Moderate Texas Democrat Cuellar Beats Back Progressive Challenge

(Bloomberg) -- Texas Representative Henry Cuellar, one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, beat back a primary challenge from a progressive candidate backed by liberal firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Cuellar defeated Jessica Cisneros, an immigration attorney backed by Ocasio-Cortez's Courage to Change PAC and the AFL-CIO union confederation after an intense primary contest in the safely Democratic district that stretches from San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border.

The race was called more than 12 hours after polls closed in the Texas primary. With all precincts reporting, Cuellar had 51.8% of the vote to 48.2% for Cisneros.

The race was a struggle between the Democratic Party's establishment and its progressive wing, which has made attempts to unseat incumbents who don't fully align with liberal goals. While Ocasio-Cortez backed Cisneros, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported Cuellar.

The contest also reflect the tension is the party's presidential nomination race. In the same primary, former Vice President Joe Biden won a surprise upset victory over Bernie Sanders, who has been the leader of the progressive movement.

Cisneros, 26, had served as an intern in Cuellar's office and argued that his politics on gun control and abortion rights were out of step with a district which Hillary Clinton won by 20 percentage points in 2016.

First elected in 2004, Cuellar is one of the most conservative members of the House Democratic caucus. A member of the budget deficit-focused Blue Dog Coalition, he played a key role in brokering a compromise on the stalled U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement and on ending last year's government shutdown over President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funding. Cuellar received an endorsement from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a rarity for a congressional Democrat.

Cuellar is a favorite to win re-election in the heavily Democratic 28th Congressional district. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, he is on track to chair a subcommittee in the next Congress.

Read more: Progressive Movement Tested Tuesday in Fiery Texas House Primary

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Wasson in Washington at ewasson@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Anna Edgerton

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