Democrat Johnny Garcia Wins Texas District 35 After GOP Redraw

Democrat Johnny Garcia is projected to win Texas’ 35th Congressional District, according to Fox News, defeating Republican Carlos De La Cruz in a seat Republicans redrew in 2025 to favor their party. The result is an early test of whether mid-decade redistricting can reliably turn a Democratic stronghold into a Republican win.

What happened

Garcia, a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy, beat De La Cruz, a 20-year Air Force veteran and former gym owner who had President Donald Trump’s endorsement. De La Cruz conceded by phone, Garcia said in a post on X, adding that he thanked his opponent for a hard-fought race.

The district was redrawn in 2025 at Trump’s urging. The new lines would have favored Trump by about 10 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, turning what had been a Democratic stronghold into Republican-leaning territory. The change also pushed the sitting Democratic representative, Greg Casar, into the newly configured 37th District, which he chose to contest instead of defending his old seat.

The new 35th District takes in parts of San Antonio and nearby communities in Bexar County and neighboring counties. Both candidates came through competitive May primary runoffs: De La Cruz beat Republican state Rep. John Lujan, and Garcia beat Democrat Maureen Galindo.

De La Cruz is the brother of Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz, who represents Texas’ 15th District. Garcia ran as a moderate, law-and-order Democrat focused on working families and household costs.

Why it matters

The race was one of several Texas battlegrounds watched nationally because control of the U.S. House is at stake in the 2026 midterms. Republicans drew the new map to strengthen their hold on the chamber; Garcia’s win suggests that favorable presidential numbers do not automatically carry over to a congressional race, especially one without Trump on the ballot.

The district’s Hispanic-majority electorate made it a test of whether Republicans can hold the gains Trump made with Hispanic voters in 2024 when he is not running himself. A Democratic win there likely signals that candidate appeal and voter priorities can outweigh a map drawn to favor the other side — though one special election is a limited sample.

Key facts at a glance

What this means for you

• If you live in the redrawn 35th District, your representative in the next Congress is set to be Garcia, not Casar.
• Voters in the new 37th District should check which candidates are on their ballot, since Casar moved there.
• For anyone following the 2026 House fight, this result is one data point suggesting redistricting is not a guaranteed win — not a final verdict.

Frequently asked questions

Who won Texas’ 35th Congressional District?

Johnny Garcia, a Democrat and Bexar County sheriff’s deputy, is projected to win, according to Fox News. His opponent, Republican Carlos De La Cruz, conceded.

Why was the district redrawn?

Republican lawmakers redrew it in 2025 at President Trump’s urging to make it more favorable to Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms. The new lines would have favored Trump by about 10 points in 2024.

What happened to Greg Casar?

Casar, the Democratic incumbent, was pushed into the new 37th District by the redraw and chose to run there rather than defend his old seat.

What to watch next

It is not yet clear how much this result signals about other redrawn districts in Texas or nationally. Watch whether Republicans adjust their midterm strategy and whether the 35th District result holds up as a pattern in other 2026 races.