Eric Flores (Texas)
Eric Flores (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 34th Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.
Biography
Eric Flores received his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from Texas Southern University.[1] He served in the U.S. Army and Texas Army National Guard.[1] He previously served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.[1] His career experience included working as a lawyer.[1]
2026 battleground election
Ballotpedia identified the November 3, 2026, general election as a battleground election. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.
Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D), Eric Flores (R), Eddie Espinoza (G), and Chris Royal (L) are running in the general election for Texas' 34th Congressional District on November 3, 2026.
During mid-decade redistricting, the district was redrawn to one that President Donald Trump (R) would have won in 2024 54.7%-44.5%, compared to 51.8%-47.3% under the old lines.[2] This makes it one of 23 Democratic-held U.S. House districts up for election in 2026 that Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. As of September 24, 2026, election forecasters have rated the district either Toss-up or Lean Democratic. According to a Spectrum News 1 analysis of August 2026 polling, "results suggest that some Hispanic voters might be returning to the Democratic Party after shifting to the GOP in recent elections."[3]
According to reporting from Courier Texas' ShaVonne Herndon, Flores could benefit from both redistricting and Trump's endorsement, while Gonzalez could benefit from voter dissatisfaction with the economy.[4] Herndon says, "Texas 34 is one of the closest House races in the country and one of the clearest places to watch whether the politics of loyalty can outrun the economics of affordability."[4]
Gonzalez has represented the district since 2023. He previously represented Texas' 15th Congressional District from 2017 to 2023. Before entering politics, Gonzalez was an attorney in private practice.[5] Gonzalez says, "I'm taking on drug and insurance companies to lower your costs, requiring Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month. And I'm fighting to end the reckless tariffs that are driving up the costs of groceries and everything else."[6]
Flores is a lawyer and veteran of the U.S. Army and Texas Army National Guard.[7] He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas.[7] A campaign ad says, "Eric Flores led operations on our southern border as an Army infantry captain, took on cartels as a federal prosecutor, and Eric never backs down from a fight. Eric will secure the border, defend law enforcement, and fight alongside President Trump like he always has."[8]
As of June 30, 2026, Gonzalez had raised $3.77 million and Flores had raised $2.87 million.[9]
The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 120th Congress. All 435 U.S. House districts are up for election.
Currently, Republicans have a 219-214 majority with two vacancies in the U.S. House.[10][11] To read more about the U.S. House elections taking place this year, click here.
Elections
2026
See also: Texas' 34th Congressional District election, 2026
Texas' 34th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)
Texas' 34th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for U.S. House Texas District 34
Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez Jr., Eric Flores, Eddie Espinoza, and Chris Royal are running in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 34 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D) | |
 | Eric Flores (R) | |
 | Eddie Espinoza (G)  | |
 | Chris Royal (L) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 34
Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez Jr. defeated Etienne Rosas in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 34 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | 62.7 | 35,342 |
 | Etienne Rosas | 37.3 | 20,993 | |
| Total votes: 56,335 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 34
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 34 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eric Flores | 56.7 | 20,726 |
 | Mayra Flores | 23.7 | 8,652 | |
 | Luis Buentello | 5.3 | 1,943 | |
 | Scott Mandel (Unofficially withdrew) | 4.5 | 1,638 | |
| Fred Hinojosa (Unofficially withdrew) | 3.8 | 1,395 | ||
 | Keith Allen | 3.8 | 1,378 | |
 | Gregory Kunkle Jr. | 1.9 | 690 | |
 | Jay Nagy | 0.4 | 159 | |
| Total votes: 36,581 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bam Morales (R)
- Mauro Garza (R)
Green convention
Green convention for U.S. House Texas District 34
Eddie Espinoza advanced from the Green convention for U.S. House Texas District 34 on March 21, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Eddie Espinoza (G) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 34
Chris Royal advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 34 on March 21, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Royal (L) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[12] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[13] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.
