Ruben Ramirez and Michelle Vallejo were the top two finishers in the Democratic Party primary election for Texas' 15th Congressional District on March 1, 2022. Ramirez received 28.3% of the vote, followed by Vallejo with 20.1%.^[1] Because no candidate won 50% of the vote, Ramirez and Vallejo advanced to a runoff election on May 24.

Media attention focused on Eliza Alvarado, Ramirez, John Villarreal Rigney, and Vallejo, and these candidates also led in fundraising.^[2]^[3]^[4] Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez (D) ran to replace retiring District 34 incumbent Filemon Vela (D) after the Texas State Legislature redrew the 15th district to include more of western Hidalgo County during the 2020 redistricting cycle.^[4]

At the time of the election, Alvarado was a director at South Texas educational service center Region One, and she previously worked for the U.S. Department of Labor and served as a congressional aide to U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D).^[5] She emphasized her experience in government, education, and healthcare and said partisanship was unimportant in representing the district. “I’m not there to represent Brooklyn or California, I’m there to represent District 15. And as such, I need to understand what District 15 needs regardless of whether they’re Republican or Democrat,” Alvarado said.^[3]

Ramirez worked as an attorney and is an Army veteran and former teacher who previously ran for election in the 15th District in 2012 and 2016.^[6] His top campaign priorities were healthcare, national security, and education. Ramirez said he would "continue to fight for my fellow veterans and district. Like all challenges I have faced, I will not back down and I promise to uphold our values and our Constitution” if elected.^[7]

Rigney worked as an attorney and founded a construction company, Rigney Construction & Development.^[8] His top campaign issues included public safety, education, veterans' education and healthcare, raising the minimum wage, and providing residency and citizenship opportunities for immigrants.^[9] Rigney said his campaign was focused on "you, your family, and all the people that work every day to provide for their families. Whether that means trying to put food on the table, dealing with rising gas prices, trying to pay for unaffordable medical care, or making sure your kids have quality afterschool care, I want to make sure you get the best representation."^[10]

Vallejo was a business owner and co-founder of two advocacy groups, New Leaders Council STX Frontera chapter and Hustle + Socialize.^[11] Her platform includes supporting Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage, and an anti-war foreign policy.^[4] “I think traditionally these races are based on who has the most purchasing power when it comes to mailers, signs, and media, and I’m so grateful that for my campaign that’s not the only thing we’re focusing on, and I love that it started with the energy of having a ground game,” Vallejo said.

According to The Texas Tribune, Texas' 15th Congressional District became more favorable to Republicans as a result of redistricting. Joe Biden (D) won the district by two percentage points in the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump (R) would have won the new district by three percentage points.^[12] The Cook Political Report and other outlets rated the 15th district Solid Democratic in 2020 but rated it Lean Republican in 2022.

Julio Garza and Vanessa Tijerina also ran in the Democratic primary. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on May 24.

Click here for coverage of the May 24, 2022, Democratic primary runoff.

Julio Garza (D), Michelle Vallejo (D), and John Villarreal Rigney (D) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.

This page focuses on Texas' 15th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 15

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 15 on March 1, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Ruben Ramirez	28.3	9,221
✔	Michelle Vallejo	20.1	6,570
	John Villarreal Rigney	19.2	6,268
	Eliza Alvarado	16.5	5,398
	Vanessa Tijerina	10.6	3,470
	Julio Garza	5.2	1,693

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 32,620
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Roberto Haddad (D)

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.^[13]

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Eliza Alvarado

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: Alvarado earned her B.A. in Government from Texas Woman’s University and a PhD in Public Affairs at The University of Texas Dallas. She was a director at South Texas educational service center Region One, and she previously worked for the U.S. Department of Labor and served as a congressional aide to U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D).

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Alvarado said her "knowledge, experience, and ability to think outside the box not only makes me the most qualified candidate for the job, but it has prepared me to be the leader our district needs RIGHT NOW."

