Monica De La Cruz | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 15th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Vicente Gonzalez (redistricting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 11, 1974 Brownsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Johnny Hernandez
(m. 2015, divorced) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Texas, San Antonio (BBA) |
| Website | House website |
Mónica De La Cruz (born November 11, 1974)[1] is an American politician and insurance agent from the state of Texas. She has represented Texas's 15th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023. De La Cruz is the first Republican to represent Texas's 15th congressional district since its creation in 1903.[2][3]
YouTube Encyclopedic
-
1/1Views:1 585
-
Monica Olvera de la Cruz Polyhedral Geometries
Transcription
Early life and career
De La Cruz graduated from James Pace Early College High School in Brownsville, Texas, and the University of Texas at San Antonio, studying marketing.[4] She later attended the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, studying Spanish. She interned for Turner Entertainment before working for Cartoon Network Latin America.[5] She is an insurance agent and business owner and resides in the Rio Grande Valley, where she grew up.[6][7]
U.S House of Representatives
Elections
2020
In 2020, De La Cruz ran in Texas's 15th congressional district, and lost to incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez by three percentage points.[8]
2022
Endorsed by Donald Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, De La Cruz ran again in the 15th district in 2022, while Gonzalez was redistricted to Texas's 34th congressional district. De La Cruz defeated Democratic nominee Michelle Vallejo in the general election.[9][10][11][7][12] When she took office in 2023, she became only the eighth person to represent this district since its creation in 1903, and the first Republican. By a matter of a few months, she was the second Republican elected from a Rio Grande Valley in over a century; the first, Mayra Flores, was elected to a partial term in a neighboring district in 2022. De la Cruz is the first Republican elected to a full term in this area in modern times.
Caucus memberships
Committee assignment
Personal life
De La Cruz has been married twice and has two children. Her husband, Juan Gabriel Hernandez, filed for divorce in Hidalgo County District Court in 2021. He sought a restraining order against De La Cruz, alleging that she was physically and verbally abusive to her stepdaughter through divorce proceedings. De La Cruz denied the allegations.[14][15] De La Cruz is an Episcopalian.[16]
See also
References
- ^ "Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) Research Report" (PDF). October 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Herrera, Jack. Monica De La Cruz Defeats Michelle Vallejo, Flipping a South Texas Seat for the GOP, Texas Monthly, November 8, 2022.
- ^ Gonzalez, Valerie. Calculated move: Texas Republicans drew District 15 to fit their needs, MyRGV, November 12, 2022.
- ^ "Incoming Rep. Monica De La Cruz - R Texas, 15th, Member-elect - Biography | LegiStorm". www.legistorm.com. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "VoteSmart - Monica De La Cruz's Biography".
- ^ "Monica De La Cruz wins Republican primary in more competitive Texas district- AP". March 2, 2022 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ a b "Texas Republicans hope to send their first Latina to Congress". NBC News.
- ^ Taylor, Steve (June 5, 2022). "De La Cruz: I do not care which Democrat I face in CD 15 general election". Rio Grande Guardian.
- ^ Choi, Matthew (August 24, 2022). "In Texas' most competitive congressional race, neither candidate is running toward the center". The Texas Tribune.
- ^ Recio, Maria. "Latina candidates reshaping South Texas politics in 3 key congressional races". Austin American-Statesman.
- ^ Gamboa, Suzanne. "South Texas Democrats push back as Latina Republicans close in". www.nbcnews.com.
- ^ Neukam, Matthew Choi and Stephen (November 9, 2022). "Monica De La Cruz becomes first Republican to win in 15th Congressional District in South Texas". The Texas Tribune.
- ^ "Candidates". RMSP PAC. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ^ Scherer, Michael (November 9, 2021). "Top GOP congressional candidate in Texas accused of abusing teenage daughter of estranged husband". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
- ^ "Allegations of a Child Pinched, a Dog Custody Dispute, Mean Texts: Inside a Texas Candidate's Bitter Divorce". Peoplemag. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress" (PDF). Pew Research Center. January 3, 2023.
External links
- Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz official U.S. House website
- Monica De La Cruz for Congress campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
This page was last edited on 18 March 2023, at 06:05