Below we provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval. Know of something we're missing? Click here to let us know.
| Poll | Dates | Espinoza (G) | Flores (R) | Gonzalez (D) | Royal (L) | No opinion/Skipped | Someone else | Would not vote | Unsure | Not sure | Undecided | Sample size | Margin of error | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
– | 2 | 43 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | 626 LV | ± 5.4% | The Washington Post/George Mason University | |
– | 3 | 42 | 45 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | 8 | -- | -- | 700 LV | ± 3.7% | ||
– | -- | 44 | 41 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 15 | -- | 400 LV | ± 5.0% | Eric Flores | |
– | -- | 41 | 40 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 19 | 800 LV | ± 3.5% | NRCC | |
| Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters. | ||||||||||||||
Candidate spending
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | Democratic Party | $5,211,344 | $4,096,455 | $1,396,949 | As of October 14, 2026 |
| Eric Flores | Republican Party | $4,009,074 | $3,759,621 | $249,427 | As of October 14, 2026 |
| Eddie Espinoza | Green Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Chris Royal | Libertarian Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[14][15]
The tables below contain data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC). They include totals from monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports, as well as 24- and 48-hour reports.
Details about satellite spending of significant amounts and/or reported by media are included below those links. To notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.
The table below summarizes spending by satellite groups in support of or opposition to each candidate in this race. Satellite spending is spending by outside groups, independent of candidates’ campaigns. It does not include spending by the candidates’ own campaigns.
| Candidate | Spending For | Spending Against | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Flores | $659,724 | $0 | $659,724 |
| Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | $696 | $55,450 | $56,145 |
| Total | $660,420 | $55,450 | $715,870 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC). This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the FEC. | |||
The table below details the total spending by satellite groups and whether it was made in support or opposition of a specific candidate. It breaks down the totals above by organization, with individual rows ordered by amount, largest first.
| Organization | Support/Oppose | Candidate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY ACTION, INC. (AFP ACTION) DBA CVA ACTION AND DBA LIBRE ACTION | Support | Eric Flores | $171,070 |
| OPERATION GUARDIAN SUPPORT PAC | Support | Eric Flores | $167,750 |
| GOPAC ELECTION FUND | Support | Eric Flores | $159,390 |
| DEFENDING MAIN STREET SUPERPAC INC. | Support | Eric Flores | $135,000 |
| AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY ACTION, INC. (AFP ACTION) DBA CVA ACTION AND DBA LIBRE ACTION | Oppose | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | $48,989 |
| SPECIAL OPERATIONS FOR AMERICA | Support | Eric Flores | $20,000 |
| THE CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DBA AMERICANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY | Support | Eric Flores | $6,461 |
| THE CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DBA AMERICANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY | Oppose | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | $6,461 |
| TEXAS DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | Support | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | $269 |
| FIELD TEAM 6, INC. | Support | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | $194 |
| INDIGO PAC | Support | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | $145 |
| THE CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DBA AMERICANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY | Support | Vicente Gonzalez Jr. | $88 |
| TEXAS ALLIANCE FOR LIFE FED PAC | Support | Eric Flores | $54 |
| Overall total | $715,870 | ||
| Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC). This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the FEC. | |||
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[16]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[17][18][19]
Last four weeks
Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. The table below shows the most recent four weeks of ratings until the election date, if available.
| Reviewing Body | October 20, 2026 | October 13, 2026 | October 6, 2026 | September 29, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook Political Report | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up |
| Decision Desk | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic |
| Inside Elections | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic |
Change over time
The following table shows each date on which one or more rating outlets changed their rating.
| Date | Cook Political Report | Inside Elections | Sabato's Crystal Ball | Decision Desk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most recent rating | Toss-up | Toss-up | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic |
| Changes throughout the cycle | ||||
| September 15, 2026 | Toss-up | Toss-up | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic |
| July 21, 2026 | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Lean Democratic |
| January 20, 2026 | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Pending |
| November 25, 2025 | Lean Republican | Toss-up | Toss-up | Pending |
| September 2, 2025 | Lean Republican | Toss-up | Lean Republican | Pending |
| August 26, 2025 | Lean Republican | Tilt Democratic | Toss-up | Pending |
| April 15, 2025 | Toss-up | Tilt Democratic | Toss-up | Pending |
| March 18, 2025 | Toss-up | Tilt Democratic | Pending | Pending |
| February 11, 2025 | Toss-up | Pending | Pending | Pending |
Endorsements
- See also: Our approach to covering endorsements
Eric Flores received the following endorsements and voter guide recommendations. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Eric Flores has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Eric Flores asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Eric Flores, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for. More than 24,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.