Alvarado said healthcare "should be a right for all, not just a privilege for the few," and she supported expanding Medicaid and offering a public option under the Affordable Care Act.

Alvarado said voters "deserve an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy. We must raise the minimum wage. If you work 40 hours a week, you should be able to afford a place to live and food to eat."

Show sources

Sources: Alvarado for Congress, "About," accessed February 8, 2022; Alvarado for Congress, "About," accessed February 8, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 15 in 2022.

Julio Garza

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "I am a small business owner, Hidalgo County Democratic Party Secretary, precinct chair, and part-time rancher. I have been involved with the local party since 2008 and have experience volunteering for several campaigns and non profits."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Making history as the first member of the LGBTQ community to run for Congress in my district, I fight for all the underrepresented communities in South Texas.

Since Reagan, the Republican party has always been the front of the millionaire and billionaire class in Washington, DC. They have privatized social programs that hurt the middle and lower classes but have made extreme profits for the upper class. If elected, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I would like to have roasted billionaire. Because organized money is just as bad as organized crime. Tax the Rich.

Our country is on the brink of a totalitarian takeover; a slow-moving coup is in process. What happened on January 6th is not something the American people should take likely. If a coup fails, it is called practice. Congress needs serious leadership that will not cater to the extreme right but punish them for their attack on this nation. Democrats need to grow a backbone, and I am that Democrat with a backbone.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 15 in 2022.

Ruben Ramirez

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: Ramirez completed a bachelor's in business administration in international business and a minor in biology from the University of Texas-Pan American. He served in the Army and worked as an attorney and educator. Ramirez ran for election in Texas' 15th Congressional District in 2012 and 2016.

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Ramirez said he would "continue to fight for my fellow veterans and district. Like all challenges I have faced, I will not back down and I promise to uphold our values and our Constitution.”

Ramirez said that because of his experience as "a teacher on the frontlines, and a husband who is married to an educator" he understood "the unique concerns of our parents, teachers, and students. I know the effects underfunding has on learning, as well as the impact of bureaucracy on teachers and administrators."

Ramirez said he was "passionate about the safety and security of our country and that of my fellow Americans" and that he had "firsthand knowledge of how the decisions in Washington D.C. affect our soldiers and their families."

Show sources

Sources: Ruben Ramirez for Congress, "About," accessed February 8, 2022; The Monitor, "Bronze Star recipient Ruben Ramirez to make congressional bid," October 25, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 15 in 2022.

Michelle Vallejo

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "My name is Michelle Vallejo, and I am running for Congress to represent Texas district 15. I come from a big family of farm workers, immigrants, and entrepreneurs. My parents did a little bit of everything, but running Pulga Los Portales is what has profoundly defined our family values and work ethic to this day. In 2010, during my sophomore year at Columbia University in New York City, my life would change forever. After years of fighting multiple sclerosis, my mother took her last breath at just 46 years old. It was this moment that would mark a new chapter in my life, one in which I realized that the best way to honor her legacy is to fight for a better future for my family and for all of us. So I returned to the Rio Grande Valley and got to work. I stepped up to help my dad run our family-owned Pulga Los Portales. I co-founded two organizations to support community leaders and minority women in business. I’ve volunteered with immigrants’ rights organizations. And now, I was nominated to run for Congress by LUPE Votes. I want us to build stronger and healthier neighborhoods. I have a plan to make this happen, and it starts with fighting for medicare for all and raising the minimum wage to $15. We’re at a critical moment for the future of our district. I’m ready to fight our pueblo in Congress. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Affordable Healthcare

A living wage

Access to higher education

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 15 in 2022.

