KINGSVILLE, Texas — One of the few competitive Texas Senate races this year involves a rematch between incumbent Democratic Sen. Morgan LaMantia and Republican Adam Hinojosa.
The two are vying to represent the 27th Texas Senate District. The district encompasses Corpus Christi and includes Port Aransas, Kingsville and Beeville, as well as border towns such as Harlingen and parts of McAllen.
LaMantia has been criticized because her family’s company loaned her campaign enough money to defeat her Republican challenger.
“My family supports me because of the values they instilled in me. So they support my goals here as well, because we are partially doing nothing. Because we know that,” she said.
Mr. LaMantia defeated Mr. Hinojosa by 659 votes in 2022, after the district’s longtime Democratic Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. retired.
“He was basically a Republican in Democratic clothes,” says Mark Kaswan, a political science professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Mr. Lucio endorsed Mr. Hinojosa this year against Mr. Lamantia’s vote on anti-abortion policies.
“It means everything to me. You know, he supported my opponent two years ago, but he was also disappointed in her pro-life voting record,” Hinojosa said. spoke.
With Democrats’ advantage in the region waning, Republicans are running in previously uncontested races, and turnout could be a deciding factor in this race as presidential votes are counted. There is sex.
“Historically, Democrats do better in years with higher turnout, but there’s no guarantee,” Kaswan said.
Although LaMantia has an advantage over her opponent because she is an incumbent, Hinojosa believes her voting record is a negative for South Texas.
“I would agree with what she was against. These are the issues and what we are working on,” Hinojosa said.
Without knowing the full context of the law, Lamantia believes her voting record has been presented unfairly. She focuses instead on success in the office.
“I’m one of four senators and the only Democrat that didn’t have a single bill vetoed by the governor, so we just want to continue that work,” she said. Ta.
An unexpected complication in the race is Green Party candidate and political newcomer Robin Lee Vargas, who could not be reached for comment.
“When Sen. Lucio was president, a Green Party candidate might have gotten some attention just because he was a very conservative Democrat,” Kaswan said.
The outcome of this election won’t change the political balance in the House, as Republicans already hold a majority in the Senate, but Hinojosa’s victory is symbolic for Republicans like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who want to sway the Legislature. It will be a great victory. Further to the right.
