In a recent incident drawing significant attention, South Texas Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Pulido has come under scrutiny for his association with Frankie Caballero, an accordion player who is a registered sex offender. Caballero was convicted of indecent contact with an eight-year-old girl, prompting criticism from Pulido’s Republican opponent, Rep. Monica De La Cruz.
Pulido is contesting the seat in Texas’ 15th Congressional District, a region with a majority Hispanic population stretching from McAllen to the rural areas east of San Antonio. The district notably supported President Donald Trump by an 18 percentage point margin in the last election. Pulido, a well-known Tejano singer who gained fame in the 1990s, has generated enthusiasm among Democrats both locally and nationally.
The details of Caballero’s past were initially highlighted by the New York Post, revealing that he had performed alongside Pulido multiple times, including after his conviction in 2014.
In response to the controversy, Pulido’s campaign manager stated that the candidate was unaware of Caballero’s criminal record. “Bobby extends his deepest sympathies and support to all of the victims involved,” said campaign manager Abel Prado. “Frankie Caballero has long struggled with addiction issues, and Bobby has tried to help him with that battle.”
Prado clarified that once Pulido’s team discovered Caballero’s criminal background in 2021, they immediately terminated his relationship with him. “Bobby was never made aware of Caballero’s sex offender registration and would never knowingly associate with anyone with that kind of history,” he asserted.
The campaign manager further noted that Caballero was hired by Pulido’s management company, which did not perform a background check, in line with standard industry practices.
Republican opponents, including De La Cruz, have seized upon this news, alleging it reflects poorly on Pulido’s character. “My heart goes out to the children who were sexually abused by a close friend and professional associate of Bobby Pulido,” De La Cruz stated. “Despite being caught on tape admitting he knew of this man’s criminality and praising him as recently as November, Mr. Pulido now falsely claims to have been unaware of his crimes. These are not South Texas values.”
In a November interview with the Houston Chronicle, Pulido had commented on Caballero’s musical talent, referring to him as a “prolific accordion player” who was brought in to replace a missing keyboard player during the recording of his 1995 hit “Desvelado.”
Christian Martinez, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, criticized Pulido’s judgment, stating, “Bobby Pulido’s pattern is clear: bad judgment, worse excuses, and zero accountability. Texans deserve someone who can be trusted to protect their families, not someone who spent years sharing the stage with a band of pedophiles and now wants Texans to believe he had no idea.”
Pulido has embraced his musical legacy and outsider status while campaigning, even amid criticism regarding his past social media activity, which includes sexist remarks and links to explicit content. Republicans have pointed to a music video in which he portrays a questionable character as further evidence of his alleged moral failings.
Defending himself, Pulido described the music video as a parody aimed at satirizing Latin artist Elvis Crespo. He dismissed Republican attacks as “cheap,” emphasizing that much of his humor in Spanish does not translate well into English, illustrating a disconnect with the culture. “I’ve been in the music business for 30 years and never had a scandal — and I’m proud of that,” Pulido stated. “Needless to say, they’re very worried about losing this seat.”
Following redistricting, the boundaries of the 15th Congressional District have shifted, yet the political landscape remains similar. De La Cruz previously secured the seat by 14% in the 2024 election, but Democrats are optimistic about Pulido’s potential to attract Hispanic voters back to their party. A poll conducted by a Democratic group last fall indicated that Pulido is trailing De La Cruz by just 3% in the race.
