Abbott sets June 14 election to replace Dem Vela in Congress; Texas may see rare fight of incumbents

WASHINGTON — Gov. Greg Abbott set a June 14 special election Monday to fill a South Texas congressional seat left vacant by last week’s sudden retirement of Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela.

That could create a rare fall contest between U.S. House incumbents.

Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen, already the Democratic nominee for the Vela seat in November, won’t give up his neighboring district to run in the special election.

But the GOP nominee, Mayra Flores, will run for the remainder of Vela’s term. If she wins, she would immediately take office — turning the general election into a contest between two members of Congress.

Vela, a Brownsville Democrat who served as vice chair of the national Democratic Party, announced over a year ago that he would not seek reelection.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/04/04/abbott-sets-june-14-election-to-replace-vela-in-congress-s-texas-may-see-rare-fight-of-incumbents/