Congressman claims Republican stole special election, gets support from Adam Schiff

A Democrat congressman Saturday publicly denied the results of a congressional special election in Texas won by Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) in June. 

Flores, a Republican, unexpectedly won the historically blue 34^th District, making her the first Mexican-born woman to serve in Congress. Due to redistricting, Flores will face Democrat Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in November. 

In July, it was revealed that Gonzalez’ campaign had paid a blogger to publish hit pieces against Flores which lobbed several racial slurs against the congresswoman such as “Miss Frijoles” and “Miss Enchiladas” and calling her a “cotton-pickin’ liar”. 

During a campaign event Saturday in Brownsville, Texas, Gonzalez accused Republicans of stealing the “last” election. 

“Our democracy is at stake,” Gonzalez told a crowd at Schotz Bar. “There’s millions and millions of dollars from outside our region and outside our state that are coming here to try to steal our elections and take away your value and take away the process that we rely on, which is elections. And we don’t have the resources to compete with these outside resources. We can’t compete with the Koch brothers, we can’t compete with big oil, and big tobacco, and the NRA. They can outspend us, but they can’t outwork us.” 

“They stole that last election,” Gonzalez falsely claimed. “They spent $30 million to our $250,000, they campaigned for two years, and they still only won by less than one percent. So, the way to turn this around is getting out and vote.” 

It is unclear who Gonzalez was referring to, given that the last election was the House run between Flores and Dan Sanchez, in which Flores raised $752,000 in campaign contributions and Sanchez raised $46,000. Flores beat Sanchez by over seven points.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who sits on the January 6^th Committee and had come to pledge his support for Gonzalez, did not condemn the remarks. 

“The work you’re doing to support our Democratic institutions, the infrastructure of our elections, the rule of law, the rule of law applies to everyone equally could not be more important,” Schiff said. “It’s been such a pleasure to meet so many of you and thank you for all you’re doing to support my wonderful colleague.” 

During a January 6^th Committee hearing in June, Schiff condemned President Trump’s statements about the 2020 presidential election. 

“If you can convince Americans that they cannot trust their own elections, that anytime they lose, it is somehow illegitimate, then what is left but violence to determine who should govern?” said Schiff. 

But in 2019, Schiff pre-emptively accused Trump of cheating in the 2020 election. 

“Can we be confident that he will not continue to try to cheat in [this] very election? Can we be confident that Americans and not foreign powers will get to decide, and that the president will shun any further foreign interference in our democratic affairs? The short, plain, sad, incontestable answer is no, you can't. You can't trust this president to do the right thing. Not for one minute, not for one election, not for the sake of our country. You just can't. He will not change and you know it. 

“What are the odds, if left in office, that he will continue trying to cheat? I will tell you: 100 percent. A man without character or ethical compass will never find his way.” 

Rep. Schiff's office did not immediately respond to America's Frontline News' request for comment.

Gonzalez’s statements come as Joe Biden continues his assault on “MAGA Republicans”, who he says are “threating democracy” for doubting the 2020 presidential election.