CD 28: Enriquez Getting Some Attention

Although the November election is barely a month away, there has almost been a total absence of any campaign news from Congressional District 28, one of several districts reconfigured by the court after the 2003 Redistricting map was declared unconstitutional.

The ‘new’ 28th, which includes much more of the eastern Rio Grande Valley and unifies Laredo.

The absence of election news from the district seemed to end this weekend, with Frank Enriquez (D-McAllen), the Democrat challenging Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), getting some press from the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise:

Congressional candidate Frank Enriquez told local Democrats on Thursday that he would better represent their values and ideas in Washington than current U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar.

[...]

Enriquez said he decided to run against Cuellar, who is seeking his second term, because he feels a change is needed in Washington.

“I think the nation as a whole is tired of the policies we are on right now — the road that we are on, and [Cuellar] has been part of that,” Enriquez said. “In Congress, [Cuellar] has voted with the Republican policies, and I think on the whole, the nation wants a different road for us to be on.”

Since Cuellar has aligned himself with Republicans by campaigning for President George Bush in 2000 and serving as Gov. Rick Perry’s secretary of state, Enriquez said he is the one who will uphold true Democratic values.

“I think that there is only going to be one Democrat on the ballot this November, and that Democrat you are looking at,” Enriquez said.

It’s worth noting that this is probably one of a select few races in the nation right now where both anti-incumbency and anti-Bush sentiment can be tied together for use against a Democrat.

With Cuellar being an incumbent who has supported a number of administration policies, this is a strategy that could gain leverage for Enriquez. However, given that Bush still seems to have a good Hispanic following in the Valley, it could also backfire. But, it will be interesting to watch.

Of course, the Mainstream Media isn’t giving this race much attention; it’s not anticipated that Cuellar will be unseated.

However, stranger things have happened. Depending upon turnout and how many votes the wingnut Constitution Party candidate in the race gets, a runoff is even possible, though highly unlikely.

This is a race that could and should drive up Democratic votes statewide in November. If Cuellar takes the challenge seriously (and he should), he should get his ‘machine’ out there to boost turnout. However, if Cuellar were to do something like endorse Rick Perry (which is one of several rumors-of-the-moment coming out of this district) increased pro-Cuellar turnout could really put things out of whack.

I don’t think Cuellar’s going to endorse Perry; as popular as Rick Perry thinks he is (and likes to pretend he is with endorsements) in the Rio Grande Valley, he’s no savior down there. A Cuellar endorsement of Perry would do more to hurt Cuellar than it would help Perry.