Vela said the Republican party, which made gains in the Rio Grande Valley during the 2020 election, sees a TX-34 special election as a chance to take the seat away from Democrats, though he feels the seat is safe. "What I've heard is that Dan Sanchez, former county commissioner, is considering running for it," Vela said. Vela's longtime friend Vicente Gonzalez, currently representing Texas District 15 in Congress, is the Democratic candidate running for TX-34 in the November election but will not take part in any special election and instead will serve out his current term. His early departure will prompt a special election, the exact timing of which isn't set in stone and is Abbott's call to some extent. Vela, who announced a year ago that he would not seek reelection to the seat he's held since 2013, is leaving Congress before the end of his current term to take a job with the law and lobbying firm Akin Gump, headquartered in Washington D.C. "Please let me know how I can be of assistance during this transition." "It has been a profound honor to represent the people of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas for the last nine years," he wrote briefly. Greg Abbott and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. has stepped down from his Texas 34 congressional district seat after sending resignation letters today to Gov. 31-It's official: Brownsville Democrat Filemon Vela Jr. Liberal justices caught up in Supreme Court ethics scrutinyĭemocrats demand GOP turn over info on indicted think-tank leader, ‘patient. ĭemocratic jitters grow over Cornel West's third-party bid House Judiciary questions FBI Director Wray on FISA, China, extremism: live. Trump puts Iowa victory at risk with attack on GOP governor MyPillow auctions off equipment amid ‘massive cancellation,’ CEO Lindell. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Letlow will fill the vacancy left behind by her late husband, who died of COVID-19 in late December. Republicans will gain a seat next month when the House returns from its spring recess and Rep.-elect Julia Letlow (R-La.) is sworn into office after winning a special election over the weekend. Texas has gained more than 4.2 million residents since 2010, which could result in as many as three additional House seats.ĭemocrats currently hold 219 House seats over Republicans’ 211, with five vacancies. Vela’s district is among House Republicans’ top targets for the 2022 cycle, when the GOP hopes to flip enough seats to win the House majority.Ĭongressional districts in Texas are expected to be redrawn ahead of the 2022 elections due to the state’s population growth reflected in the 2020 census. Vela has been outspoken about border security issues during his time in Congress and drew attention in 2016 for telling former President Trump to “take your border wall and shove it up your ass.” President Biden won Vela’s district by 4 points in November, compared to when the district went for Hillary Clinton by 21.5 points over former President Trump in 2016. Vela also serves as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. Vela, who has served in the House since 2013, won reelection handily in November by nearly 14 points over his Republican challenger. Filemon Vela (D-Texas), who represents a district along the southern border, will not run for reelection next year.Ī spokesperson for Vela confirmed to The Hill on Monday that he will be retiring from Congress at the end of the session.
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