Mayra Flores Explained

Mayra Flores
State:Texas
Term Start:June 21, 2022
Term End:January 3, 2023
Predecessor:Filemon Vela Jr.
Successor:Vicente Gonzalez (redistricting)
Birth Name:Mayra Nohemi Flores
Birth Date:1 January 1986
Birth Place:Burgos, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Party:Republican (2008–present)
Democratic (until 2008)
Spouse:John Vallejo
Children:4
Education:South Texas College (BAS)

Mayra Nohemi Flores (born January 1, 1986) is an American politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives from 2022 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, she was the first female Mexican-born member of the House.

Flores was born in Burgos, Tamaulipas, Mexico; her family moved to the United States when she was six years old before she gained citizenship at age 14. She graduated from San Benito High School and South Texas College. Before her congressional campaign, she worked as a respiratory therapist and as chair of Hispanic outreach for the Hidalgo County Republican Party. In June 2022, a special election in Texas's 34th congressional district was held after Democratic Representative Filemon Vela Jr. resigned. Flores won the election, defeating three other candidates.

Flores lost her campaign for a full term in the November 2022 midterm elections to Democrat Vicente Gonzalez in the district that was redrawn that year.[1] She then ran in 2024 for the same seat against Gonzalez and lost again.

Early life and education

Mayra Nohemi Flores was born on January 1, 1986, in Burgos, Tamaulipas, Mexico, to migrant farmworkers. Her family moved to the U.S. when she was six years old and she gained citizenship at 14. She graduated from San Benito High School in 2004.[2] [3] Her family often moved yearly throughout Texas during her childhood because of her and her parents' work picking cotton, which began in Memphis, Texas, when she was 13.[4] [5] She graduated from South Texas College in 2019.[4]

Early political career

Flores's parents supported the Democratic Party, but she was drawn to the Republican Party due to her anti-abortion views. She has said that she was previously a Democrat, but left the party shortly after voting for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.[6] [7]

Before her congressional campaigns and shortly after graduating from college, Flores worked in the Hidalgo County Republican Party as chair of Hispanic outreach.[8] [4] In 2022, she organized pro-Trump caravans through the Rio Grande Valley.[9] Before her election to Congress, Flores used hashtags associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory on an Instagram post, though she has denied ever being a supporter of QAnon.[3] In tweets that she later deleted, Flores also promoted the false claim that the 2021 United States Capitol attack was "set up" by antifa members among the crowd during the riot.[10]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2022 special

See also: 2022 Texas's 34th congressional district special election. Flores declared her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in after incumbent Democratic representative Filemon Vela Jr. announced in March 2021 that he would not seek reelection in 2022.[11] [12] She ran her campaign appealing to Hispanic and Latino Americans and their disillusionment with the Democratic Party, which they have historically supported in South Texas.[13] Following the establishment of new congressional districts as a part of the 2020 redistricting cycle, incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez of the announced his candidacy for the new 34th district.[14] On March 1, 2022, Flores and Gonzalez won their respective partisan primaries and faced each other in the general election on November 8, 2022.[15]

In March 2022, Vela announced his early resignation from Congress.[16] Shortly after his announcement, Flores declared her candidacy in the special election on June 14, 2022, to fill the vacancy.[17] Gonzalez did not run in the special election.[18] Flores's campaign focused on her family, the economy, border security, and her upbringing as the daughter of immigrants.[19] During the special election, Flores reported $752,000 in contributions, while Democrat Dan Sanchez of Harlingen reported $46,000. Turnout was incredibly low at only 7.3% of registered voters participating in the election.[20] Flores defeated Sanchez with 50.91% of the vote to Sanchez's 43.37%, avoiding a runoff.[21] She is the first Mexican-born woman elected to serve in Congress.[3] [21] [22] [23]

2022 general

In her general election campaign against Democrat Vincente Gonzalez, Flores was targeted with racist and sexist comments; a blogger paid by the Gonzalez campaign called her "Miss Frijoles", "Miss Enchiladas", and a "cotton-pickin' liar".[24] Gonzalez and district Democrats condemned these comments. Gonzalez also called Flores "unqualified" and claimed she could not "think or speak for herself", criticisms that were called sexist.[25] [26]

In the November 8 general election, Gonzalez defeated Flores to become the next Representative for the 34th District.