John Villarreal Rigney

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "Hi, I am John Villarreal Rigney and I live in Edinburg with my wife, Melissa, and my two sons, Lloyd and Andrew. I am proud son of South Texas and I’m running for Congress because Texas deserves leaders who will roll up their sleeves, bring people together, and get to work. Growing up, my parents and my community in Pharr instilled in me determination and taught me the value of honest work and the importance of a good education. I come from a long line of hard workers. My mother immigrated here from Mexico to pursue the American dream, and my father, a World War II veteran, worked hard to start an auto mechanic business in Pharr and support our family. At age eleven, my father passed away and I had to work hard to help my mom provide for our family. I mowed lawns, painted homes, and did any odd job I could find. After graduating high school, I attended UTPA where I received my Bachelor of Science in Engineering. I began a construction business and went from building homes to large commercial buildings throughout south Texas. While running my construction company, I went back to school at age 40 and pursued a law degree from St. Mary’s and have been a practicing attorney for seven years. I have learned what it takes to overcome obstacles and accomplish big goals. I would be honored to serve our district in the United States Congress, and to have your support on this journey."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Economic Development and Opportunity

Honoring and Supporting Our Nation's Veterans

Safe Neighborhoods and Law Enforcement

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 15 in 2022.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/garzajulio.jpg

Julio Garza (D)

Making history as the first member of the LGBTQ community to run for Congress in my district, I fight for all the underrepresented communities in South Texas.

Since Reagan, the Republican party has always been the front of the millionaire and billionaire class in Washington, DC. They have privatized social programs that hurt the middle and lower classes but have made extreme profits for the upper class. If elected, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I would like to have roasted billionaire. Because organized money is just as bad as organized crime. Tax the Rich.

Our country is on the brink of a totalitarian takeover; a slow-moving coup is in process. What happened on January 6th is not something the American people should take likely. If a coup fails, it is called practice. Congress needs serious leadership that will not cater to the extreme right but punish them for their attack on this nation. Democrats need to grow a backbone, and I am that Democrat with a backbone.

Michelle Vallejo (D)

Affordable Healthcare

A living wage

Access to higher education

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

Economic Development and Opportunity

Honoring and Supporting Our Nation's Veterans

Safe Neighborhoods and Law Enforcement

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Julio Garza (D)

I am passionate about Women's Reproductive Rights, Immigration, amnesty for the Undocumented Community, LGBTQ+ Rights, Labor Union Rights, and the legalization of recreational and medicinal marijuana use.

Michelle Vallejo (D)

We need medicare for all because our moms, dads, tios, y abuelos deserve to get the health care they need. Going to Mexico for medicine or selling chicken plates to cover hospital bills is not a dignified way to protect our loved ones, and health care is a human right.

We need to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour because $7.25 is not enough to pay rent and bills in South Texas (or anywhere in the country). Even though South Texas has one of the lowest unemployment rates, our region has one of the highest poverty rates. It’s time to raise the unlivable low wages that hurt the vast majority of us and only benefit greedy corporations.

We need free public college and trade school, and we need to forgive all student debt once and for all. Sky-rocketing tuition costs have made college and trade school inaccessible for many South Texans. For those who graduate, student debt crushes opportunities, especially for low-income, first-generation, people of color.

And we need to embrace the border as a welcoming place where people of all backgrounds and walks of life can come together and thrive. The border and the river are parts of us that we should honor because they give us our culture and way of life. Militarization, walls, and violence don’t represent who we are. We need to welcome newcomers with dignity, restore and improve our asylum system, and give a pathway to Citizenship for the 11 million undocumented people.

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

As the father of a special needs child, I know far too well the burden that our healthcare system places on some of the most vulnerable members of our community. There is a gap that has not been fulfilled and we need to address that.

I believe that reasonable and affordable healthcare for all is very very important. Over 60% of uninsured Texans are Hispanic, so unaffordable and inaccessible healthcare disproportionately affects our district, neighbors, our communities. We need to address this issue and protect the people so our families are not having to choose between buying lightbulbs vs. buying insulin for their children.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Julio Garza (D)

President Obama. I would follow the examples of FDR, JFK, and President Obama. FDR for his cleverness, JFK for using his privilege to give back, and President Obama for always keeping his cool.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Julio Garza (D)

The Republic, Understanding Marxism by Richard Wolff, The Brainwashing of My Dad by Jen Senko, Rationality by Steven Pinker, and Meditations by Marcus.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Julio Garza (D)

Someone honest and fighting for the people. Someone selfless and there to do the People's work.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Julio Garza (D)

I care about the people I serve. I have always been a public servant and want to continue in that regard.

