Bobby Pulido (left) and his father Robert Pulido (right) at the 2011 Chicano Festival. Photo by Kim Alaniz // CC 2.0
According to reporting by Politico, Democratic Party insiders are trying to recruit Tejano music star Bobby Pulido to run in Texas Congressional District 15. The district stretches from the Rio Grande Valley through Jim Wells County and Alice, all the way up to San Antonio.
The seat is currently held by Monica De La Cruz, who flipped the seat for Republicans back in 2022. De La Cruz held the seat for Republicans in 2024, even after progressive Democrat Michelle Vallejo reinvented herself as a tough-on-immigration candidate.
Now, it looks like Democrats are hoping to nominate a household name that can match the politics of South Texas. According to Politico, former U.S. Representative Filemon Vela, who used to represent Alice before the 2020 redistricting, has privately encouraged Pulido to run.
“His professional popularity, his political acumen and his center-right disposition make him the ideal candidate for that district.
— Former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela
While Politico acknowledges that these are just rumblings from party insiders for now, they point out that Bobby Pulido himself has talked about leaving the music industry to pursue a career in politics. Pulido won his first Latin Grammy back in 2022, which has brought renewed attention to the long-time musician.
While we speculate about who may run now, there’s roughly two years until the next election and a lot can change before then.