Sign up for The Brief, a daily newsletter that keeps readers informed about the most critical news in Texas.
Jennifer Thatcher, Chairwoman of the Zapata County Republican Party, was taken aback earlier this month upon learning that President Donald Trump had pardoned Representative Henry Cuellar, effectively shielding him from the federal corruption charges he previously faced.
Thatcher expressed that Trump’s decision to grant Cuellar a pardon has eliminated a key vulnerability for the Laredo Democrats, which Republicans had intended to exploit during the upcoming midterm elections.
“The pardon felt like it was undermining the GOP’s efforts,” Thatcher remarked. “It just caused a lot of mixed messages for all of us. We’re trying to make sense of it.”
In recent years, Republicans in Texas’ 28th Congressional District have intensified their efforts to unseat Cuellar, who is currently pursuing his 12th term. While local party leaders maintain confidence in their chances following Trump’s pardon, many have expressed feelings of confusion, disappointment, and diminished optimism.
Mary Wilson, chair of the Duval County Republican Party, conveyed her disappointment: “It’s been a long time since I have felt let down by Trump, but I am extremely disappointed in this decision,” she said, questioning why Trump would issue a pardon that could potentially weaken Republican prospects in the midterms.
Prior to the pardon, Cuellar and his wife were scheduled to face trial in April on multiple corruption-related charges. The U.S. Department of Justice had indicted the couple in May 2024 on various counts including bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy, alleging that Cuellar accepted $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijani oil-and-gas company and a Mexican bank.
Republicans at both local and national levels had aimed to leverage the indictment against Cuellar, particularly after the Republican-controlled Legislature redrew his district over the summer to become more favorable to the GOP. Now, one of their strongest arguments against Cuellar has been weakened.
Reynaldo Montemayor Jr., a Webb County resident and precinct chair for the Webb County Republican Party, initially felt surprised and disappointed by the pardon. However, he has since come to terms with it, trusting in Trump’s leadership. Montemayor speculated that the pardon might end up being detrimental to Cuellar within his party, suggesting that it could alienate some Democrats who view the congressman as aligned with Trump, a polarizing figure.
“It could play out in our favor,” he noted. “We’ll see, because ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ might work against him in that context.”
Cuellar is facing two challengers in the upcoming Democratic primary on March 3: Andrew Vantine and Ricardo Villarreal.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has included Cuellar’s seat among its top targets for the midterms, having previously highlighted his legal troubles in their campaign messaging.
“Cuellar is broke, indicted, and completely out of touch with South Texans’ values,” stated NRCC spokesperson Reilly Richardson before the pardon. “He’s preoccupied with fighting off corruption charges and dealing with his own political crises.”
In the wake of the pardon, the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecasting organization, adjusted its rating for Cuellar’s race from “Toss Up” to “Lean Democrat,” attributing this shift to Trump’s intervention. The NRCC did not provide any comment on how the pardon might affect their strategy to unseat the Laredo Democrat.
Looking ahead to 2026, Republicans are rallying around Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, who is being viewed as a promising candidate to challenge Cuellar.
However, Álvaro Corral, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, indicated that Trump’s pardon has complicated the campaign landscape for Republicans aiming to flip District 28. He explained that Tijerina may hesitate to publicly oppose Trump’s decision, while Republicans will likely want to keep the allegations against Cuellar in the spotlight.
“It’s probably a little tricky to be in his shoes,” Corral remarked, adding that the pardon somewhat undermines Tijerina’s position.
Despite the potential challenges posed by the pardon, Tijerina expressed confidence in his campaign. “I did not start my campaign because Congressman Cuellar was in trouble, I am running because South Texas is in trouble,” he declared. “Henry stopped fighting for South Texas years ago, choosing instead to work for his D.C. bosses and their special interests. That isn’t representative of South Texas values. Our community deserves honesty and common sense from their representative, not political games.”
Cuellar has expressed relief that his legal issues have been resolved, recently regaining his influential position as the leading Democratic member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security, a role he had to relinquish following his indictment.
“This pardon gives us a clean slate,” Cuellar stated. “This decision clears the air and allows us to move forward for South Texas.”
Thatcher noted that the pardon complicates the GOP’s efforts to solidify their majority in Congress. “It just made the Republicans’ endeavor to flip his seat in Texas more challenging,” she said. “We’ve been trying for so long, with many candidates stepping up against Henry.”
In an effort to bolster their party’s control in Congress, the Republican-led Texas Legislature redrew District 28 to create a more difficult path for Cuellar’s reelection — one of five Democratic-held seats targeted by the new map. Trump won this district by a 7-point margin in 2024; under the new boundaries, his victory margin would have been 10 points. The redesigned district remains centered in Webb County but now incorporates areas from Hidalgo County, a significant population center in the Rio Grande Valley, including McAllen, while excluding voters from the San Antonio area.
Given the push for redistricting and the pressure Trump exerted on Texas GOP leaders to pursue the unusual redraw, some Republicans are left puzzled by his decision to pardon Cuellar.
Susan Storey Rubio, chair of the La Salle County Republican Party, expressed her disappointment, stating, “We genuinely believed that justice would prevail. We were hopeful the Cuellar era was coming to an end.”
Immediately following the pardon, Storey Rubio felt concerned about the Republicans’ prospects in District 28. However, she now believes the pardon could potentially invigorate both Democrats and Republicans in their efforts against Cuellar.
In the days following the pardon, Trump expressed his displeasure on Truth Social regarding Cuellar’s decision to run for reelection with the Democratic Party, implying he may have anticipated Cuellar switching parties in exchange for clemency.
Even though Cuellar is regarded as one of the more conservative Democrats in Congress, Wilson questioned Trump’s expectation of a party switch from Cuellar. “Why did Trump think Cuellar would switch?” she asked. “It seemed very unwise.”
Jorge Tovar, a pastor and vice chair of the Webb County Republican Party, expressed confidence that the Republican nominee will prevail in District 28 next year. He framed the pardon as a reminder to Republicans of the importance of hard work in their efforts to flip the seat.
“I don’t think it will affect us at all,” he asserted. “We need to consistently work hard and mobilize our voters.”
Disclosure: The University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley has provided financial support to the Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters do not influence the Tribune’s journalism. A complete list of supporters can be found here.
Learn about the Texas Tribune’s policies, including its partnership with The Trust Project to enhance transparency in news reporting.
You have read articles this month and have unlimited free articles remaining as there is no paywall.
Texans deserve the truth. Help us report it.
Independent reporting in Texas relies on your support. The Texas Tribune provides fact-based journalism for Texans, by Texans — and our community of members, the readers who contribute, make our work possible. Help us deliver in-depth news and information to you and millions of others. Will you support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation of any amount?
Support Independent Texas News. Become a member. Join today. Independent reporting in Texas needs your support. The Texas Tribune provides fact-based journalism for Texans, by Texans — and our community of members, the readers who contribute, make our work possible. Help us deliver in-depth news and information to you and millions of others. Will you support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation of any amount?
$18 $20 $25 Other Donate Now You have read articles this month and have unlimited free articles remaining because we don’t have a paywall.
Texans need the truth.
