From Slate Magazine · Mary Harris · · 2m
Bobby Pulido Flips Texas District
Bobby Pulido, a Tejano singer and lifelong Rio Grande Valley resident, aims to flip Texas’ 15th District from Republican to Democrat.
In brief
Bobby Pulido, a Tejano singer and lifelong Rio Grande Valley resident, aims to flip Texas’ 15th District from Republican to Democrat. Bobby Pulido, a Tejano singer and lifelong Rio Grande Valley resident, runs for Texas’ 15th District to flip it from Republican to Democrat. Originally reported by Slate Magazine.
Bobby Pulido
Bobby Pulido, a Tejano singer, is running for Texas’ 15th District to flip it from Republican to Democrat.
“My dad was a migrant farmworker, and so was his dad. We don’t come from generational wealth.”
Tejano Star
Pulido was a 1990s teen idol and a Tejano Backstreet Boy before the Backstreet Boys existed.
“I was a political science major in college. I was a Texas Boys Stater in high school.”
Rio Grande Valley Resident
Pulido has lived in the Rio Grande Valley since childhood, where his family lacks generational wealth.
“My dad was a migrant farmworker, and so was his dad. We don’t come from generational wealth.”
Political Background
Pulido studied political science and was a Texas Boys Stater in high school, favoring government and social studies.
“I was a political science major in college. I was a Texas Boys Stater in high school.”
District Shift
South Texas’ 15th District, which Trump won by 18 points in 2024, is now vulnerable to Democratic retake.
“You’re running in texas’ 15th district, a district that donald trump won by nearly 18 points in 2024.”
Democrat Shift
Pulido observed friends and neighbors shifting from Democratic to Republican voting in recent years.
“I was talking to lots of people during this cycle, even the cycle before, as it was going right since ’23.”
Gun Policy Concerns
Pulido notes rural areas in his district view firearms as sport and protection, not urban issues.
“When you’re out in the country, first of all, there’s no traffic. You’re not dealing with a lot of people to begin with.”
Immigration Shift
Pulido says immigration enforcement has become a two-tiered issue: border chaos and street enforcement.
“Immigration is really a two-tiered issue down here. One thing is the border, and the other is enforcement in the streets.”
Asylum Process
The asylum process has become overwhelmed, leading to catch-and-release policies that upset residents.
“It was backlogged, so they would fly them in-country to wherever they wanted to go.”
Border Patrol Impact
Many Latinos in the Rio Grande Valley work in Border Patrol, frustrated with Biden’s administration.
“There’s a lot of people working in border patrol and law enforcement, and they were really angry with the biden administration.”
Housing Crisis
Pulido states that immigrant labor is essential for construction in the Rio Grande Valley.
“There’s not a building in the rio grande valley that was built without immigrant labor. Not one.”
Family Story
Pulido shares a friend’s story of an 8-year-old American daughter facing deportation due to visa issues.
“They have an 8-year-old american daughter. He’s trying to get her papers, and there was a technicality in there, she had crossed over and not said it and is getting deported.”
Future Outlook
Pulido believes Democrats must moderate policies to appeal to rural voters and prevent Trump gains.
“I think that a lot of people might make the assumption that a latino population might look at images of people on the street being captured by ice, what we’re seeing now, and have a very emotional reaction to it.”
What Happens Next
Pulido aims to flip Texas’ 15th District to Democrat to counter Trump’s influence in South Texas.
“I’m going to have to moderate on some issues to understand rural folk a little better.”
What matters most
Bobby Pulido, a Tejano singer and lifelong Rio Grande Valley resident, runs for Texas’ 15th District to flip it from Republican to Democrat.
