Democrat ousts De La Cruz in key Texas House race, flipping battleground seat

Democrat and Tejano music star Bobby Pulido will defeat Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz in the race for Texas’s 15th Congressional District, Decision Desk HQ projects, a big win for Democrats in a key House battleground.

Polling ahead of the race consistently showed Pulido in the lead despite the district’s Republican lean , with a Texas Southern University poll in mid-October showing Pulido ahead 51 percent to De La Cruz’s 44 percent.

Pulido entered the race already well known by voters in the area — but not for his political experience. The Texas Democrat has a storied career as a Tejano music star with multiple Latin Grammy awards.

In a 2023 interview with The Hill, Pulido teased an entrance into politics ahead of his performance at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Awards Gala.

He drew national attention for his viral moments, frequently performing at his own rallies, and even offering to perform at quinceañeras and other events for families across the district. After a storied career as a musician, Pulido will now head to Congress.

He ousted De La Cruz, a two-term incumbent. De La Cruz was the first Republican to ever represent the 15th District since its creation, as Democrats have historically dominated politics in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley.

But South Texas shifted dramatically toward Republicans in recent years. While Democrats used to win the 15th easily, it swung hard to the GOP throughout the decade, with President Trump ultimately carrying it by nearly 20 points in 2024.

Pulido’s victory marks a rebound for Democrats among Latino voters in a district where they make up nearly 80 percent of residents.

Texas was ground zero for the mid-decade redistricting war of the midterm cycle. Republicans redrew five Democratic-held seats hoping to protect their House majority in 2026, three of them in South Texas. While the 15th was not one of the redrawn districts, Pulido’s race was one of Democrats’ few chances to strike back at attempted GOP gains.

Pulido will be sworn in on Jan. 3 along with the new Congress.