Running A Fake Democratic Campaign In Texas

[struggle4progress]

The Bulwark
May 15, 2026 Bulwark Takes

Tim Miller is joined by Johnny Garcia, a Democrat running in Texas’s 35th Congressional District, where a closely watched runoff on May 26 could help decide control of a key House seat. Garcia, a deputy sheriff and former hostage negotiator, outlines his background in law enforcement and his pitch to working-class voters who are struggling with rising costs and economic uncertainty. They also talk about the unusual dynamics of the race: Republicans are reportedly spending significant money to boost Garcia’s runoff opponent, a fringe candidate accused of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, in an apparent effort to shape a more favorable general election matchup after mid-cycle redistricting in Texas.