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

I know the value of hard work and the ability to relate to people. Like the families and workers of South Texas, I have learned the sheer will and determination necessary to succeed in the task at hand. Along the way I am proud to have learned the skills to communicate and negotiate that I believe are instrumental to a Congressperson doing their job.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Julio Garza (D)

To better the lives of those they serve. No games, no politics, just results.

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

I believe that the core responsibility for someone elected to Congress is to truly be a voice for their community. Those elected to Congress by a community should maintain that the interests of that community are truly represented by the votes that they make.

Listening is one of the most important qualities of a legislator, and keeping our constituents informed. Legislators should ensure that they are continuing to listen and connect with the families and workers of their districts once they assume office.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Julio Garza (D)

The greatest legacy would be that my constituents have gotten a better life though the work I have done.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Julio Garza (D)

9/11 I was in 8th grade

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Julio Garza (D)

I was a lifeguard for the City of Edinburg. I was there from 16 - 24.

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

At age eleven, my father passed away and I had to work hard to help my mom provide for our family, so my first jobs were mowing lawns and painting homes, and did any odd job I could find. But, I was lucky and through that was still able to graduate high school and attend college - an opportunity that everyone in our state should be able to have if they choose.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Julio Garza (D)

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Julio Garza (D)

an X-Men ... Storm.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Julio Garza (D)

Two Princes.

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

The Corrido of John Villarreal Rigney

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Julio Garza (D)

Having Republicans as parents ... and growing to be a Democrat without their support. They later became Trumpsters and anti-vaxxers.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Julio Garza (D)

It does not have a filibuster ... and it is majority rule.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Julio Garza (D)

Yes, I do believe that it is beneficial for Representatives to have previous experience in government and/or politics.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Julio Garza (D)

Unification of the nation and climate change.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Julio Garza (D)

The Judiciary Committee and Health & Human Services.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

Julio Garza (D)

I am not.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Julio Garza (D)

No, it should be four, but I was not there when the Constitution was written.

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

I believe that terms should be longer that two years. In our current system of privately funded elections, when members of Congress serve only two years, they really spend only one year legislating before having campaign again. Having longer terms would allow legislators to actually legislate, and more time between elections allows lawmakers more time to do the work they were elected by their constituents to do.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Julio Garza (D)

I did not think they would work. Politicians may come and go but interests will always remain.

John Villarreal Rigney (D)

Term limits are necessary in our society today. When politicians sit in a seat for too long, I support term limits. When some elected officials hold office too long, the position and their perspective can become stagnant. We should be support new voices to come in and assume the duties and responsibilities of a Representative. Having to go back and live in the community that you have helped crafted policy for is the ultimate test.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Julio Garza (D)

AOC

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Julio Garza (D)

Yes, the story of the undocumented. How they live in fear everyday, how we as a nation has done nothing to fix it. This story hits close to home because I am from the borderlands. We should be acting as humans and give these people documentation to make their lives better.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Julio Garza (D)

I do not like jokes.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Julio Garza (D)

Yes, compromise is necessary for policymaking.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

Julio Garza (D)

It would play a very important role, because I would love to tax the rich and to change that a bill would have to come from the House.

Campaign advertisements

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.

Eliza Alvarado

January 21, 2022

January 21, 2022

January 16, 2022

View more ads here:

Julio Garza

Have a link to Julio Garza's campaign ads on YouTube? Email us.

Facebook

Ruben Ramirez

Have a link to Ruben Ramirez's campaign ads on YouTube? Email us.

