Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he voted Republican for the first time in his life after casting his ballot for GOP candidate Mayra Flores in the Texas special election.
While announcing his vote on Twitter, Musk also predicted a “massive red wave in 2022.”
“I voted for Mayra Flores – first time I ever voted Republican,” Musk said.
“Massive red wave in 2022.”
A Twitter user asked Musk: “Elon, is this the first time that has happened with you where you’re receiving massive amounts of hate by the top Democrat leaders (Biden, Sanders, AOC, Warren, etc)?
“Cause when Obama was running the office he used to support the work Tesla & SpaceX were doing.
Musk said: “Yes.”
I voted for Mayra Flores – first time I ever voted Republican.
Massive red wave in 2022.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2022
Mayra Flores (R) beat Dan Sanchez (D) in the #TX34 special election last night in a district that is 84% Hispanic and used to vote Democrat.
The deep blue district had been held by the Democrats for over 150 years until Flores’s victory.
The seat is currently vacant due to the resignation of Democratic Congressman Filemon Vela.
Dave Wasserman of Cook Political Report broke it down: “I’ve seen enough: Mayra Flores (R) defeats Dan Sanchez (D) in the #TX34 special election, flipping an 84% Hispanic Rio Grande Valley seat red.
“Wow, Mayra Flores (R) just took the lead vs. Dan Sanchez (D) in Cameron Co., an almost entirely Hispanic county that voted Biden +13 in 2020.
“Would be an exclamation point on flipping the seat red. #TX34.”
Flores said:
“This historic win will bring back God to the halls of Congress!
“This win is for the people who were ignored for so long!
“This is a message that the establishment will no longer be tolerated!
“We have officially started the red wave!! #TX34.
“God, Family, Country.”
This is the first time since reconstruction a Republican will represent the Rio Grande Valley in Congress.
This historic win will bring back God to the halls of Congress! This win is for the people who were ignored for so long! This is a message that the establishment will no longer be tolerated! We have officially started the red wave!! #TX34
God, Family, Country pic.twitter.com/pNn8UYoPor
— Mayra Flores For Congress 🇺🇸🦅 (@MayraFlores2022) June 15, 2022
I’ve seen enough: Mayra Flores (R) defeats Dan Sanchez (D) in the #TX34 special election, flipping an 84% Hispanic Rio Grande Valley seat red.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) June 15, 2022
From Texas Monthly:
When Mayra Flores won a special congressional election Tuesday, she made history in more than one way.
In Washington, D.C., she’ll be the first woman born in Mexico to serve as a Republican in Congress.
She’s also helped the GOP secure its most-desired dream for this year in South Texas: for the first time since Reconstruction, a Republican will represent the Rio Grande Valley in Congress.
The GOP has spent much of the last year trumpeting its ascendance in South Texas, ever since Donald Trump’s shocking success in the counties that stretch from Laredo all the way down the Rio Grande Valley to the Gulf.
Between 2016 and 2020, Trump improved his performance in some of these counties, traditionally Democratic strongholds, by more than 50 percent.
From The Texan:
The voting population included in District 34 under the current map leans 54 percent Democratic based on data from the past two general elections.
But the voting population of the newly adopted district map leans 63 percent Democratic.
In other words, if Vela had not retired and triggered a special election, his replacement would have been decided in November by a more Democratic voting population than what the district currently includes.
Flores may face a greater challenge in November when the regular election takes place under the new map with a more Democratic voting population.
Abbott set the special election for June 14 instead of letting the district remain unrepresented until November, citing his authority under the Texas Disaster Act.
Texas’ 34th Congressional District spans a swath of South Texas and the Gulf Coast region, reaching south to Cameron County at the border.
