Republicans seeking to demonstrate their gains among Latino voters in South Texas have made a big investment in flipping Texas’ 34th District in a special election Tuesday, even though a win for the GOP could be short-lived because the district has been redrawn to more heavily favor Democrats in November.
Still, Republicans see the race as a chance to build momentum for the midterms, when the district is one of five South Texas open seats and districts held by Democrats the GOP has targeted for a takeover. And some Democrats in the region are worried that the comparatively lackluster investment from their side in Tuesday’s contest could help the GOP gain a foothold in the region.
“It’s a golden opportunity for Republicans to consolidate recent gains and build upon them, and it would be a sign of confidence in what Republicans have been doing in terms of investment and outreach in south Texas,” said Texas-based GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak.