Facebook

Vanessa Tijerina

January 28, 2022

January 20, 2022

January 18, 2022

View more ads here:

Michelle Vallejo

December 15, 2022

View more ads here:

John Villarreal Rigney

January 20, 2022

January 17, 2022

View more ads here:

Endorsements

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.^[14]
Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.^[15]^[16]^[17]

Race ratings: Texas' 15th Congressional District election, 2022
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 8, 2022	November 1, 2022	October 25, 2022	October 18, 2022
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican	Likely Republican
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Election spending

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.^[18] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.^[19] Click here to view the reporting schedule for candidates for U.S. Congress in 2022.

U.S. Congress campaign reporting schedule, 2022
Report	Close of books	Filing deadline
Year-end 2021	12/31/2021	1/31/2022
April quarterly	3/31/2022	4/15/2022
July quarterly	6/30/2022	7/15/2022
October quarterly	9/30/2022	10/15/2022
Pre-general	10/19/2022	10/27/2022
Post-general	11/28/2022	12/08/2022
Year-end 2022	12/31/2022	1/31/2023

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Eliza Alvarado	Democratic Party	$79,035	$72,805	$6,230	As of March 31, 2022
Julio Garza	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Ruben Ramirez	Democratic Party	$493,222	$493,222	$0	As of September 30, 2022
Vanessa Tijerina	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Michelle Vallejo	Democratic Party	$2,346,631	$2,334,914	$11,717	As of December 31, 2022
John Villarreal Rigney	Democratic Party	$330,110	$325,667	$4,443	As of December 31, 2022
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2022. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. * Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.^[20]^[21]^[22]

If available, links to satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. Any satellite spending reported in other resources is displayed in a table. This table may not represent the actual total amount spent by satellite groups in the election. Satellite spending for which specific amounts, dates, or purposes are not reported are marked "N/A." To help us complete this information, or to notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.

By candidate	By election
Eliza Alvarado Julio Garza Ruben Ramirez Vanessa Tijerina Michelle Vallejo John Villarreal Rigney	OpenSecrets- Texas' 15th Congressional District election, 2022 Federal Election Commission - Texas' 15th Congressional District election, 2022

Election context

District election history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2016.

2020

See also: Texas' 15th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 15

Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez Jr. defeated Monica De La Cruz and Ross Lynn Leone in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 15 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D)	50.5	115,605
	Monica De La Cruz (R)	47.6	109,017
	Ross Lynn Leone (L)	1.9	4,295

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 228,917
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Carlos Fabara (G)

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 15

Monica De La Cruz defeated Ryan Krause in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 15 on July 14, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Monica De La Cruz	76.0	7,423
	Ryan Krause	24.0	2,350

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,773 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 15

Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez Jr. advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 15 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vicente Gonzalez Jr.	100.0	43,689

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,689
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 15

Monica De La Cruz and Ryan Krause advanced to a runoff. They defeated Tim Westley in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 15 on March 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Monica De La Cruz	43.0	11,330
✔	Ryan Krause	39.7	10,441
	Tim Westley	17.3	4,550

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,321
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Carl Spandau (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 15

Ross Lynn Leone advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 15 on March 21, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Ross Lynn Leone (L)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
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2018

See also: Texas' 15th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 15

Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez Jr. defeated Tim Westley and Anthony Cristo in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 15 on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D)	59.7	98,333
	Tim Westley (R)	38.8	63,862
	Anthony Cristo (L)	1.6	2,607

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 164,802
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 15

Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez Jr. advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 15 on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vicente Gonzalez Jr.	100.0	33,549

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 33,549
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 15

Tim Westley advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 15 on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tim Westley	100.0	14,794

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 14,794
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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2016

See also: Texas' 15th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Vicente Gonzalez (D) defeated Tim Westley (R), Vanessa Tijerina (G), and Ross Lynn Leone (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. A runoff for both parties was held on May 24, 2016. In the runoff primaries, Westley defeated Ruben Villarreal, and Gonzalez defeated Juan Palacios Jr. Incumbent Ruben Hinojosa did not seek re-election.^[23]^[24]

