DISTRICT 15:...Republican Incumbent Monica De la Cruz Again Facing Dangerous Democrat Buzzsaw Michelle Vallejo...This Shaky GOP Seat Could Easily Flip...Vallejo Hits Monica On Social Security...

 

By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ

McALLEN, Texas |...It's still early in the Western Hidalgo County campaign, but comfy Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz's reelection effort is already dealing with the same feisty Democrat who challenged her last go round and is challenging her again.

Democrat Michelle Vallejo may make it this time.

De la Cruz, 49, has a however-slim record to shoot at this time around, one that, frankly, is shallow as she's only been in office since winning election in 2022. There is no signature piece of legislation bearing her name, three of the votes she offered went for "Denouncing the horrors of Socialism," installing Mike Johnson as Speaker of The House and in favor of the expulsion of fellow Republican George Santos from his congressional seat.

Not much for South Texans there, no.

Noise from both of these camps is barely audible at this point. But things will shake out soon.

The 32-year-old Vallejo, owner of a popular flea market in Alton, is using her Facebook page to engage followers almost daily, often with looksees at her district's needs, but also with harsh criticism of De La Cruz, an insurance agent by profession shown in photo above.

Neither comes across as a wild-eyed candidate. You'd have to likely pose a pointed question to De La Cruz to get her to say anything about her party's troubled leader, one Donald J. Trump. Perhaps Trump is a non-factor in largely rural District 15.

Miss Vallejo, meanwhile, is going for the cultural jugular.

From Vallejo, via her Facebook page: [ "Our abuelitos have worked hard and paid into social security their entire lives so they can retire with dignity.

Instead of fighting for our #TX15 families, @RepMonicaDLC has, once again, placed Social Security on the chopping block. She cannot be trusted in congress." ]

But we know that politicians are always looking over their shoulders, so it was no surprise that De La Cruz quickly joined the Social Security defense, chasing Vallejo by posting this on her Facebook page: "It is an honor to have the support of so many senior citizens and abuelitos. I will NEVER stop fighting for your hard-earned benefits! Protecting Social Security and Medicare will ALWAYS be one of my TOP PRIORITIES!" 

Vallejo also damns De La Cruz for siding with her party's leadership in clipping the so-called Internet affordability program, which helps poor Americans cover a portion of the cost of access.

What's apparent in Vallejo's postings is a certain insistent drive any opponent would respect. She's front-center daily and on-topic regarding issues affecting District 15 constituents, a voter makeup consisting of hardworking, hardly wealthy people.

Still, Vallejo will have to overcome a convincing defeat she suffered against De La Cruz in 2022, when she lost by some 12,000 votes - 80,978 (53.3%) to 68,097 (44.8%). As drawn up, the colon-shaped 15th Congressional District (see map above) is a narrow strip of South Texas running from western Hidalgo County here in the Rio Grande Valley northwards to eastern Guadalupe County, to the east of San Antonio. The district includes all of Brooks, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Karnes, and Wilson counties.

That's a strange carving of South Texas voters, but that, too, is political.

The much-younger Michelle Vallejo deals with poor people often as operator of her flea market. Monica De la Cruz, from Edinburg, is a single Mom. There's something uniquely valley there, in both. Vallejo will get financial support from the Democratic Party. De La Cruz must wait on pocket change after Donald Trump gets the lion's share from the Republican Party.

Hard to think of either one of them as undeserving of this seat.

Michelle Vallejo is the proverbial model for the Democratic Party as it has played out historically in South Texas. It's also hard to believe that Monica De La Cruz is seeking to be full-hog MAGA...

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[EDITOR'S NOTE:...As we noted, it is early in this campaign. We will keep monitoring both of these camps and publish when an issue or controversy of interest surfaces...]