2024

On July 11, 2023, Flores announced a campaign to retake the 34th district in the 2024 election.[27]

In what the Texas Tribune called "a bizarre micro-scandal", in January 2024 Flores was accused by a social media user of stealing photos of food and presenting them as her own on her campaign's social media accounts. Flores initially blocked critics and changed the name of her social media account, but later said she had "no intention to mislead" and that the photos reminded her of her childhood upbringing in Mexico.[28] [29] The pictures included Guyanese roti, mislabeled as Mexican gorditas, and photos from a Guatemalan magazine.[30]

Despite the minor scandal, dubbed "Grubgate", she prevailed in a contested primary election on March 5, 2024.[31] She received millions of dollars of campaign funding from other House Republicans and increased Republican voter turnout, but lost the election against incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez in the November general election by 5137 votes, 2.6% of the total.[32] Flores has campaigned in churches in potential violation of federal regulations.[33]

Tenure

Flores was sworn in by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on June 21, 2022.[34] Three days later, Flores spoke out about the Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization which overturned Roe v. Wade, calling the decision a "big win" and a "dream come true".[35]

In June 2022, Flores voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.[36]

In July 2022, The New York Times published an article about Flores's election, calling her a "far-right Latina". Flores responded to the article, saying The New York Times knew "nothing about me or our culture" and that "I have received only hate from the liberal media".[37] [38] The article was also criticized by Ted Cruz and Laura Ingraham, among others.[39] [40]

On July 19, 2022, Flores voted against the Respect for Marriage Act.[41]

Political positions

Flores supports religious freedom, school choice, and abortion bans. She opposes same-sex marriage.She backed former President Trump publicly and raised doubts about the results of the 2020 election.[42]

Committee assignments

Flores' committee assignments included:[43]

Personal life

Flores has worked as a respiratory therapist.[4] She is married to John Vallejo, a U.S. Border Patrol agent, with whom she has four children.[3]

