Mayra Flores to challenge Henry Cuellar in the 28th District

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Former Rep. Mayra Flores, a Republican who is the first Mexican-born woman to serve in Congress, announced on Tuesday that she has switched districts to challenge Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, in 2026 as Cuellar awaits the start of his criminal trial.

Less than three hours after her campaign launched on social media, Flores’ team announced that the former congresswoman has been hospitalized.

“We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue her unwavering commitment to serving our country,” the team wrote on X.

Flores has been discharged from the hospital, according to a sister who responded to questions from The Texas Tribune.

A statement Tuesday evening from the campaign said that Flores is “now fully recovering and feeling stronger than ever” and will be back on the campaign trail soon. These statements did not provide additional details.

Flores, 39, represented Texas’s 34th district for about six months after she won a special election in June 2022.

She lost her reelection in November 2022 to Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen. The pair ran against each other again in 2024 — when Flores lost by less than three percentage points.

She immigrated to the United States, where she is now a citizen, at six years old, her campaign website says.

On the website, Flores said she is “fighting for a better future for the children of South Texas,” and listed her top campaign issues including securing the border, strengthening the economy and giving parents choices regarding their children’s education.

“This campaign is driven by a love for our country and a commitment to fight for justice, opportunity, and unity for all,” Flores wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Justice Department indicted Cuellar, 69, on charges of alleged bribery, money laundering and working on behalf of the Azebaijani government and a Mexican Bank. The indictment, which was unsealed in May 2024, alleges that Cuellar accepted almost $600,000 bribes in return for his influence from December 2014 through November 2021.

His trial is scheduled to begin in September.

The congressman has maintained his innocence and has said that his actions are consistent with those of his congressional colleagues.

Cuellar, who represents the 28th district, won his reelection in 2024, by just under six percentage points, after the Republican party did little to raise money for or advertise their candidate.

However, the National Republican Congressional Committee placed Cuellar’s seat on a list of 26 target “pick-up opportunities” in the 2026 midterm election as the party aims to grow its slim majority in the House of Representatives.

Berenice Garcia contributed to this report.

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