Just 177 Votes Ahead, Pro-Life Democrat Henry Cuellar Declares Victory Over Progressive Challenger – But a Recount Is All But Certain

Kipp JonesMay 25th, 2022, 1:29 am
 

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Long-serving Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) has declared victory over his primary runoff challenger Jessica Cisneros.

With a 177-vote lead and presumably provisional ballots outstanding, the Texas Democrat tweeted he had seen enough.

But as Ben Wermund with the Houston Chronicle noted, this race is in recount territory.

Additionally, no outlet or election forecaster has called the race yet. The slim margin claimed by Cuellar offers Cisneros the opportunity to demand a recount, should the incumbent keep his lead.

Cueller is the Democratic Party’s lone abortion opponent in the House. He came into Tuesday with the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC).

Cisneros, meanwhile, had the support of progressive lawmakers Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

The race was believed by some to have been metric to test the political fallout of last month’s leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on the fate of Roe v. Wade.

Vox reported:

Cuellar, a nine-term Congressman and longtime fixture in his South Texas district, is now the last standing House Democrat who has taken anti-abortion stances. Cuellar’s challenger, progressive Jessica Cisneros, has blasted him on the issue, arguing that “he could very much be the deciding vote on the future of our reproductive rights and we cannot afford to take that risk.”

Though Cisneros and her allies are working to ensure abortion rights shape the race, it’s not yet clear to what extent the issue will affect people’s votes. While Democratic strategists say the fight for abortion rights has energized a segment of voters in the region, Cuellar — whose campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment — has said his views are in line with those in the district.

An analysis of race by the Texas Tribune noted Cuellar’s position with voters was weakened by the Roe v. Wade draft leak, as well as questions about the congressman after his home was raided by the FBI in January.

Cisneros used the raid to raise money for her campaign. Little is known about the raid, but CBS News reported an attorney for Cuellar claimed the congressman was not the target of an investigation.

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