Texas’s 34th Congressional District is one of 38 districts in the state, each represented in the United States House of Representatives, stretching from Cameron County in the south to Corpus Christi in the north. It serves as South Texas’s direct link to the often mysterious and controversial world of Washington politics.
It is currently represented by Democrat Vicente Gonzalez, who is seeking re-election at the conclusion of his two-year term.
The responsibility of citizens is straightforward: elect a representative to convey their collective interests in Washington. For elected officials, the task appears equally simple—gain the trust of their community and represent it faithfully in Congress.In practice, however, this task can feel daunting, particularly for political newcomers such as Democrat Etienne Rosas, who is attempting to break into the Rio Grande Valley (RGV)’s political scene against Gonzalez.
“Somebody Has To Do It”
Rosas, the 39-year-old native of Brownsville, entered the race on November 6, 2025, in hopes of unseating Gonzalez in the upcoming March primary. Rosas, like many of his constituents, is a first-generation American and the son of Mexican immigrants.
His decision to enter politics without prior elected experience—aside from holding a PhD in public policy, completing a fellowship at Princeton University, and possessing a stated desire to effect change—sets him apart within the RGV’s political landscape.
What his opponents frame as his greatest weakness, Rosas views as a defining strength.
“If experience means cozying up to the interests that fund your campaign and secure your seat at the table, then yes, I agree—he has a lot of experience,” Rosas said, referring to Gonzalez’s tenure in Congress.
“But that’s not the kind of experience I want or need in my vision of a system that works for everyone.”
Rosas is the only other Democrat challenging incumbent Vicente Gonzalez in the upcoming March 3 primary election.
Although both candidates are Democrats seeking to advance to the November general election against the Republican candidate, Rosas argues that their approaches, priorities, and ideologies are fundamentally different.
“Vicente is a placeholder for the same interests that put him there in the first place. He doesn’t provide any real solutions to the issues we face. He has no true ideological vision or drive, and it’s sorely needed,” Rosas said.
“That’s why I decided to run. I never planned or expected to seek office, but I thought, ‘somebody has to do it,’” he added.
Beyond his academic experience, Rosas served on a response team that drafted a recovery plan for local communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017.
A self-described public policy expert, Rosas identifies his strengths as working closely with local communities and developing policies that serve his constituents’ needs. He argues that local politics is the most important battleground where meaningful change begins.
“I have experience in seeing real issues on the ground and crafting policy. This is what legislation is all about.”
Vicente Gonzalez’s Track Record
Rosas points to Gonzalez’s frequent alignment with Republican colleagues as evidence of what he describes as Gonzalez’s ideological weakness as a Democrat.
This accusation is not unfounded, as Gonzalez has built a reputation as one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress. He was one of only two Texas Democrats who voted against gun control legislation two months after the 2022 Uvalde school shooting that killed 19 elementary school children.
Gonzalez has also publicly criticized fellow Democrats, calling them “lazy” and “out of touch” on abortion issues, and in 2025, he spoke out against the rights of transgender Americans.
Following a U.S. military operation that overthrew Venezuela’s government under Nicolás Maduro, Gonzalez’s office released a statement saying he was “grateful” for the “extraordinary operation,” while also noting that congressional approval would be required for further action.
His comments aligned with the Trump administration’s position that the operation was intended to combat narco-terrorism—a claim that has yet to be supported by evidence and was condemned by the United Nations Security Council.
Gonzalez is also a co-chair of a congressional committee focused on El Salvador, where he met with Salvadoran leader Nayib Bukele and toured the controversial CECOT prison facility. The Trump administration has previously sent several Venezuelans to the facility without due process.
Gonzalez was one of a handful of House Democrats who voted to approve a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, including $10 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At least one Republican voted against the bill that passed, 220-207.
In addition, Gonzalez has faced scrutiny over his campaign funding, having received an estimated $266,200 from pro-Israel lobbying groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
“The Mamdani of South Texas”
Rosas, who, in a recent CNN article, has been dubbed the “Zohran Mamdani of South Texas,” is running a grassroots campaign centered on volunteer organizing and small-dollar donations, echoing the contentious campaign of New York City’s recently elected mayor. He opposes large corporate donations when pressed on the issue.
As a Democratic Socialist who is campaigning to “challenge the status quo and take on entrenched power,” Rosas does not shy away from comparisons to prominent political figures such as Bernie Sanders and Mamdani.
His platform emphasizes economic justice through protecting workers’ rights and unions, stronger regulation of large corporations, and eliminating money from politics as a force of influence. He also advocates for policies including universal healthcare, the abolition of ICE, and environmental protections in response to SpaceX’s land acquisitions.
The first-time congressional candidate said he hopes to inspire political engagement among people who feel disillusioned by a system that, in his view, fails to reflect the public’s priorities.
Despite limited funding that has constrained his campaign’s outreach, Rosas remains confident in his performance so far and says he hopes to spark broader conversations about holding elected officials accountable and open to public criticism.
When asked about Rosas’s ability to raise funds through donations in an interview with CNN, Gonzalez said, “I think donors are smarter than that. I don’t see him raising much money.”
Rosas, however, said he has been surprised by the level of enthusiasm among Valley residents.
“We’ve had tons of volunteers show up—the only thing driving them is belief in what we’re building,” Rosas said. “That’s far more powerful than anything they [Vicente] could offer, even with a million dollars behind them.”