**U.S. House, Texas District 15 General Election, 2016**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Vicente Gonzalez	57.3%	101,712
	Republican	Tim Westley	37.7%	66,877
	Green	Vanessa Tijerina	3.1%	5,448
	Libertarian	Ross Lynn Leone	1.9%	3,442
Total Votes				177,479
Source: Texas Secretary of State

**U.S. House, Texas District 15 Republican Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Tim Westley	45%	13,164
Ruben Villarreal	32%	9,349
Xavier Salinas	23%	6,734
Total Votes		29,247
Source: Texas Secretary of State

**U.S. House, Texas District 15 Republican Runoff Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Tim Westley	50.5%	1,384
Ruben Villarreal	49.5%	1,355
Total Votes		2,739
Source: Texas Secretary of State

**U.S. House, Texas District 15 Democratic Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Vicente Gonzalez	42.2%	22,151
Juan Palacios Jr.	18.9%	9,913
Dolly Elizondo	16.9%	8,888
Joel Quintanilla	11.7%	6,152
Ruben Ramirez Hinojosa	6%	3,149
Rance Sweeten	4.2%	2,224
Total Votes		52,477
Source: Texas Secretary of State

**U.S. House, Texas District 15 Democratic Runoff Primary, 2016**
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Vicente Gonzalez	65.7%	16,071
Juan Palacios Jr.	34.3%	8,379
Total Votes		24,450
Source: Texas Secretary of State

Primary election competitiveness

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2022

This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in Texas.

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Texas in 2022. Information below was calculated on Jan. 27, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

In 2022, 223 candidates filed to run for Texas’ 38 U.S. House districts, including 143 Republicans, 79 Democrats, and one independent candidate. That’s 5.9 candidates per district, less than the 6.5 candidates per district in 2020 and 5.9 in 2018.

Texas gained two U.S. House districts following the 2020 census. Two members of the U.S. House filed to run for re-election in a different district than the one represented before redistricting: Lloyd Doggett (D) filed in the new 37th District, while Vicente Gonzalez (D) filed in the 34th District seat held by retiring Rep. Filemon Vela (D).

Six districts were open, meaning no incumbent filed to run. In addition to Gonzalez’s and Doggett’s districts, these included the newly-created 38th District and the 1st, 8th, and 30th districts. 1st District incumbent Louie Gohmert (R) filed to run for state attorney general, while incumbents Kevin Brady (R) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D) did not file for re-election.

This was the same number as 2012, the previous post-redistricting cycle, and 2020. There were seven open seats in 2018.

There were 13 incumbents who filed to run in districts without any primary challengers.

Three districts were likely to be won by Republicans because no Democrats filed. There were no districts where the same is true of Democratic candidates.

Fifteen candidates each filed to run in the 15th and 30th Districts, more than any other. Six Democrats and nine Republicans filed in the 15th. Nine Democrats and six Republicans filed in the 30th. Both districts were open.

Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Texas in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Texas, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2022
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Texas	U.S. House	Democratic or Republican	2% of all votes cast for governor in the district in the last election, or 500, whichever is less	$3,125.00	12/13/2021	Source
Texas	U.S. House	Unaffiliated	5% of all votes cast for governor in the district in the last election, or 500, whichever is less	N/A	6/23/2022	Source

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

District map - A map of the district before and after redistricting.
Effect of redistricting - How districts in the state changed as a result of redistricting following the 2020 census.
Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2022 U.S. House elections in the state.
Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

District map

	2024 → ← 2020
Texas' 15th Congressional District
	Democratic primary; Democratic primary runoff; Republican primary; General election
Election details
	Filing deadline: December 13, 2021
	Primary: March 1, 2022; Primary runoff: May 24, 2022; General: November 8, 2022
How to vote
	Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Voting in Texas
Race ratings
	Cook Partisan Voter Index (2022): R+1; Cook Political Report: Likely Republican; Inside Elections: Lean Republican; Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
	U.S. Senate battlegrounds; U.S. House battlegrounds; Federal and state primary competitiveness; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022
See also
	Texas' 15th Congressional District; 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st • 22nd • 23rd • 24th • 25th • 26th • 27th • 28th • 29th • 30th • 31st • 32nd • 33rd • 34th • 35th • 36th • 37th • 38th; Texas elections, 2022; U.S. Congress elections, 2022; U.S. Senate elections, 2022; U.S. House elections, 2022; Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House racesArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House racesFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House racesOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House racesTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House racesVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House racesSubmit