You can ask Eric Flores to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@ericflores.com.
Campaign website
Flores' campaign website stated the following:
Priorities
"My abuela always said: ‘Aquí nadie se queda atrás.’ Here, no one gets left behind. That’s my promise to you."
- ERIC FLORES
STAND UP FOR SOUTH TEXAS AND THE COASTAL BEND
South Texas and the Coastal Bend helped build America's energy, agriculture, and shipping economy, but Democrat Vicente Gonzalez only treats us like an afterthought. I'll bring federal funds to our community, push back on mandates that ignore how our region actually works, hold federal agencies accountable when they slow down projects that lead to good-paying jobs, and always deliver real, lasting results.
LOWER THE COST OF LIVING
Families in our communities are struggling because of rising grocery bills, gas prices, insurance premiums, and housing costs. I'll oppose reckless federal spending that fuels inflation, fight to cut the red tape driving up costs for families and small businesses, and support affordable housing solutions that keep pace with our growing communities. Just this past year, Vicente Gonzalez voted against real tax relief for working families and those in the service industry. His failure to act on their behalf is inexcusable.
IMPROVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE
South Texas and the Coastal Bend's infrastructure carry the weight of our nation's energy exports and agricultural trade, but our roads, bridges, and utilities haven't kept pace and are in disrepair. I'll fight to secure federal funding for road, bridge, and port improvements, expand broadband in rural communities, and advocate for the Port of Corpus Christi and Brownsville like the national economic assets they are.
DEFEND WATER RESOURCES
Water is critical to South Texas. It's vital for our families, our farmers, and our ranchers. I'll fight for federal investment in our water infrastructure, support efforts to protect agricultural and municipal water supplies, and push for long-term regional water planning instead of relying on short-term fixes.
ADVOCATE FOR OUR VETERANS
As an Infantry Captain in the Army National Guard, I know firsthand what our men and women in uniform sacrifice, as well as what they're owed when they come home. I'll fight to reduce VA wait times and expand access to care throughout our communities, support fully funding veterans' benefits and disability claims, and champion mental health and suicide prevention resources for veterans.
SAFEGUARD SENIORS' BENEFITS
Seniors in our communities have worked their whole lives to afford a comfortable life. The promise of their money being available after retirement must be kept. While Vicente Gonzalez wants to tax seniors' benefits, I'll oppose any effort to cut those earned benefits, fight to ensure they keep pace with the true cost of living, support expanding access to affordable prescription drugs, and push for stronger protections against elder fraud and financial exploitation.
SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FARMERS AND RANCHERS
Agriculture is the backbone of South Texas. As our farmers and ranchers are hit by continued drought, rising costs, and parasitic pests, they need our support now more than ever. I'll fight for strong legislation that protects South Texas producers, pushes for crop insurance and disaster relief that responds quickly to extreme weather, opposes trade policies that hurt local agricultural markets, and defends farm and ranch property rights.
INVEST IN LOCAL BUSINESSES
Small businesses are the economic engine of South Texas and the Coastal Bend. I'll fight for tax relief and reduced regulatory burdens for small business owners, support workforce development that connects South Texans to good-paying local jobs, and champion policies that keep economic opportunity growing here at home, not just in big cities like Houston and Dallas.
— Eric Flores' campaign website (September 27, 2026)
Campaign ads
View more ads here:
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
|
Candidate U.S. House Texas District 34 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Eric Flores 2026 campaign website, "About Eric," accessed November 10, 2025
- ↑ Dave's Redistricting, "Texas 2022 Congressional Map: 2024 Presidential Dataset," accessed August 23, 2026
- ↑ Spectrum News 1, "New poll shows Democrats lead GOP in battleground districts in South Texas," August 27, 2026
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Facebook, "Courier Texas," August 28, 2026
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "GONZALEZ, Vicente, Jr.," accessed September 24, 2026
- ↑ YouTube, "VicenteGonzalez Prescriptions WEB," September 11, 2026
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Eric Flores 2026 campaign website, "About Eric," accessed November 10, 2025
- ↑ YouTube, "Eric Flores for Congress - Fighter," November 16, 2025
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Texas - House District 34," accessed September 24, 2026
- ↑ Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.) caucuses with the Republicans.
- ↑ A majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, when there are no vacancies, is 218 seats.
- ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
