Democracy for America endorses Jessica Cisneros for Congress in TX-28 primary battle

Today, Democracy for America (DFA) announced its endorsement of Jessica Cisneros in her Democratic primary fight against corporate Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar in Texas’ deep blue 28th Congressional District.

An immigration and human rights attorney who was born and raised in the border town of Laredo, TX, Jessica Cisneros launched her challenge to Rep. Cuellar in June 2019 after seeing how little he was doing to speak up and fight back for families in South Texas. In this race, she’s pledged to fight to end the family separation at the border and for a $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All, and a Green New Deal.

Statement from DFA CEO Yvette Simpson on the grassroots progressive group’s endorsement of Cisneros :

“The political system is profoundly broken when a congressional district like Texas’ 28th, which voted for Hillary Clinton by nearly twenty points over Donald Trump, is represented by a Member of Congress who has voted with the Trump administration nearly 70% of the time.

“We’re honored to endorse Jessica Cisneros to replace corporate Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar, not simply because we know she’ll fight to reform our inhumane immigration system and pass Medicare for All, a Green New Deal and a $15 minimum wage. We’re excited to support Jessica Cisneros for Congress because we know that when she gets there she’ll be champion for the families of South Texas, not corporate lobbyists bankrolling her campaign.

“In 2020, Democracy for America will be focused on taking back the White House, returning the Senate to Democratic control, and holding the House. However, we also know that the kind of political transformation our country needs can’t happen if we continue to have Democratic leaders in Congress who are beholden to the corporate interests who control Washington or who’ve been afraid to take on Trump.

“Jessica Cisneros is in this fight to stand up to the wealthy and powerful on behalf of the families of South Texas and that’s why Democracy for America is honored to stand with her in this primary." -- Yvette Simpson, CEO, Democracy for America

Statement from Jessica Cisneros on receiving DFA’s 2020 endorsement:

"I’m honored to receive support from Democracy for America, an organization that has spent the last fifteen years building power with the support of real people across the country. I look forward to working with DFA members in Texas and our broad coalition in our fight to bring true representation to South Texas on March 3rd.” -- Jessica Cisneros, Candidate, Texas 28th Congressional District

Cisneros is just the second Democratic primary challenger DFA has endorsed ahead of 2020. Earlier in 2019, DFA endorsed Marie Newman (IL-3) in her challenge to Rep. Dan Lipinski, another anti-choice corporate Democrat in a strongly Democratic House district.

DFA has 1,136 members in Texas’ 28th Congressional District, 65,975 in the state of Texas, and more than one million members nationwide.