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To: Interested Parties
From: Madison Andrus, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: March 3, 2026
Subject: The Case Against Tano Tijerina
The last thing South Texans need is Tano Tijerina, a cynical, opportunistic, power-hungry politician with a history of putting his own political ambition above the needs of working families.
Henry Cuellar has spent decades as South Texas’ most powerful and effective advocate. Throughout his time in office, Cuellar has brought billions of dollars in federal investments to TX-28, an area of the country that had been historically underserved. Under Cuellar’s leadership, public schools in the Rio Grande Valley have flourished and critical infrastructure projects have provided hundreds of jobs to hardworking families. Cuellar fought for increased border security funding, including investments that provided for 22,000 jobs for South Texans.
Cuellar has never once backed down from a challenge, including when that means standing up to his own party. He doesn’t let himself be swayed by partisan politics and instead remains an independent voice and the embodiment of South Texas values, including hard work and community.
Tano Tijerina, on the other hand, will do whatever he thinks will get him a paycheck and a pat on the back from D.C. party bosses. No one with such a chronic lack of spine deserves to represent TX-28 in Congress.
In a newly-drawn district that Cook Political Report analysis says “actually includes more of Cuellar’s base” than the old district, voters are souring on D.C. Republicans’ cost-raising agenda and are eager to send Henry back to Congress to keep fighting for them.
A Blatant Political Opportunist with Major League Ambitions but Bush League Talent
Tano Tijerina’s political positions aren’t even skin deep. Jumping headfirst into the hot-topic political controversies of the day, Tijerina has always been more concerned with making a name for himself than fighting for South Texas families. It wasn’t until he saw his lackluster political career coming to an end that he decided to run one last final grift – switching political parties to remain relevant with a position of power.
Backed by the Washington elite establishment, Tijerina will fall in line with D.C. Republicans’ disastrous, cost-raising agenda that’s devastating South Texas. That is, as long as he can keep collecting his six-figure salary from taxpayers while he’s at it.
A Grifter Using South Texas Families as His Latest Target
Tijerina wasn’t going to let a silly thing like the law prevent him from embarking on this latest political vanity project long before he officially announced his campaign. While Texas law dictated he’d have to give up his seat as Webb County Judge and the six-figure taxpayer-funded salary that came along with it to run for Congress, Tijerina simply ignored the law. Now he faces an FEC complaint alleging that he purposefully and illegally misled voters by launching an ‘exploratory committee’ to circumvent Texas’ resign-to-run law and hold onto his taxpayer funded salary while spending his time in Washington running for federal office.
Now, Tano gets to live life on the taxpayer’s dime and rub elbows with his real bosses up in D.C., all at the same time.
While Tijerina is busy grifting South Texans, Henry Cuellar is at work securing funding for rural hospitals, directing millions of dollars for agricultural education programs, and bringing back federal dollars for critical road repairs and affordable housing across South Texas.
Tano Tijerina is a Willing Puppet – His Future Depends on It
Tijerina has wasted no time falling in line with D.C. Republicans’ disastrous agenda that is gutting jobs in South Texas and making it harder for working families to make ends meet. Not only that, but he’s called the Affordable Care Act – a law that has ensured 115,000 people in TX-28 have health care – a “failure.” He has even endorsed plans that are skyrocketing the cost of insurance premiums by 175%.
And the reckless tariff taxes gutting South Texans’ jobs and driving up the cost of everything from groceries to building materials? Tijerina is fully on board saying “Sometimes, in order for us to rebuild, we must break down.”
It’s clear that, since switching parties, there isn’t a single thing that Tijerina will stand up for South Texans on over Washington D.C. He made this bed in a desperate attempt to hold on to political power – South Texas be damned.
There are few members of Congress who can both stand up to and work with either side of the aisle like Henry Cuellar. South Texans never have to wonder who Henry is working for because they have seen him repeatedly put his community over politics, time and time again.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
HEADLINE: Complaint filed accusing Judge Tijerina of violating federal campaign law
“A federal complaint was filed with the Federal Election Commission, alleging Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina violated federal campaign law.
The complaint alleges Tijerina has attempted to avoid the state’s resign-to-run law by falsely operating under an “exploratory committee” while running for Congress.” [Laredo Morning Times, 11/23/25]
HEADLINE: ‘Putting our nation first’: Webb Co. leader Tijerina backs Trump’s tariff policy
“In recent weeks, the city of Laredo has held multiple events warning residents about the potential incoming economic strain from tariffs.
At the county level, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina spoke this week about tariffs. He expressed his support for President Donald Trump’s trade policies including recent tariffs on global imports, which he described as a step toward addressing trade imbalances and prioritizing American interests.
Tijerina described the economic transition brought by these policies as one that may require temporary sacrifices for long-term gains.” [Laredo Morning Times, 04/20/25]
HEADLINE: GOP recruit against Cuellar is Trump-backed challenger with liberal past
“Trump-endorsed Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina may have to explain his record as a former Democrat as he runs in one of the most competitive seats in the country. Tijerina was a countywide elected Democrat until he switched parties in December 2024, following Trump’s massive wins across the Texas borderland.” [Washington Examiner, 01/22/26]
HEADLINE: Cuellar Secures Protections to Keep Federal Health Grants Flowing to South Texas [Texas Border Business 02/10/26]
HEADLINE: Laredo renaming airport terminal in honor of Rep. Henry Cuellar [Laredo Morning Times, 11/29/22]
PATH TO VICTORY:
In a cynical political ploy to save House Republicans’ flailing majority, Texas – at the direction of D.C. Republicans – drew historic overperformer Henry Cuellar into a district that House Democrats have won comfortably since 2020. The new TX-28 is more than 85% Hispanic – a more than 20% increase – a demographic that Henry Cuellar is incredibly well-known by and routinely overperforms with and who are increasingly souring on Republicans’ failed agenda. A non-partisan Cook Political Report analysis found that, “had Cuellar run under the new lines last year, he likely would have won by a larger margin.”
Cuellar is incredibly well positioned to once again win in this competitive district, thanks to his unrivaled popularity and indisputable record of putting South Texas first.
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