Jessica Cisneros

Jessica Cisneros (born 1993/1994)[1] is an American attorney and politician who is a Democratic candidate for Texas's 28th congressional district in the 2022 election.[2]

Jessica Cisneros
Personal details
Born1993/1994 (age 28–29)
Laredo, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Texas, Austin (BA, JD)
WebsiteCampaign website

Early life and education

Cisneros was born and raised in Laredo, Texas.[3][4] Before she was born, her parents emigrated from Mexico to seek medical care for her older sister.[3][4][5]

Cisneros was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Early College High School.[3] She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law.[5][6] Her focus during law school included immigration law.[5] In 2014, as an undergraduate, she worked as an intern in the Washington, D.C. office of Congressman Henry Cuellar.[5][7]

Career

After graduating from law school, Cisneros has worked as an immigration attorney, including at Brooklyn Defender Services.[8]

2020 and 2022 U.S. House of Representatives elections

In 2020, Cisneros was a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 28th congressional district against Henry Cuellar, the incumbent since 2005. During her campaign, she promoted progressive policies such as single-payer healthcare and raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.[9] She also criticized Cuellar's voting record as too conservative, noting in particular his views on abortion rights and his campaign donations from the private prison industry, especially in light of the controversial migrant detention facilities operated at the border by the Trump administration.[7] She was endorsed by progressive groups Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats.[10][9][11] Cisneros narrowly lost to Cuellar in the March 2020 primary.[12]

In August 2021, Cisneros announced she would challenge Cuellar in the 2022 Democratic primary.[13][14][15][16] She faced Cuellar in the Democratic primary on March 1, 2022.[2][17] She was again endorsed by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and the pro-choice advocacy group EMILY's List.[18] On March 1, the day of the Democratic primary, Cuellar led, but with less than fifty percent of the primary vote. Therefore, Cisneros and Cuellar will compete in a runoff on May 24.[5][19]

Electoral history
2020 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry Cuellar (incumbent) 38,834 51.79%
Democratic Jessica Cisneros 36,144 48.21%
Total votes 74,978 100.00%
2022 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry Cuellar (incumbent) 23,552 48.4%
Democratic Jessica Cisneros 22,785 46.9%
Democratic Tannya Judith Benavides 2,289 4.7%
Total votes 48,626 100.00%

References
  1. "Jessica Cisneros Takes on the Last Anti-Abortion U.S. House Democrat". The 19th. February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  2. Ferris, Sarah (February 23, 2022). "The left's South Texas star isn't the progressive they warned you about". Politico. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  3. Medina, Jennifer (March 2, 2022). "The Young Progressive Lawyer at the Center of a Marquee Texas Runoff". The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  4. Murphy, Tim (January 2020). "This 26-year-old Texan could be the next AOC. (But don't tell her that.)". Mother Jones. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  5. Alfaro, Mariana (March 2, 2022). "Meet Jessica Cisneros, the 28-year-old immigration lawyer who forced a veteran Democrat into a runoff in Texas". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  6. "Jessica Cisneros". Forbes. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  7. Baird, Addy (March 2, 2020). "She used to be his intern. Now she's trying to kick him out of office". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  8. Read, Bridget (June 13, 2019). "Is Jessica Cisneros the Next Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?". Vogue. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  9. Godfrey, Elaine (October 12, 2019). "The Search for the Next AOC". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  10. Carroll, Susan J.; Fox, Richard L.; Dittmar, Kelly (December 9, 2021). Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-51147-3.
  11. Medina, Jennifer (July 3, 2019). "Jessica Cisneros on challenging an incumbent Democrat: 'There's a lot he has never had to justify'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  12. Fang, Lee (March 4, 2020). "Jessica Cisneros, a progressive favorite, loses to incumbent Henry Cuellar". The Intercept. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  13. King, Maya (August 5, 2021). "Jessica Cisneros launches primary rematch against Rep. Henry Cuellar". Politico. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  14. Joselow, Maxine (November 29, 2021). "Another Texas House primary showdown is coming, and it's all about climate policy and Big Oil donations". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  15. Chávez, Aída (December 7, 2021). "Jessica Cisneros is the future of the Democratic Party". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  16. Geer, John G.; Herrera, Richard; Schiller, Wendy J.; Segal, Jeffrey A. (January 1, 2021). Gateways to Democracy: An Introduction to American Government. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-357-45933-1.
  17. Weisman, Jonathan (February 25, 2022). "After Trump surge, a liberal Democrat in south Texas shifts tactics". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  18. Livingston, Abby (February 24, 2022). "Will an FBI raid boost Laredo progressive Jessica Cisneros' bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar?". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  19. Texas 28th Congressional District Primary Election Results, New York Times, March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  20. "Election results (2020 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district)". Our Campaigns. March 3, 2020. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  21. Livingston, Abby (March 2, 2022). "Henry Cuellar, Jessica Cisneros head to runoff for South Texas congressional seat". Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
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