Texas Border Business
By Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Democratic U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez defeated Republican challenger Eric Flores in Texas’ 34th Congressional District on November 3, 2026, securing another term in Congress following a closely watched contest in South Texas.
According to preliminary Associated Press results, Gonzalez received 112,667 votes, representing 55.6%, compared with 80,572 votes, or 39.8%, for Flores.
Green Party candidate Eddie Espinoza received 4,740 votes, or 2.3%, while Libertarian Chris Royal collected 4,666 votes, also representing approximately 2.3%.
The Associated Press declared Gonzalez the winner Tuesday night. Approximately 98.8% of precincts had reported when the figures were recorded.
Gonzalez, a five-term congressman, has represented District 34 since January 2023. He previously represented Texas’ 15th Congressional District, beginning his congressional service in 2017.
His reelection followed changes to the district’s boundaries that the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature approved in 2025.
The redrawn district extends from Brownsville toward Corpus Christi, incorporating communities with stronger Republican voting histories while removing some Democratic-leaning areas near McAllen.
According to The Texas Tribune, President Donald Trump would have carried the newly configured district by approximately 10 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
The Republican Party identified District 34 as an opportunity to gain a congressional seat.
Flores, a former assistant U.S. attorney and Texas Army National Guard infantry captain, entered the race with support from prominent Republican leaders.
His endorsements included Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Before entering politics, Gonzalez worked as a private-practice attorney. Flores previously served as a federal prosecutor in McAllen and later practiced law representing municipalities and school districts.
Immigration enforcement, border security, and economic concerns became prominent issues during the campaign.
Gonzalez criticized immigration enforcement policies under the Trump administration, arguing that federal operations affected immigrant families and South Texas communities.
Flores defended stronger immigration enforcement while emphasizing the need to prioritize individuals involved in serious criminal activity.
Both candidates discussed the relationship between border security, federal policies, and the region’s economy.
The contest also attracted financial support from national political organizations seeking to influence control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Gonzalez’s victory maintained Democratic representation in a district Republicans had sought to capture through redistricting and an organized campaign.
Based on preliminary Associated Press figures, Gonzalez led Flores by 32,095 votes, about 15.8 percentage points.
The election was among several congressional contests across South Texas that attracted national attention because of their potential effect on the composition of the House.
Gonzalez will begin another two-year congressional term in January 2027.
The reported totals remain preliminary until the vote count is complete and election authorities officially certify the results.
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