Texas Democrats Defy Redistricting as Garcia Wins Redrawn 35th District

Texas Democrats just pulled off a major upset. Johnny Garcia, a Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy, is projected to win the newly redrawn 35th Congressional District on Tuesday. He beat Carlos De La Cruz, an Air Force veteran who carried the weight of President Donald Trump’s endorsement. The result stuns many in the GOP because they spent years reshaping this map specifically to flip this seat from blue to red.

Garcia confirmed the victory on X after De La Cruz called to concede. "Carlos De La Cruz just called and conceded the race, and I thanked him for a hard fought campaign," Garcia wrote. "I'm grateful to the voters of TX-35 for their trust. Whether or not you voted for me, I'll fight to lower your costs, make healthcare affordable, and keep our community safe. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!"

The loss hits hard for Texas Republicans. Their mid-decade redistricting strategy aimed to tighten their grip on the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms. In 2025, Republican lawmakers dramatically reshaped the district at Trump's urging. They took a Democratic stronghold and twisted it into territory that favored Trump by roughly 10 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. The maneuver also displaced the district’s incumbent, Democratic Rep. Greg Casar. He chose to seek election in the newly configured 37th Congressional District rather than defend his former seat.

The new 35th District covers portions of San Antonio and surrounding communities in Bexar County and neighboring counties. This race pitted two candidates with sharply different backgrounds against one another. De La Cruz, a 20-year Air Force veteran and former gym owner, entered the general election with Trump’s endorsement and a prominent family connection to Washington. His sister, GOP Rep. Monica De La Cruz, represents Texas' 15th Congressional District.

Garcia, a longtime Bexar County sheriff's deputy, campaigned as a moderate, law-and-order Democrat. He emphasized working families and household costs in his appeal to voters. Both candidates emerged from competitive May primary runoffs. De La Cruz defeated Republican state Rep. John Lujan, while Garcia overcame Democratic rival Maureen Galindo.

The district’s Hispanic-majority electorate placed the race at the center of a broader political question. Could Republicans sustain Trump's 2024 gains among Hispanic voters in a midterm election without the president himself on the ballot? The outcome suggests the answer is complicated.

This result carries implications beyond South Texas. It tests whether redistricting can translate favorable presidential voting patterns into congressional victories or whether candidate appeal and changing voter priorities can disrupt those calculations. With control of the House at stake nationally, this race became one of several Texas battlegrounds drawing attention from both parties. The map didn't work. The voters decided otherwise.