Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar will continue to hold the 28th Congressional District seat he’s held for 18 years. He has defeated Republican challenger Cassy Garcia in a closely contested race the GOP had hoped would result in a flip. 

Cuellar isn’t a typical Democrat. He’s pro-life, believes President Joe Biden should ramp-up border security, and is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition — a group of moderate Democrats who prioritize fiscally responsible policy.

Cuellar didn’t have it easy during the race. First, he had to fend off a primary challenge supported by fellow Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez because they said he’s the last anti-abortion Democrat in the House. After he won the primary, he had to distance himself from the Biden administration and call for stricter enforcement of border walls. Much of his district sits on the border and includes the border city of Laredo, his home town.

“I think people want us to govern from the center, whether we are Democrats or Republicans. I think people are getting tired of the extreme left and the extreme right,” Cuellar told the Texas Tribune.

Garcia was molded by two of the nation’s most powerful Republicans: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former President Donald Trump. She worked as Cruz’s deputy state director and was commissioner for the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative.

Garcia is a leader in a larger effort to turn South Texas Latinos from Democrat to Republican. She said Republicans better align with Latino values like faith and family. She also strongly criticized Cuellar’s time in office saying he had done nothing to help secure the southern border.