Clyburn to campaign with Cuellar ahead of Texas primary runoff

by Julia Manchester - 04/26/22 3:25 PM ET

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) addresses reporters during a press conference on Friday, November 19, 2021 after the Build Back Act vote. — Greg Nash

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) will campaign with vulnerable Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) in Texas next month ahead of the state’s primary runoff.

Cuellar’s campaign announced on Monday that Clyburn will join him in San Antonio for a “Get Out the Vote” rally. The event will also feature local elected officials and community leaders who support Cuellar.

Clyburn is one of the first major national Democrats to campaign alongside Cuellar this campaign cycle. The House Majority Whip has campaigned for other candidates facing tough reelection bids in the past, including Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) and former Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe (D).

The South Carolina congressman was critical in President Biden’s win in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, galvanizing Black voters to vote for Biden.

Cuellar has had a tenuous reelection campaign in Texas’s 28th District, grappling with a strong, progressive primary challenger and an FBI investigation.

In January, Cuellar’s home and campaign offices were raided by the FBI as part of an investigation into ties between Azerbaijan and U.S. businessmen. Cuellar’s attorney told Fox News earlier this month that the congressman was not a target of the Justice Department’s investigation, and Cuellar has said he will cooperate with the FBI.

Additionally, Cuellar is facing a highly contested primary runoff against progressive candidate Jessica Cisneros on May 24th.

Cisneros trailed Cuellar by less than 2 points in the primary election last month. In 2020, she lost to Cuellar by 4 points.

Republicans have also added Cuellar’s seat to their 2022 target list. Republican candidates Cassy Garcia and Sandra Whitten are set to compete in the GOP’s runoff in the district next month.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) told The Hill earlier this month he believes Democrats are going to hold the district.

The Cook Political Report has labeled the district as a “toss up.”