An immigration lawyer endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other far-left lawmakers has forced longtime South Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar into a runoff following Tuesday’s primary.
Neither Jessica Cisneros nor Cuellar, a critic of the Biden White House on immigration who is also pro-gun and anti-abortion, got more than the 50 percent required to avoid the May 24 showdown in the Lone Star State’s 28th Congressional District, which stretches from San Antonio’s eastern suburbs to the Mexican border.
With 99 percent percent of the ballots tabulated, Cuellar has 48.5 percent of the vote to Cisneros’ 46.8 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Cisneros, 28, who is also backed by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in addition to Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), lost to Cuellar by 3.6 percentage points in the 2020 Democratic primary for the same seat.
Cuellar, seeking a ninth House term, ran afoul of progressives when he voted against codifying the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision into law.
Democratic congressional candidate Jessica Cisneros speaks during the Texas primary on March 1, 2022, in Laredo, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (right) attends a rally with Democratic congressional candidate Jessica Cisneros on February 12, 2022. AP Photo/Eric Gay, FileOcasio-Cortez, who traveled to Texas last month to stump for Cisneros, called Cuellar the “anti-choice Dem in a state where women & LGBTQ+ repo rights are under attack” in a tweet from Feb. 9.
“This district has only gotten bluer, too. It’s 2022. We really don’t have to settle for rock bottom. Vote @JCisnerosTX,” she said in the post.
Cuellar is also under scrutiny after the FBI raided his Laredo home and campaign office in January in connection with an investigation into ties between the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan and multiple US businessmen.
According to the ballots, neither Jessica Cisneros nor Rep. Henry Cuellar received the 50 percent of votes needed to avoid a runoff. Robin Jerstad/ZUMA Press Wire
With 99 percent percent of the ballots tabulated, Cuellar has 48.5 percent of the vote to Cisneros’ 46.8 percent. Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesThe congressman has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing.
