Eric Flores Launches GOP Bid to Flip Texas 34th District in 2026 Midterms

In a bold move for South Texas, Army veteran and former federal prosecutor Eric Flores has thrown his hat into the ring for Congress in Texas' 34th Congressional District, a key battleground stretching along the Gulf Coast from near Corpus Christi to the Mexican border. With a video message packed with grit, Flores declared, "We need fewer politicians and more fighters who will put our communities first." His pledge? To stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump and deliver for South Texas every single day.

This district, encompassing Brownsville and parts of McAllen, is a prime target for Republicans aiming to flip seats in the 2026 midterms. It’s been trending red—while Biden carried it by 15 points in 2020, Trump clinched it by nearly five in 2024. Yet, Democrats held their ground in last year’s Senate race, with Colin Allred besting Ted Cruz by six points. The incumbent, Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, seems on shaky ground after narrowly fending off GOP challenger Mayra Flores in 2024 by just 2.5 points.

Flores, a Spanish-speaking native of the Rio Grande Valley, brings a resume that reads like a patriot’s playbook. A former Army captain who commanded troops along the U.S.-Mexico border during Operation Guardian Support, he’s also a hard-hitting ex-assistant U.S. attorney who took down cartel operatives and human traffickers, earning two U.S. Attorney’s Awards. Now a litigation partner defending Texas municipalities, Flores isn’t mincing words about the state of his community. "Every day, I see how broken policies hurt our community," he said, slamming career politicians for neglecting the Valley.

With a clear nod to Trump’s outsider appeal, Flores is positioning himself as the bold, principled leader South Texas needs. As the only major Republican in the upcoming primary, he’s already got the attention of party brass. If his fighter’s spirit translates to votes, this swing district could be the next domino to fall in the GOP’s quest for House dominance.