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Jessica Cisneros
Cisneros in 2022
Personal details
Born (1993-05-24) May 24, 1993 (age 31)
Laredo, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Texas at Austin (BA, JD)
Websitejessicacisnerosforcongress.com

Jessica Cisneros (born May 24, 1993)[1] is an American attorney and a former Democratic candidate for Texas's 28th congressional district in 2020 and 2022.[2][3]

Early life and education

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Cisneros was born and raised in Laredo, Texas.[4][5] Before she was born, her parents emigrated from Mexico to seek medical care for her older sister.[4][5][1] Her parents became United States citizens under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.[6]

Cisneros with U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar in 2013 during her internship in his office

Cisneros was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Early College High School.[4] She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law.[1][7] Her focus during law school included immigration law.[1] In 2014, while a student at the University of Texas, she worked as an intern in the Washington, D.C. office of Congressman Henry Cuellar, after developing an interest in immigration law reform.[8][1][9]

Career

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After graduating from law school, Cisneros worked as an attorney, including at Brooklyn Defender Services with a focus on immigration law.[10] Her law practice has included advocacy for clients seeking asylum.[11] Cisneros entered politics after she was proposed by Laredo community leaders in response to a local newspaper advertisement by the Justice Democrats seeking candidates for political office.[11] After the 2020 election, she worked as an attorney in the Laredo office of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and became a supervising attorney at RAICES in Laredo, a legal aid organization for immigrants.[12]

2020 U.S. House of Representatives election

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In 2020, Cisneros was a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 28th congressional district against Henry Cuellar, the incumbent since 2005. If elected, Cisneros would have been the youngest woman elected to Congress.[13] During her campaign, she promoted progressive policies such as single-payer healthcare and raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.[14] She also criticized Cuellar's voting record as too conservative, noting in particular his views on abortion rights and his campaign donations from the private prison industry, especially in light of the controversial migrant detention facilities operated at the border by the Trump administration.[9] She was endorsed by progressive groups Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats.[15][14][16] Cisneros lost to Cuellar in the March 2020 primary by 1700 votes.[17][18]

2022 U.S. House of Representatives election

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In August 2021, Cisneros announced she would challenge Cuellar in the 2022 Democratic primary,[19][20][21][22] and faced Cuellar in the primary on March 1, 2022.[2][23] Cisneros continued to campaign on economic issues and access to health care.[6] She was endorsed again by the Justice Democrats, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and the abortion rights advocacy groups NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY's List.[24][25][26][27] She was also supported by labor unions, the Texas AFL–CIO, the Latino Victory Fund, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[24] After the March 1 primary, Cuellar led in the results, but with less than fifty percent of the primary vote, so Cisneros and Cuellar competed in a runoff on May 24.[24][1][28]

On May 2, Politico published a leaked draft majority opinion written by U.S. Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.[29] Before the draft opinion was leaked, NARAL Pro-Choice America announced further support for her campaign, including advertising and organizing efforts.[27][30] On May 4, Cisneros released a statement calling on Democratic Party leadership to withdraw their support from Cuellar.[27][25][29] On May 4, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn continued to express support for Cuellar,[31][32] and Pelosi continued to do so on May 12,[33] and recorded robocalls supporting Cuellar.[29] According to Federal Election Commission reports released in May 2022, Cisneros raised $1.2 million between April 1 and May 4, while Cuellar raised $352,000 during the same time period,[34] with a total of $4.5 million raised by Cisneros and $3.1 million by Cuellar.[35] On May 13, Women Vote!, the super PAC affiliated with EMILY's List, purchased $526,000 in ads to support Cisneros, and EMILY's List president Laphonza Butler made a statement criticizing Cuellar's views on abortion.[34] On May 19, Rep. Pramila Jayapal endorsed Cisneros, stating "we must elect pro-choice candidates".[36][37]

