PHOTO COURTESY BOBBY PULIDO
PHOTO COURTESY DR. ADA CUELLAR
PHOTO COURTESY DELACRUZ.HOUSE.GOV
Voters in Texas’ 15th Congressional District will vote for a candidate to represent them in D.C., as Republican U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz will face the winner of the Democratic primary election, a race between Dr. Ada Cuellar and Bobby Pulido.
The primary elections will take place on March 3, with early voting available from Feb. 17 to 27. According to the Hidalgo County Elections Department website, an early voting polling location will be available in the Student Academic Center lounge on the Edinburg campus.
De La Cruz, who is running uncontested in the Republican primary for her third term, is the first Hispanic Republican woman to represent Texas in Congress. According to her campaign website, she passed seven pieces of legislation, including a bill targeting fentanyl trafficking that was signed into law.
Her campaign focuses on border security, protecting seniors’ benefits and supporting agriculture. De La Cruz has received recognition from groups including the National Border Patrol Council and the Texas Farm Bureau, according to her website.
Water security is also a central part of her agenda. De La Cruz created the South Texas Water Working Group to address the region’s ongoing water shortages and has worked to hold Mexico accountable for water-treaty obligations, her campaign states.
As of press time, De La Cruz was unavailable for comment.
Cuellar, an emergency medicine physician and a third-year law student, is running as a Democrat and has not previously held elected office. She said her experience treating patients in Rio Grande Valley emergency rooms has shaped her understanding of how poverty, low wages and limited access to transportation affect health outcomes.
“I’ve never been in politics,” Cuellar said. “The experience that I have is all educational, real-world experience.”
She describes herself as an “independent Democrat,” saying she approaches policy decisions analytically and bases them on research, lived experience and conversations with constituents. Her campaign priorities include health care, the economy and education.
According to her campaign website, Cuellar supports reversing cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, protecting rural hospitals, expanding telemedicine, and allowing uninsured individuals to buy into Medicare.
On education, Cuellar calls for increased funding for public schools, expanded access to technology for students, and greater support for universities, trade schools and community colleges. She also supports repealing tariffs, raising wages and diversifying the Valley’s economy by attracting higher-paying industries.
Cuellar outlined an immigration platform that includes securing the border while opposing large-scale workplace raids and supporting a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who work and pay taxes, according to her website.
Pulido, a Tejano music artist, also making his first run for public office, described his political ideology as “pragmatic.” He said he is less focused on ideological labels and more interested in solving problems through action.
“I believe people should get into public service in order to fix things,” Pulido said. “I’m more pragmatic about wanting to fix the issues that I see that need fixing.”
He said his campaign centers on direct engagement with voters across the district’s 11 counties. The artist emphasized listening to residents and addressing local concerns, particularly in the Valley, which he described as culturally distinct and often misunderstood by national political leaders.
Immigration reform is Pulido’s top priority, he said, citing its impact on the local economy and workforce. According to his campaign website, he supports a bipartisan approach to immigration that secures the border, targets violent criminals and expands legal workforce pathways without disrupting families or businesses.
Pulido’s platform also includes support for a public health insurance option, stronger antitrust enforcement against insurance companies, raising the minimum wage, improving child care affordability, supporting agriculture and addressing the region’s water crisis.
According to student voters, honesty and accountability are key qualities they want in a representative.
“Someone who tells the truth and wants the best for the people that reside in that area,” said Christopher Cruz, a mechanical engineering sophomore.
John Reyes, a computer science junior, said representatives should care about their constituents.
“Someone who actually cares for the people is the most important thing for me,” Reyes said.