See also

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gamboa . Suzanne . 8 November 2022 . Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez defeats GOP candidate Mayra Flores in TX . 2022-11-09 . NBC News . en.
  2. Web site: FLORES, Mayra. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. June 22, 2022. June 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220622172450/https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/F000473. live.
  3. News: Texas Republican Mayra Flores gets a boost in quest to be first U.S. congresswoman born in Mexico . April 11, 2022 . April 7, 2022 . May 30, 2022 . Cayla . Harris . . June 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617015826/https://www.expressnews.com/news/legislature/article/Texas-Republican-Mayra-Flores-gets-a-boost-in-17063044.php . live .
  4. News: Medina . Jennifer . March 1, 2022 . February 28, 2022 . How Immigration Politics Drives Some Hispanic Voters to the G.O.P. in Texas . . live . May 30, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220531071139/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/us/politics/border-grievance-politics.html . May 31, 2022.
  5. Harris, Cayla. What to know about Texas Republican Mayra Flores, the first congresswoman-elect born in Mexico, San Antonio Express-News, June 15, 2022.
  6. News: Hennessy-Fiske. Molly. 'We've only started': How Latino support for Trump grew in Texas borderlands. Los Angeles Times. 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20220301103630/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-11-12/latino-support-grew-for-trump-on-the-texas-border. 1 March 2022.
  7. News: Reston. Maeve. Chavez. Nicole. Democrats look to win back Latino voters after Trump's inroads in South Texas. CNN. 28 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20220409133502/https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/27/politics/latino-voters-texas-democrats-trump/index.html. 9 April 2022.
  8. News: Too many lawyers: GOP lawmaker spearheads PAC to elect blue-collar Americans to Congress . . May 25, 2022 . May 30, 2022 . Mica . Soellner . June 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617015829/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/may/25/gop-lawmaker-pac-elect-blue-collar-congress-kat-ca/ . live .
  9. Web site: Medina . Jennifer . The Rise of the Far-Right Latina . The New York Times . 6 July 2022 . 6 July 2022.
  10. News: Newly elected GOP congresswoman spread Capitol riot conspiracies and QAnon hashtags in now-deleted tweets. Andrew. Kaczynski. CNN. June 23, 2022. June 23, 2022. June 23, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220623220743/https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/23/politics/mayra-flores-capitol-riot-qanon-kfile/. live.
  11. Web site: Nichols. Hans. Rep. Filemon Vela to retire from House ahead of Texas redistricting. March 22, 2021. Axios. March 22, 2021. April 11, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220411194739/https://www.axios.com/filemon-vela-retire-house-congress-texas-3cb0917c-6e21-4a35-95ac-0d189e799fde.html. live.
  12. Web site: March 26, 2021. South Texas emerges as political hotbed after Democrats underperformed there in 2020. April 6, 2021. The Texas Tribune. April 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411100215/https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/26/south-texas-elections-republicans-democrats/. live.
  13. News: Latinas Are Pushing a Political Revolution in South Texas—to the Right . . May 31, 2022 . May 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220520214625/https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/republican-latinas-rio-grande-valley/ . live .
  14. News: Svitek. Patrick. October 26, 2021. U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez will run for a different House seat in 2022 after redistricting made his more competitive. The Texas Tribune. live. October 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211026225453/https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/23/vicente-gonzalez-congress-redistricting-2022/. October 26, 2021.
  15. News: Unofficial election results: Vicente Gonzalez, Mayra Flores win nominations in District 34 race . . March 1, 2022 . May 30, 2022 . June 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617015829/https://www.krgv.com/videos/unofficial-election-results-vicente-gonzalez-mayra-flores-win-nominations-in-district-34-race/ . live .
  16. News: Livingston . Abby . March 24, 2022 . U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela will resign early from Congress . . live . March 24, 2022 . https://archive.today/20220324141821/https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/24/filemon-vela-resign/ . March 24, 2022.
  17. News: U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela's resignation announcement sparks a sudden special-election scramble in hotly contested South Texas . . March 24, 2022 . May 30, 2022 . Patrick . Svitek . May 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220525153309/https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/24/south-texas-congressional-special-election/ . live .
