornyn after the horrific school shooting in Uvalde;

  • Flores is regularly seen brandishing an assault rifle on her social media accounts;

• Flores voted against the CHIPS Act which is expected to bring thousands of jobs to Texas, shore up domestic supply lines, and increase American competitiveness with China. Flores also voted against capping insulin prices for seniors at $15 a month and capping seniors’ out of pocket annual prescriptions costs at $2,000;

• Flores employed a known sexual predator as her District Director, and that staffer was sued for sexual assault while under her employment.

BOTTOM LINE: If Flores, running from the position of an incumbent, couldn’t hold onto this seat in what was supposed to be a Red Wave election for Republicans, there’s no way she’ll be successful in a presidential election year against Gonzalez, a popular incumbent who has fought for and delivered on lowering drug prices and ensuring South Texans have access to affordable health care.

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