Overview
- Galindo drew widespread condemnation after a May 13 campaign post said she would turn the Karnes ICE detention center into a “prison for American Zionists” and a “castration processing center,” a claim the campaign later defended as targeting “billionaire American Zionists.”
- National Democratic leaders, Jewish groups, and several House members publicly denounced the remarks and many withdrew support or endorsed her runoff rival Johnny Garcia.
- The DCCC made a last-minute $34,000 ad buy on Friday to label Galindo “MAGA Maureen,” attack her statements, and boost Garcia ahead of the May 26 Democratic runoff.
- Reporting shows a newly formed group called Lead Left PAC has spent heavily to promote Galindo and its website metadata was linked to the Republican fundraising platform WinRed, raising concern about cross-party tactical spending.
- The outcome of the May 26 runoff will determine the Democratic nominee in a newly redrawn, more Republican-leaning TX-35 seat and could affect the party’s chance to hold the district in November.