To: Interested Parties
From: Madison Andrus, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: May 26, 2026
Subject: The Case Against Carlos De La Cruz
Johnny Garcia was raised as a life-long San Antonian by a strong mother who taught him the value of hard work and getting things done. A local Sheriff’s Deputy, Johnny got his start in construction and blue collar work. From his time as a SWAT negotiator, Johnny understands that difficult times require leadership that will work with people from all walks of life to deliver results. Now Johnny’s mission is delivering for the working families of TX-35 to make sure families like his who work hard have the same opportunities to get ahead.
Carlos De La Cruz is another aspiring D.C. swamp creature- looking to build off of the failed example of his sister – selling out Texans for his own political gain. Despite facing heavy Republican meddling in the Democratic runoff election at the 11th hour, Johnny Garcia still won this race to advance to the general election in November. In a favorable political environment that’s seeing Democratic candidates overperform by double digits across the South this cycle, there’s no doubt a strong candidate like Johnny Garcia can use this momentum to keep TX-35 in Democratic hands this November.Carlos De La Cruz Will Immediately Join D.C. Party Bosses in Hurting Texas Working Families
As South Texans struggle with higher prices and a flailing economy, Carlos De La Cruz has chosen to align himself, not with working families, but the very politicians in Washington, D.C. that are making life harder for Texans. Touting endorsements from his lying sister, sexual harasser Derrick Van Orden, and the lead author of the Big Beautiful Bill that cut health care and food access for Texans, Carlos De La Cruz has made it clear that he is not running a Texas-focused campaign – he’s all about the swamp.De La Cruz’s main backers endorse an agenda that is ripping health care away from more than 44,000 people in TX-35, betraying Texas farmers, and threatening affordable food access for nearly 40,000 working families in the district – all to pay for tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. By accepting their endorsement, it’s clear he’d rubber stamp their agenda in Congress.
Johnny Garcia is Texas through and through, and unlike De La Cruz, Johnny is committed to putting Texas priorities and values first.
Another De La Cruz? Another Failure
South Texans are tired of opportunist politicians who sell them out at every turn – and Carlos De La Cruz has the perfect role model in his sister Monica. Carlos is touting his sister’s support whenever he can, but he’ll have to answer to voters for his support of her disastrous record that is choking South Texas’ economy, abandoning farmers and ranchers, and making it even harder for families to make ends meet. Texans know Monica is a proven liar, and it’s clear her brother will also have no problem turning his back on Texans when they need real leadership in Congress most.
Texas voters want straight shooters, not a political nepo-baby. Johnny Garcia’s years of experience in local law enforcement showed him the value of community over politics and partisan labels. As a hostage negotiator, Johnny never asked whether the person whose life he was saving was a Republican or a Democrat and he’ll always put Texans first, no matter their party.
Carlos De La Cruz Will Further Sink Texas
Texas’ economy is in freefall thanks to De La Cruz-backed policies. Houses that once took three months to build are sitting half completed after 11 months, and suppliers are losing millions of dollars and laying off dozens of employees. Oil wells are shuttering, and the cost of sweeping tariff taxes are nearing $21 billion. As jobs and housing disappear, 250,000 Bexar County residents are seeing their health care costs spike after Republicans let critical Affordable Care Act tax credits expire, decreasing access to care and putting rural hospitals at risk of closing. And a staple of South Texas culture, BBQ pitmasters are struggling in the face of high prices and a dwindling cattle herd while Republicans betrayed Texas cattle ranchers by quadrupling Argentina beef imports. Carlos De La Cruz stands firmly behind D.C. Republicans as they devastate Texas’ economy, culture, and working families.
Johnny Garcia understands working Texans and local businesses shouldn’t have to pay the price for reckless, cost-raising policies backed by De La Cruz and his party bosses. In Congress, Johnny will uplift the voices of working families and work to ensure Texans see hard-earned taxpayer dollars come back home to their schools, businesses, and hospitals, not towards politicians’ billionaire campaign donors.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
San Antonio Report: ‘Old-school Democrat’: Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny Garcia wages congressional bid [San Antonio Report, 10/09/25]
“Garcia said he was motivated by tariff policies threatening jobs, families struggling with health care and his distaste for the Trump administration’s approach to law enforcement.
“Every day in my job, I tell the public, ‘If you see something, say something. Well, I see something, and I’m saying something tonight,’ Garcia told supporters Thursday.”
San Antonio Express News: Democrats think this new Republican-drawn Texas district is winnable in 2026 [San Antonio Express News, 10/10/25]
“The main group working to elect Democrats to the U.S. House announced Wednesday it sees a path to victory in a district that Texas Republicans just redrew to be more GOP-friendly.
…
“The open seat is one of two in Texas that the DCCC named to its ‘Districts in Play,’ a roster of Republican-held or Republican-leaning seats the party considers competitive as it seeks to win the majority in the U.S. House in the 2026 midterm. In a news release, a spokesperson for the group argued that voters favor Democratic strategies for addressing rising costs, health care access and working-family issues.”
Politico: ‘South Texas will never be red again’: Home builders warn GOP over Trump’s immigration raids [Politico, 02/14/26]
Politico: Republicans are freaking out about Hispanic voters after a Texas upset [Politico, 02/03/26]
“Republicans are in full-out panic mode over their plunging support with Hispanic voters after losing a special election in a ruby-red Texas district over the weekend.
“On Saturday, a Democrat posted a 14-point victory in a Fort Worth-based state senate district President Donald Trump had won by 17 points in 2024, a staggering swing that was powered by significant shifts across the district’s Hispanic areas.”
PATH TO VICTORY:
Voters in this redrawn TX-35, almost two-thirds of whom live within heavily Latino Bexar County, have shown a willingness to vote for the right Democratic candidate. Republicans’ gerrymander increased Hispanic registrants’ share by over 5 points, bringing the district to a majority-Hispanic, a demographic Johnny Garcia is well-positioned to overperform with..
Under the district’s new lines, congressional Democrats received 61.4% of the two-way vote in 2018, President Biden came within 2 points of winning the new TX-35 in 2020, as did Beto O’Rourke in the 2018 Senate race.
These new lines and the prospect of facing Johnny in November have clearly caused panic in the Republican party – they spent nearly $1 million in an 11th hour attempt to defeat him because they know Texas voters are poised to hold Republicans accountable for their failed D.C. agenda.
In an environment that is increasingly unfriendly to Republicans and with a Democratic candidate in Johnny Garcia that is uniquely positioned to bring these voters home, there is a clear path to keep this seat in Democratic hands in November. |
