Reyes taking on Flores for GOP nod in Senate contest
Medina County Republican Raul Reyes, who came within 45 votes of winning a congressional seat in 2020, has filed to run for Texas Senate against Pete Flores, a former state senator endorsed by Donald Trump and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
The challenge from Reyes, who narrowly lost last year to U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-san Antonio, sets up a competitive primary for the newly drawn Senate District 24 that stretches from south of San Antonio to Killeen, taking in a big slice of the Texas Hill Country and a sliver of Austin. The district was drawn to assure Republicans would be heavily favored to win it.
“I decided to run for the Texas state Senate because I don’t want to look my children in the eye and explain how we gave the greatest state in the greatest country to left-wing socialists,” Reyes said.
Reyes has already been campaigning throughout the region speaking to Republican groups, despite Flores having locked up endorsements from Trump, Patrick and the Republican who now represents the district, state Sen. Dawn Buckingham, who is retiring from the state Senate to run for Texas land commissioner.
Patrick has left no doubt that he’s fully behind Flores, a former game warden who served in the state Senate for two years until he was defeated in 2020 in a district that included much of the border between Laredo and El Paso.
“Pete’s a friend and will be a tremendous senator for District 24. I need Pete Flores back in the Texas Senate to continue to advance our conservative agenda for Texas. He has my full and complete endorsement,” Patrick said.
Reyes has been here before: In 2020, Trump endorsed Gonzales in the Republican primary.
Reyes, born and raised in Del Rio, served 22 years with the U.S. Air Force. He lives in Castroville in Medina County.