On June 3, the May 24 primary runoff count concluded with Cuellar holding a lead by 281 votes.[38] On June 7, the race remained uncalled by the Associated Press and CBS News, and Cisneros filed a recount petition.[39][40][24] In 2004, when a 145-vote deficit for Cuellar led to a recount and resulted in a Cuellar win, Cuellar stated, "Until every eligible vote is accurately counted, the voters cannot be certain of the outcome of this election"; in 2022, Cisneros stated, "With just under 0.6 percent of the vote symbolizing such stark differences for the future in South Texas, I owe it to our community to see this through to the end."[41] On June 21, after the recount concluded, the Associated Press called the race for Cuellar based on his 289-vote lead,[17][11] and Cisneros conceded the race.[42]

Electoral history

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2020 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district[43]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry Cuellar (incumbent) 38,834 51.79%
Democratic Jessica Cisneros 36,144 48.21%
Total votes 74,978 100.00%
2022 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district, March 2, 2022[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry Cuellar (incumbent) 23,552 48.4%
Democratic Jessica Cisneros 22,785 46.9%
Democratic Tannya Judith Benavides 2,289 4.7%
Total votes 48,626 100.00%
2022 U.S. House Democratic primary runoff in Texas's 28th district[45][46]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry Cuellar (incumbent) 22,901 50.32%
Democratic Jessica Cisneros 22,612 49.68%
Total votes 45,513 100.00%

