Texas House District 34 2026

Compare candidates running in this Texas federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

Eric Flores

Party: Republican

Vicente Gonzalez Jr.

Party: Democrat

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Texas House District 34

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 10, 2026
📊Polling
Limited public polling available as of April 2026. Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rate this as highly competitive.
toss up★ Flip Potential— Inside Elections / Cook Political Report (as of November 2025)

This South Texas district is one of only 13 nationwide that elected a Democrat while being carried by Trump in 2024. It is a key Republican target to maintain House majority control. The 2025 redistricting made the district more favorable to Republicans, with Trump gaining an additional 5 points under the new map.

Eric FloresR
Vicente Gonzalez Jr.D

Summary

Eric Flores is a Republican lawyer and U.S. Army veteran from Mission, Texas. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from Texas Southern University. He served as a U.S. Army infantry officer, achieving the rank of captain, and later served in the Texas Army National Guard, commanding soldiers during Operation Guardian Support along the southern border. He is a former assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, where he prosecuted cartel-connected and human trafficking operations, securing the conviction of one of Texas's 'Top Ten' most-wanted fugitives. He also served as a municipal judge in Alton, Texas. Currently, he is a partner at a statewide legal firm where he leads the litigation department, defending municipalities and school districts. He is married with two children.

Vicente Gonzalez Jr., born September 4, 1967, in Corpus Christi, Texas, is a lawyer and lifelong South Texas resident. He earned his J.D. from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 1996 and established a private law practice in 1997. He represents the 34th Congressional District, which extends along the Gulf Coast from Brownsville to Corpus Christi. Gonzalez is considered a conservative Democrat and serves as co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition. He was first elected to Congress in 2016 from the 15th district and was redistricted to the 34th in 2022, where he defeated Republican Mayra Flores. He serves on the House Committee on Financial Services.

View Eric Flores's Full Profile →View Vicente Gonzalez Jr.'s Full Profile →

Campaign Promises

Immigration
  • Secure the border
Defense
  • Support law enforcement
  • Advocate for veterans
Economy
  • Lower costs and improve economy
  • Ensure U.S. energy independence
Other
  • Defend Second Amendment
  • Stand with President Trump
Economy
  • Lower costs and economic opportunity
Healthcare
  • Affordable healthcare
Defense
  • Support for veterans
Education
  • Education investment

Key Issue Positions

Border security and immigration
Strong border security enforcement with emphasis on stopping cartels and human trafficking
As former federal prosecutor, emphasized prosecuting cartel-connected operations and human smuggling; campaign focuses on 'Secure the Border' as top priority
Law enforcement and public safety
Strong supporter of law enforcement; critical of sanctuary city policies
Campaign emphasizes supporting law enforcement and veterans; critical messaging about Democratic policies allowing criminals to remain free
Healthcare
Reform healthcare system while protecting benefits
Calls Affordable Care Act a 'failure' but supports extending ACA premium tax credits with reforms; prioritizes lowering healthcare costs
Energy independence
Support U.S. energy independence
Listed as campaign priority on official website
Healthcare
Strong supporter of Affordable Care Act protections
Advocates for maintaining ACA tax credits and expanding access to affordable healthcare; has brought $303.4M in federal healthcare funding to the district
Immigration
Bipartisan approach with fairness and due process emphasis
Advocates for fair immigration policy rooted in 'fairness, dignity, and common sense'; opposed detentions of DACA recipients during renewal process
Border security and law enforcement
Supports securing border while protecting civil liberties
Advocates for protection of Fourth Amendment rights during enforcement; co-sponsored legislation on border security and law enforcement funding

Top Donors

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

Contradictions

No contradictions documented.

Claim: Gonzalez stated after the 2024 election: 'We need to soften our support for transgender rights' and called Democrats 'lazy' and 'out of touch' on abortion
Contradiction: In his official campaign messaging for 2026, Gonzalez emphasizes 'creating job and education opportunities for South Texas families and pushing for affordable health care' without mentioning transgender or abortion issues
Claim: Gonzalez compared Hispanic Trump supporters to 'Jews for Hitler' during a campaign
Contradiction: When criticized, Gonzalez stood by the comment, saying 'I don't understand how Mexican Americans can vote for Trump' and explained the comparison was meant as a warning about a 'tyrant'

What Opponents Say

Vicente Gonzalez

Flores represents Republican policies that will hurt South Texas families

Gonzalez emphasized his focus on creating job and education opportunities while criticizing Republican/Flores alignment with 'Washington Republicans' making life harder

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)

'While Eric Flores cares about himself, Vicente Gonzalez cares about Texans'

DCCC attack ad launched after Flores won primary; contrasts Gonzalez's track record with Flores' 'lock-step' alignment with Washington Republicans

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)

Gonzalez's 'open borders agenda' led to the death of a Loyola University student; a Venezuelan criminal released under Biden was allowed to remain free under Gonzalez's sanctuary city policies

NRCC attack ad launched March 23, 2026; claims Gonzalez's policies created public safety crisis

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)

Gonzalez voted to defund law enforcement and block pay for TSA workers

Attack ad launched March 30, 2026; references his vote against HR 7147 DHS funding bill

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)

Gonzalez voted to tie President Trump's hands and weaken America's ability to defend against Iran, despite acknowledging Iran as the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism

Attack ad launched March 9, 2026; references contradictory votes on Iran policy

Eric Flores

Gonzalez is 'out of touch' and represents 'failed leadership'

General campaign messaging from Republican challenger; based on NRCC talking points about Gonzalez being ranked as one of the most vulnerable Democrats

Endorsements

President Donald Trumpindividual
Governor Greg Abbottindividual
National Border Patrol Councilorganization
American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)organization
Democrats Work for Americaorganization