The boundaries of the 35th Congressional District in South Central Texas were redrawn in 2025 to favor GOP candidates as requested by President Trump.

Two Democrats and two Republicans advanced to May runoffs for the open San Antonio-area seat, which was drawn to favor the GOP yet is considered winnable for Democrats in a wave year.

President Donald Trump recently endorsed Air Force veteran Carlos De La Cruz for the seat Texas Republicans drew at his request. Democrats also see a chance to win in November.

Lujan, a Republican, represents a state House district that covers southern and eastern portions of San Antonio, overlapping with the new congressional seat.

Across a dozen of the most competitive House races, Republicans raked in more than $11 million over the last month, compared to the nearly $3.5 million collectively raised by their Democratic counterparts.

Democrats — riding a wave of enthusiasm sparked by Kamala Harris’ nomination — think they can flip just enough House seats to stop Republicans from passing school vouchers.

Democrats have long held an edge in South Texas, but Republicans see an opening there to expand their House majority.

The Bexar County GOP accused Democrat Kristian Carranza of using a Hispanic surname to appeal to the district’s largely Hispanic population.

Much of the House battlefield is centered in districts with struggling schools, where Democrats hope public education will resonate at the ballot box.

Lujan has twice won special elections to the Texas House — but he has never served while the Legislature met.

In some battleground state legislative races, Republicans have been making overtures to those who believe the ban as too extreme. They have said they are open to revising the ban to include the exceptions — and even voiced confidence that the Legislature will do so when it reconvenes in January.

Republican and Democratic state legislators joined Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith in a panel at the University of Texas at San Antonio on Wednesday.

Republican John Lujan attributed his victory in the House District 118 race to a “perfect environment.” It came the same night Republicans captured the Virginia governorship in a contest widely seen as a referendum on Joe Biden’s presidency.

Republicans saw flipping the seat as a way to make headway into South Texas, where Democrat Joe Biden underperformed last year.

The field for the Sept. 28 contest has attracted three Democrats and two Republicans.