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Alfaro, Mariana (March 2, 2022). "Meet Jessica Cisneros, the 28-year-old immigration lawyer who forced a veteran Democrat into a runoff in Texas". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Ferris, Sarah (February 23, 2022). "The left's South Texas star isn't the progressive they warned you about". Politico. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Jessica Cisneros Takes on the Last Anti-Abortion U.S. House Democrat". The 19th. February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Medina, Jennifer (March 2, 2022). "The Young Progressive Lawyer at the Center of a Marquee Texas Runoff". The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Murphy, Tim (January 2020). "This 26-year-old Texan could be the next AOC. (But don't tell her that.)". Mother Jones. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Gamboa, Suzanne (March 2, 2022). "A young Latina, Jessica Cisneros, takes on a conservative congressional Democrat in Texas". NBC News. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  7. ^ "Jessica Cisneros". Forbes. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  8. ^ Del Valle, Gaby (April 27, 2022). "Jessica Cisneros on Texas Politics, Abortion Access, and Running for Congress". Teen Vogue. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Baird, Addy (March 2, 2020). "She used to be his intern. Now she's trying to kick him out of office". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  10. ^ Read, Bridget (June 13, 2019). "Is Jessica Cisneros the Next Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?". Vogue. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Ulloa, Jazmine (June 21, 2022). "Cuellar Defeats Cisneros in South Texas Primary Runoff, Recount Shows". The New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  12. ^ Marans, Daniel (August 5, 2021). "Jessica Cisneros Announces Rematch Run Against Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar". HuffPost. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  13. ^ Truong, Kimberly (March 4, 2020). "Jessica Cisneros Lost Her Race At 26 — But Her Campaign Still Matters". InStyle. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Godfrey, Elaine (October 12, 2019). "The Search for the Next AOC". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  15. ^ Carroll, Susan J.; Fox, Richard L.; Dittmar, Kelly (December 9, 2021). Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-51147-3.
  16. ^ Medina, Jennifer (July 3, 2019). "Jessica Cisneros on challenging an incumbent Democrat: 'There's a lot he has never had to justify'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Alfaro, Mariana (June 21, 2022). "Henry Cuellar defeats Jessica Cisneros in contentious Texas primary race". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  18. ^ Fang, Lee (March 4, 2020). "Jessica Cisneros, a progressive favorite, loses to incumbent Henry Cuellar". The Intercept. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  19. ^ King, Maya (August 5, 2021). "Jessica Cisneros launches primary rematch against Rep. Henry Cuellar". Politico. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  20. ^ Joselow, Maxine (November 29, 2021). "Another Texas House primary showdown is coming, and it's all about climate policy and Big Oil donations". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  21. ^ Chávez, Aída (December 7, 2021). "Jessica Cisneros is the future of the Democratic Party". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  22. ^ Geer, John G.; Herrera, Richard; Schiller, Wendy J.; Segal, Jeffrey A. (January 1, 2021). Gateways to Democracy: An Introduction to American Government. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-357-45933-1.
  23. ^ Weisman, Jonathan (February 25, 2022). "After Trump surge, a liberal Democrat in south Texas shifts tactics". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  24. ^ a b c d Sonmez, Felicia; Sotomayor, Marianna; Alfaro, Mariana (May 25, 2022). "Rep. Henry Cuellar, Jessica Cisneros locked in tight battle in Texas". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  25. ^ a b Shabad, Rebecca; Haake, Garrett; Talbot, Haley (May 4, 2022). "Rep. Cuellar attacked on his anti-abortion stance by opponent Cisneros in Texas Democratic run-off". NBC News. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  26. ^ Livingston, Abby (February 24, 2022). "Will an FBI raid boost Laredo progressive Jessica Cisneros' bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar?". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  27. ^ a b c Martinez, Marissa (May 4, 2022). "Cisneros calls out House Democratic leadership for supporting anti-abortion Cuellar". Politico. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  28. ^ Texas 28th Congressional District Primary Election Results, New York Times, March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  29. ^ a b c Voght, Kara (May 24, 2022). "Want to Know What Politics Looks Like After Roe? Look at Texas' Primary". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  30. ^ Manchester, Julie (May 5, 2022). "Supreme Court leak throws curve into pivotal Texas primary". The Hill. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  31. ^ Weber, Paul J. (May 4, 2022). "House leaders stick with Rep. Cuellar despite abortion stand". Associated Press.
  32. ^ "Campaigning for Henry Cuellar, a Democratic U.S. House leader says party shouldn't shun abortion opponents". The Texas Tribune. May 4, 2022.
  33. ^ Vaillancourt, William (May 12, 2022). "Nancy Pelosi Says Anti-Choice Democrats Are Fine as Long as … Their Votes Don't Matter". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  34. ^ a b Mutnick, Ally (May 13, 2022). "EMILY's List goes on air against Cuellar in Texas primary battle". Politico. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  35. ^ Livingston, Abby (May 17, 2022). "In rematch, Jessica Cisneros faces a weakened Henry Cuellar for South Texas congressional seat". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  36. ^ Manchester, Julie (May 19, 2022). "Jayapal endorses Cisneros in Cuellar primary challenge". The Hill. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  37. ^ Wu, Nicholas (May 19, 2022). "Pramila Jayapal endorses Jessica Cisneros in Texas runoff". Politico. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  38. ^ Santana, Steven (June 3, 2022). "Rep. Henry Cuellar claims nomination over Cisneros, but may face recount". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  39. ^ Paybarah, Azi (June 6, 2022). "In South Texas, Jessica Cisneros calls for a recount in her primary runoff against Representative Henry Cuellar". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  40. ^ Navarro, Aaron (June 7, 2022). "Jessica Cisneros files for recount in race against Rep. Henry Cuellar in Texas' 28th District". CBS News. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  41. ^ Herrera, Jack (June 10, 2022). "When It Comes to Recounts, It's Not Henry Cuellar's First Rodeo". Texas Monthly. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  42. ^ Richards, Zoë (June 21, 2022). "Jessica Cisneros concedes to Rep. Cuellar in Texas primary runoff after recount". NBC News. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  43. ^ "Election results (2020 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district)". Our Campaigns. March 3, 2020. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  44. ^ Livingston, Abby (March 2, 2022). "Henry Cuellar, Jessica Cisneros head to runoff for South Texas congressional seat". Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  45. ^ "Texas Election Results (2022 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district)". Texas Secretary of State. March 3, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  46. ^ "Texas Democratic Party Announces Unofficial Results of Recount in CD-28 Primary". June 21, 2022. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
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