Elections Henry Cuellar

cuellar spent of part of 2003 preparing rematch against bonilla. 2003 texas redistricting, however, shifted of laredo, had been heart of 23rd since creation in 1966, 28th district, represented ciro rodriguez. cuellar challenged rodriguez, former friend, nomination , won fifty-eight votes. washington post described campaign nasty ... cuellar claiming rodriguez awol congressman, while rodriguez called cuellar political opportunist.” initial count gave rodriguez 145-vote lead, after recount cuellar led 58 votes. “rodriguez filed lawsuit questioning eligibility of hundreds of votes. state appeals court ruling against rodriguez guaranteed cuellar nomination.” cuellar s victory 1 of 2 primary upsets of incumbents, either party, in entire country.

the 28th district leans far more democratic 23rd, , cuellar s victory in general election foregone conclusion. in november, defeated republican jim hopson of seguin 20-point margin, becoming first laredoan in on 20 years elected represent 28th district of texas. cuellar s election house in 2004 standout democrats in year in republicans otherwise gained seats in texas delegation in u.s. house of representatives.

2006

on march 7, 2006, cuellar again defeated rodriguez in democratic primary 52 percent of vote in three-way race. no republican attempted file, ostensibly assuring him of reelection in november.

on june 29, u.s. supreme court declared texas legislature had violated rights of latino voters when shifted of laredo out of 23rd , replaced several heavily republican san antonio suburbs. result, every congressional district el paso san antonio had redrawn, , primary results these districts invalidated. court drew new map in of laredo moved 28th district while south san antonio area moved 23rd. election open candidates runoff if no candidate won 50% scheduled date of general election, november 7, 2006.

in general election on november 7, 2006, cuellar had no republican opposition handily defeated ron avery of mcqueeney, chairman of conservative constitution party in guadalupe county , trial attorney , democrat frank enriquez of mcallen taking 68 percent of more 77,000 votes cast in house race.

cuellar s 2 main political rivals, bonilla , rodriguez, ran against each other in 23rd, , rodriguez won election in runoff. republican bonilla hence out of congress first time since upset election in 1992.

2008

cuellar unopposed in march 4, 2008 democratic primary.

in november 4 general election, cuellar defeated republican james taylor fish. jim fish, known, health-care administrator seventeen years while served in united states air force. taught finance @ army-baylor university graduate school of health care administration. fish, ordained southern baptist deacon, opposed same-sex marriage. fish said had decided oppose cuellar after watching congressman s exchange sheriff rick flores on border security issues on 2007 broadcast of glenn beck television program, on cnn.

cuellar received 123,310 votes (69 percent) fish s 52,394 (29 percent) , 3,715 (2 percent) libertarian ross lynn leone. in own webb county, cuellar polled 41,567 votes (90 percent) fish s 4,089 votes (9 percent).

2010

cuellar unopposed democratic nomination in 2010. motivated cuellar s votes on cap , trade , patient protection , affordable care act, 2 republicans, daniel chavez, utility company employee mission in hidalgo county, , bryan keith underwood, carpenter seguin in guadalupe county, filed party s nomination oppose cuellar in november 2 general election. underwood polled 13,599 votes (74 percent) chavez s 4,794 (26 percent).

underwood raised more funds cuellar s previous republican opponents, questions raised in underwood s hometown newspaper, seguin gazette, criminal record, included guilty plea felony criminal mischief charge, misdemeanor. underwood had refused on 1 occasion present identification law enforcement officer.

cuellar prevailed, expected, 62,055 votes (56 percent) underwood s 46,417 (42 percent). remaining 1,880 votes (2 percent) cast libertarian party candidate stephen kaat. while underwood won in guadalupe, wilson, mcmullen, , atascosa counties, cuellar s margin in own heavily democratic webb county (25,415 3,569) more enough assure him seat in incoming republican-majority house of representatives.

2012

cuellar opposed in november 6 general election republican william r. hayward , libertarian patrick hisel. hisel ran unsuccessfully libertarian in 2010 against republican u.s. representative kay granger tarrant county-based 12th district. hisel s current city of residence unknown.

guadalupe county, republican stronghold opposed cuellar reelection, removed reconfigured district 28.

cuellar defeated hayward, 112,262 (68 percent) 49,095 (30 percent). hisel polled 2 percent of vote, , green party candidate held remaining 1 percent of ballots.

2014

cuellar faced no republican opposition in 2014. webb county republican chairman randy blair of laredo criticized cuellar s vote obama health law in 2010 said gop not find opposing candidate because of cuellar s personal popularity, political longevity, cooperation republicans, , strong campaign organization.

2016

cuellar won rematch in march 1, 2016 democratic primary former republican congressional candidate william r. hayward, switched parties run again house. cuellar received 49,962 votes (89.8 percent) hayward s 5,682 votes (10.2 percent). cuellar defeated republican zeffen patrick hardin in november 8, 2016 general election, 122,086 (66.2 percent) 57,740 (31.3 percent). michael d. cary, nominee of green party, received 4,616 votes (2.5 percent).