Monica De La Cruz

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Johnny Hernandez
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(m. 2015;div. 2021)​
Monica De La Cruz
MDLC Official Portrait 2025.jpg
Official portrait, 2023
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives
from Texas's 15th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Children2
Education University of Texas, San Antonio (BBA)
Website House website
Campaign website

Monica De La Cruz (born November 11, 1974) [1] is an American politician and insurance agent from the state of Texas. She has represented Texas's 15th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023 as a Republican.

Contents

Early life and career

De La Cruz graduated from James Pace Early College High School in Brownsville, Texas, and the University of Texas at San Antonio, studying marketing. [2] She later attended the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, studying Spanish. She interned for Turner Entertainment before working for Cartoon Network Latin America. [3] Before being elected to the U.S. Congress, she was an insurance agent and business owner.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2020

In 2020, De La Cruz ran in Texas's 15th congressional district , and lost to incumbent Democrat Vicente Gonzalez by almost three percentage points. [4]

2022

Endorsed by Donald Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, De La Cruz ran again in the 15th district in 2022, while Gonzalez was redistricted to Texas's 34th congressional district . De La Cruz defeated Democratic nominee Michelle Vallejo in the general election, earning 80,869 votes to Vallejo's 67,913. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] When she took office in 2023, she became only the eighth person to represent this district since its creation in 1903, and the first Republican. By a matter of a few months, she was the second Republican elected from a Rio Grande Valley county in over a century; the first, Mayra Flores, was elected to a partial term in a neighboring district in 2022. De la Cruz is the first Republican elected to a full term after it was redrawn. [10]

2024

De La Cruz ran for re-election in 2024 and faced Michelle Vallejo in the general election. [11] De La Cruz was re-elected by 14 points. [12]

Tenure

In March 2024, De La Cruz delivered the Republican response to President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union Address in Spanish. [13]

In June 2024, Politico reported De La Cruz earmarked $2.4 million in taxpayer funds to Angels of Love Advocacy Project, an organization founded by Della Fay Perez— the two were set to appear at a press conference together in late May until Perez was arrested days prior for allegedly stealing $500,000 from Ponzi scheme victims. [14] [15]

Caucus memberships

Committee assignment

Political positions

De La Cruz voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. [19] [20]

Personal life

De La Cruz is an Episcopalian. [21]

De La Cruz has been married and divorced twice and has two children. De La Cruz's split from her second husband in 2021, Juan Gabriel Hernandez, resulted in an acrimonious divorce. [22] [23] Her brother, Carlos, is running for the redrawn Texas's 35th congressional district in 2026. [24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) Research Report" (PDF). October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Incoming Rep. Monica De La Cruz - R Texas, 15th, Member-elect - Biography | LegiStorm". www.legistorm.com. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Vote Smart | Facts For All". Vote Smart.
  4. ↑ Taylor, Steve (June 5, 2022). "De La Cruz: I do not care which Democrat I face in CD 15 general election". Rio Grande Guardian.
  5. ↑ Choi, Matthew (August 24, 2022). "In Texas' most competitive congressional race, neither candidate is running toward the center". The Texas Tribune.
  6. ↑ Recio, Maria. "Latina candidates reshaping South Texas politics in 3 key congressional races". Austin American-Statesman.
  7. ↑ Gamboa, Suzanne (October 22, 2022). "South Texas Democrats push back as Latina Republicans close in". www.nbcnews.com.
  8. ↑ "Texas Republicans hope to send their first Latina to Congress". NBC News. March 9, 2022.
  9. ↑ Neukam, Matthew Choi and Stephen (November 9, 2022). "Monica De La Cruz becomes first Republican to win in 15th Congressional District in South Texas". The Texas Tribune.
  10. ↑ "Monica De La Cruz wins Republican primary in more competitive Texas district". Reuters . March 2, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Second round: Monica de la Cruz, Michelle Vallejo set for District 15 rematch". March 6, 2024.
  12. ↑ Scherer, Jasper (November 6, 2024). "Monica De La Cruz retains GOP control of South Texas congressional district". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  13. ↑ Wermund, Benjamin. "Rep. Monica De La Cruz to deliver GOP's Spanish-language response to State of the Union".
  14. ↑ Oprysko, Caitlin (June 20, 2024). "Grindr hooks up with K Street". Politico .
  15. ↑ Reagen, Mark (May 22, 2024). "McAllen attorney accused of stealing $461K in restitution from $7B Ponzi scheme". MyRGV.com. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Candidates". RMSP PAC. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Caucus Memberships". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy". Financial Services Committee. U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  19. ↑ Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  20. ↑ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 30, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ↑ "Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress" (PDF). Pew Research Center. January 3, 2023.
  22. ↑ Scherer, Michael (November 9, 2021). "Top GOP congressional candidate in Texas accused of abusing teenage daughter of estranged husband". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  23. ↑ Scherer, Michael (January 12, 2022). "GOP House candidate Monica De La Cruz will be allowed to return to her Texas home in April amid legal fight with her estranged husband". Washington Post. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  24. ↑ Friedman, Marijke (October 2, 2025). "Republican Carlos De La Cruz announces run for redrawn 35th Congressional District". The Texas Tribune . Retrieved October 2, 2025.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 15th congressional district
2023–present		Incumbent
Preceded by Chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus
2025–present
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
310th		Succeeded by
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