Former Texas lawmaker hospitalized after launching congressional bid

Former Rep. Mayra Flores’s (R-Texas) campaign team said she was hospitalized on Tuesday, hours after launching a challenge against Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) in the state’s 28th Congressional District. 

“Former and future Congresswoman Mayra Flores, a devoted conservative fighting corruption in Texas’s 28th District, has been hospitalized,” read a post signed from her team on the social platform X. 

“During this challenging time, we humbly ask for your prayers and support. We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue her unwavering commitment to serving our country,” the statement continued. “Mayra’s passion for building a brighter future for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come is at the heart of everything she does. Guided by faith and determination, she remains steadfast in her mission during this critical moment.”

Flores launched her bid against Cuellar hours earlier, telling Fox News in an interview that there aren’t many voices “talking to the Spanish-speaking community about the amazing work President Trump is doing, and his administration.”

“And that’s something that I feel I’m obligated to do, because there’s a lot of misinformation being spread from the left, and they’re trying to instill fear and hate in the Hispanic community,” she told the network. 

Flores represented Texas’s 34th Congressional District from June 2022 to January 2023 after winning a special election. She was ousted by Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas). 

Cuellar is seen as one of the more vulnerable House Democrats going into the 2026 midterms.

He was indicted last year on charges related to allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes and laundering the funds.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the 28th Congressional District as “lean Democratic.”