But by pardoning Cuellar, Trump essentially lifted one of the biggest attacks he’d faced from political rivals, including Republicans who are trying to beat the Laredo Democrat next year. Just this week, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina kicked off his campaign against Cuellar and specifically cited his legal troubles.
Despite the new redistricting map, Cuellar has said he thinks he can still win the reconfigured 28th Congressional District, given that he has regularly outperformed state and national Democrats in past elections. On Capitol Hill Wednesday, he exuded the same confidence, telling the Houston Chronicle’s James Osborne and other reporters staked outside his office: “This is a conservative district and I’m going to win.”
Honestly, makes no sense unless you chalk it up as him being senile. I’m conflicted here because I dont think anybody should be able to get away with such crimes regardless of party, but if it keeps out even one more Republican then it will be a good thing.
Corruption recognizes corruption. He knows he can manipulate people like this as he has been.
Look at it like this. With the Dem pardoned, the Republicans can run ads about how corrupt their opponent is. That should help them win. If the Dem wasn’t pardoned then some other D that would be a tougher opponent could show up.
Also, if the pardoned Dem wins then trump will have some sway with his future votes. It feels like a win/win for him.
On the other hand, the redraw has skewed it a deeply conservative district and now the conservative vote might be split between Ceuller and the Republican, while Democrats would be willing to take crumbs if it meant retaking house majority.
The only way it works out is if Trump and his team truly believe their loser Republican candidate didn’t stand any chance.
It makes perfect sense. It sends the message that corruption is ok and is undoubtedly part of an additional corrupting quid pro quo. A pardoned Cuellar is not a slimy Democrat who got a lucky break, he’s Trump’s man.
But another Republican would also be Trump’s man, without all the additional moral compass baggage.
In what world does Henry Cuellar have a moral compass? Every aspect of this story is a demonstration of him lacking one.
His opponent is a Democratic judge who switched parties, so the delta with Cuellar is pretty small. Anything where Cuellar could be the deciding vote (up to and including deciding who gets to be speaker) is an opportunity for Trump to call his debt in. Or he’ll just switch parties as soon as he’s elected. There’s no reason to think Cuellar is going to be a reliable Democratic vote.
Hopefully he gets primaried so there’s a more reliable anti-Trump option, because right now it seems like a “heads I win, tails you lose” sort of decision.
Compared to Republican, Cueller is a saint.
Republicans skewed this district to be deep red with the Redraw.
If it was deep red their ideal candidate would be a lifelong MAGA warrior, not a Democrat that just switched parties last year. He claims to be motivated by the same conservative values as Cuellar, he just stopped being a DINO because he thought it would serve him politically.
I can understand your confusion but Cueller is running as a Democrat in 2026, unless he loses the primary. The Republican candidate is presumably going to be Juan Esparza.
Where’d you dig that name up from? This post literally talks about his expected opponent, who was specifically recruited by the Republicans, an ex-Democrat named Tano Tijerina.
https://ballotpedia.org/Texas'_28th_Congressional_District_election,_2026
The primary is on March 3rd so maybe a couple other names will appear before then.
Cuellar is a DINO. He regularly votes with republicans. I wouldn’t doubt if he pulls a party switcheroo if he gets re-elected. He almost got primaried last time, until democratic establishment (including Pelosi) flew into Texas and had a big rally for him.
Remember also that Cuellar is not a stranger to how bribes work.
If he switches then it would kind of make sense, but if he doesn’t then the Republicans could lose majority over this issue. Trump could have done nothing and gotten another red seat.