Below was the map in use at the time of the election, enacted as part of the 2020 redistricting cycle, compared to the map in place before the election.

Texas District 15
before 2020 redistricting cycle

Click a district to compare boundaries.

Texas District 15
after 2020 redistricting cycle

Click a district to compare boundaries.

Effect of redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Texas after the 2020 census

The table below details the results of the 2020 presidential election in each district at the time of the 2022 election and its political predecessor district.^[25] This data was compiled by Daily Kos Elections.^[26]

2020 presidential results by Congressional district, Texas
District	2022 district		Political predecessor district
District	Joe Biden	Donald Trump	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
Texas' 1st	26.5%	72.4%	27.2%	71.6%
Texas' 2nd	37.9%	60.7%	48.6%	49.9%
Texas' 3rd	42.0%	56.4%	48.7%	49.8%
Texas' 4th	36.4%	62.4%	24.4%	74.4%
Texas' 5th	38.2%	60.6%	37.9%	60.9%
Texas' 6th	37.4%	61.3%	47.8%	50.8%
Texas' 7th	64.2%	34.5%	53.6%	45.1%
Texas' 8th	35.8%	63.0%	28.1%	70.6%
Texas' 9th	76.2%	22.8%	75.7%	23.3%
Texas' 10th	39.8%	58.6%	48.4%	50.0%
Texas' 11th	29.1%	69.5%	19.7%	79.1%
Texas' 12th	40.1%	58.3%	37.9%	60.5%
Texas' 13th	26.5%	72.0%	19.4%	79.2%
Texas' 14th	35.0%	63.6%	39.6%	59.0%
Texas' 15th	48.1%	51.0%	TX-15: 50.4% TX-34: 51.5%	TX-15: 48.5% TX-34: 47.5%
Texas' 16th	67.0%	31.5%	66.4%	32.0%
Texas' 17th	38.0%	60.5%	43.6%	54.6%
Texas' 18th	73.6%	25.1%	75.7%	23.0%
Texas' 19th	26.2%	72.4%	26.3%	72.2%
Texas' 20th	65.8%	32.7%	63.7%	34.7%
Texas' 21st	39.4%	59.1%	47.9%	50.6%
Texas' 22nd	41.3%	57.4%	48.9%	49.8%
Texas' 23rd	45.8%	52.9%	48.5%	50.3%
Texas' 24th	43.0%	55.4%	51.9%	46.5%
Texas' 25th	33.8%	64.9%	44.4%	54.0%
Texas' 26th	40.0%	58.6%	42.1%	56.3%
Texas' 27th	38.1%	60.6%	37.5%	61.2%
Texas' 28th	52.9%	45.9%	51.6%	47.2%
Texas' 29th	67.8%	31.0%	65.9%	32.9%
Texas' 30th	77.8%	21.0%	79.8%	18.9%
Texas' 31st	39.0%	59.2%	47.6%	50.4%
Texas' 32nd	65.7%	32.7%	54.4%	44.0%
Texas' 33rd	74.2%	24.4%	73.0%	25.6%
Texas' 34th	57.3%	41.8%	TX-15: 50.4% TX-34: 51.5%	TX-15: 48.5% TX-34: 47.5%
Texas' 35th	71.7%	26.5%	---	---
Texas' 36th	33.6%	65.2%	26.9%	71.9%
Texas' 37th	75.5%	22.7%	67.7%	30.5%
Texas' 38th	40.2%	58.4%	---	---

Competitiveness