  18. Web site: Texas election is GOP's chance to prove how midterm winds are blowing . Rollcall.com . April 11, 2022 . June 15, 2022 . June 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613195428/https://rollcall.com/2022/04/11/texas-election-is-gops-chance-to-prove-how-midterm-winds-are-blowing/ . live .
  19. Web site: Svitek . Patrick . How Mayra Flores flipped a Rio Grande Valley congressional seat and gave Republicans hope for a new era in South Texas . . June 16, 2022 . en . June 16, 2022 . June 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220616030234/https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/15/republicans-flip-house-seat-south-texas-mayra-flores/ . live .
  20. News: Harris . Cayla . 2022-06-15 . Republican Mayra Flores flips South Texas district to become first Mexican-born congresswoman . 2023-09-18 . Houston Chronicle . en-US.
  21. Svitek, Patrick. Republicans flip U.S. House seat in South Texas, historically a Democratic stronghold, Texas Tribune, June 14, 2022.
  22. Web site: Mayra Flores becomes the first Mexican-born woman sworn in to Congress. June 22, 2022 . CNN. July 1, 2022. June 30, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220630001106/https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/21/politics/mayra-flores-first-mexican-born-woman-congress/index.html. live.
  23. Web site: Texas lawmaker first Mexican-born woman to join Congress. June 22, 2022 . KKTV. July 1, 2022. June 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220624010857/https://www.kktv.com/2022/06/22/texas-lawmaker-first-mexican-born-woman-join-congress/. live.
  24. Web site: Blogger with ties to Vicente Gonzalez lobs racist attack at his congressional opponent Mayra Flores . The Texas Tribune. July 19, 2022 .
  25. Web site: Caputo . Marc . 'Miss Frijoles' attack roils Latino-heavy congressional race in Texas . NBC News . July 19, 2022 . en . July 19, 2022.
  26. Web site: Morris . Kyle . 2022-10-15 . Dem candidate running in contentious House race says his female opponent can't 'think' or 'speak' for herself . 2022-10-25 . Fox News . en-US.
  27. News: Svitek. Patrick. Republican Mayra Flores announces bid to retake South Texas congressional seat. 2023-07-11. The Texas Tribune. 2024-01-07.
  28. News: Downen . Robert . Former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores accused of cribbing others’ pictures of Mexican food as her own cooking . 23 November 2024 . The Texas Tribune . 3 January 2024 . en.
  29. News: Muzaffar. Maroosha. Ex-GOP lawmaker sparks 'grubgate' controversy after she's accused of posting stolen food photos. 2024-01-05. The Independent. 2024-10-28.
  30. News: Paúl. María Luisa. 2024-01-08. A former congresswoman posted food pics online. 'Grubgate' ensued.. The Washington Post. 2024-10-28.
  31. News: Abrams. Cameron. Mayra Flores Takes Republican Primary, Setting Up Rematch Against Democratic Congressman Vicente Gonzalez. The Texan. 2024-03-06. 2024-03-14.
  32. News: Garcia. Berenice. Vicente Gonzalez defeats Mayra Flores to hold onto South Texas congressional district. 2024-11-05. The Texas Tribune. 2024-11-13.
  33. News: Gonzalez . Michael . 2024-11-04 . Texas House candidate campaigning in churches, in potential legal violation . 2024-11-04 . . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  34. Web site: Gillman. Todd J.. 21 June 2022 . South Texas Republican Mayra Flores sworn in as newest member of Congress . 21 June 2022 . Dallas News . en . 21 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220621223637/https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/06/21/south-texas-republican-mayra-flores-sworn-in-as-newest-member-of-congress/ . live .
  35. News: . New Texas Rep. Mayra Flores on Roe v. Wade reversal: 'We have to start valuing life'. 24 June 2022. Fox News. 26 June 2022. 26 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220626161245/https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-texas-mayra-flores-roe-v-wade-reversal-start-valuing-life. live.
  36. News: Taylor. Steve. Flores is sole border Rep. to vote against Cornyn's gun safety legislation. Rio Grande Guardian. 26 June 2022.
  37. News: Parks . Kristine . 6 July 2022. Mayra Flores fires back after New York Times calls her 'far-right Latina': Paper knows 'nothing about me' . 20 July 2022. Fox News . en-US.
  38. News: Glebova. Diana. 6 July 2022. GOP Congresswoman Mayra Flores Responds to 'Far-Right Latina' Attack in New York Times . 20 July 2022 . National Review . en-US.
  39. Web site: Bedard. Paul. 6 July 2022. The New York Times label of Mayra Flores as 'far-right Latina' draws GOP fire . 20 July 2022. Washington Examiner . en.
  40. What the Hispanic community is worried about: Rep Mayra Flores. 7 June 2022. Fox News.
  41. News: Moreno. Gaby. Rep. Mayra Flores votes against bill protecting gay marriage. Valley central. 20 July 2022 .
  42. Web site: The RED WAVE did not happen: Texas Republican Mayra Flores projected to lose House seat. November 9, 2022. November 23, 2022. CBS News.
  43. Web site: Committees and Caucuses Congresswoman Mayra Flores . 2022-08-17 . flores.house.gov . en.

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