Presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren is backing Jessica Cisneros, a South Texas lawyer challenging Rep. Henry Cuellar in 2020.
“The people of Texas’ 28th district are ready for systematic change and deserve a Democrat that will be on the side of working people; not the side of big money and obstructionist Republicans,” Warren said in a statement on Monday.
“I believe Jessica Cisneros is that fighter,” she continued. “As an immigration lawyer and daughter of small business owners growing up on the border, Jessica knows our diversity is our strength and that when progressives are unapologetic about our values and who we’re in this battle for, we win. It’s time Texans had a champion in Congress who does just that. I’m proud to support Jessica.”
Cisneros is the underdog candidate for Texas’ 28th congressional district, which stretches from San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border. Cuellar is currently serving his eighth term in Congress as the district’s representative.
“We told you the outside special interests were coming to take away local jobs,” Cuellar responded on Twitter to Warren’s endorsement. “Elizabeth Warren and our opponent share an agenda that would kill over 108,000 jobs in our region. I’m fighting back.”
Aside from Warren, Cisneros’ run is also backed by Justice Democrats, the political action group credited with helping elect freshman Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and others.
On the campaign trail, Cisneros has knocked Cuellar for frequently voting with President Trump’s agenda as well as his lack of support for Medicare for All or the Green New Deal. Cuellar has fought back, framing Cisneros’ politics as too extreme for South Texas and calling the group supporting her socialists and “not really Democrats.”
Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignal.com
