Ramírez: A Lifelong Democrat’s Case for Eric Flores

13 hours ago 24

Honoring Democratic Values, Not Blind Loyalty

I have been a proud Democrat all my life – vice president of the Texas Young Democrats, Hispanic Caucus chair to the Young Democrats of America, the whole lot. To me, the Democratic Party stood for inspiring ideals and real results. It was the party of John F. Kennedy, who famously urged Americans “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”. It was the party of Bill Clinton, who balanced the federal budget and even achieved a surplus – the first in a generation. It was the party of Barack Obama, who expanded access to health care for over 20 million people through the Affordable Care Act. Those are the values and achievements that made me fall in love with the Democratic Party. I still cherish them. But staying true to those values sometimes means putting principle over party – and even, in rare times, considering a candidate from the other side.

Over the past several years, I’ve felt my party drifting away from the pragmatic, service-oriented Democratic Party I knew. Some Democrats have increasingly tilted toward the far left, often refusing to even acknowledge some hard truths that our communities face. I never signed up to deny problems right in front of us. Yet on issues like immigration and public safety, too many Democratic leaders stuck their heads in the sand. For example, some Democrats insisted “there is no border crisis” even as those of us living in South Texas saw an unprecedented surge of migrants and community strains at our border communities. Democrats talk about the welfare system as if every single person on welfare is beyond reproach – refusing to admit that any system, however well-intentioned, can be abused. They gloss over concerns that working-class families have about rising taxes and feeling squeezed. Meanwhile, I hear Republicans – however imperfectly – at least talking about these issues and proposing solutions. I don’t agree with all of their solutions, but I also don’t with where the Democratic party is headed. I will say, however, Republicans at least they’re bringing the issues to the table.

In the Rio Grande Valley, we have real border issues — both humanitarian and security — yet too many Democratic leaders won’t even acknowledge it. We can be compassionate while still enforcing the law, but that starts with telling the truth. Our communities also value safety, and we’ve seen crime and trafficking spill across the border, yet “law and order” has become a phrase some Democrats avoid even though our communities have many law enforcement officer living amongst us. The same goes for the welfare system — it’s a vital safety net, but yes, some abuse it, and pretending otherwise undermines its credibility. And when it comes to taxes, working families here feel overburdened. Talking about tax relief shouldn’t be off-limits — it should be a priority.

In raising these issues, I’m not abandoning my Democratic principles – I’m reaffirming them. Honesty with the public, pragmatic solutions, and service to one’s community are core Democratic values in my book. This brings me to a crossroads that I never imagined I’d face: endorsing a Republican for Congress.

When a Community Is Taken for Granted

For over a century, South Texas – the Rio Grande Valley especially – had been a Democratic stronghold. Our loyalty was rock-solid, and what have we gotten for that unwavering support? Too often, we’ve been treated as a piggy bank and a sure thing, not as communities with genuine needs and concerns.

I’ll give you a personal example. About a year ago, I ran into House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the airport in McAllen. I hadn’t heard he was visiting, and no one I knew had either. When I asked, he simply mentioned he was meeting with “some doctors.” There was no public event, no community roundtable, no visit to the border, and not even a press release that I saw about his presence in South Texas. It felt like the kind of quiet drop-in that comes and goes without truly engaging the people here. That moment stayed with me — not because of what he did, but because of everything he didn’t do. It reminded me how often national leaders treat the Valley like a stopover, not a priority, often just to pick up checks.

Now contrast that with an experience I’ve had in the past few months. One of my childhood best friends – Eric Flores – is running for Congress in Texas District 34 as a Republican, and I’ve sat across the table with some of the Republican strategists and operatives working with him. Frankly, I didn’t know what to expect from the GOP folks. South Texas hasn’t exactly been friendly territory for them until recently. But what I saw impressed me: they asked more questions about the Valley and its needs than we even thought to ask them about their campaign. They genuinely wanted to know: What are the biggest issues facing your neighborhoods? What do small business owners here need? How can a congressional representative help improve life here on the ground? There was an eagerness to learn about our community that, sadly, I haven’t seen from national Democrats in a long time. It was as if these Republicans realized they can’t take the Valley’s vote for granted – they know they have to earn it by understanding and addressing our concerns.

Even some Democrats are starting to acknowledge the problem. After the 2020 election, our own Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (a Democrat) warned his party, “Hopefully this is a wake-up call for the state and national party that it cannot take the Latino community in South Texas for granted.” He said this when his once-safe seat almost slipped away, and he was right. The message from voters is loud and clear: we will not be taken for granted.

Honestly, I don’t celebrate that trend as a partisan victory for Republicans – I see it as a wake-up call for both parties. For Democrats, it’s a long-overdue alarm that you can’t just count on our votes because of history or demographics; you have to deliver. For Republicans, it’s an opportunity – but only if they genuinely commit to representing us, not just using us as pawns in a political game. I want my party (the Democrats) to fight hard to win my vote back by listening to our community again, being pragmatic, offering solutions, and acknowledging realities. But for that to happen, sometimes a little political jolt is needed. Which brings me back to my friend Eric.

Eric Flores: A Candidate Who Puts the Valley First

Let me tell you about Eric Flores, the man I am proudly endorsing – despite his party label. Eric and I grew up together, and I’ve known him for over half my life. I know his heart, and I know his mind. He is honest, hard-working, and deeply loyal to the people of the Rio Grande Valley. And he has the track record to prove his integrity and commitment to service. Eric is a U.S. Army veteran who served as an infantry officer and rose to the rank of Captain, including service in the Texas National Guard where he helped protect our southern border during Operation Guardian Support. After the Army, he became a federal prosecutor, taking on drug cartels and human traffickers – the very crimes that affect our communities – and even secured the conviction of one of Texas’s Top 10 most-wanted fugitives. His legal career didn’t stop there: Eric served as a municipal judge in Alton, Texas, and today he’s my law partner where he fights for towns and school districts across the state. He’s also a devoted family man, a Spanish speaker who understands our culture, and someone who never forgot where he came from.

That résumé isn’t typical “politician stuff” – it’s real-world service. When Eric says he cares about law and order, he speaks as someone who literally put on a uniform and stood a post. When he talks about making our communities safer, he’s someone who prosecuted criminals who prey on South Texans. He has already fought for us in more tangible ways than most career politicians ever will. That matters to me. It should matter to all of us in District 34.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: Eric is running as a Republican, and he openly embraces many of the views supported by former President Trump. I know that will give some of my Democratic friends pause. Trust me, I’ve had my own internal debates about this. President Trump is a polarizing figure, to put it mildly. His style – brash, confrontational, often offensive – is not something that sits well with a lot of us. I’ve cringed at plenty of his tweets and remarks. But I also recognize why many people in the Valley responded to Trump’s message. Beneath the ugly rhetoric, Trump talked about real problems. He pointed out the very issues I listed earlier: border issues, communities worried about safety, working folks feeling over taxed. A lot of us in South Texas nodded along to that diagnosis, even if we hated the manner in which it was delivered.

Eric Flores has that same frank recognition of our problems, but with a far more empathetic and respectful approach. He isn’t running to be Trump’s yes-man; he’s running to be our voice. I’ve talked with Eric at length about why he’s doing this. His answer boils down to this: “The Valley has been left behind by politicians in both parties, and that’s not right. I’m going to fight for South Texas every single day.” When he says that, I believe him wholeheartedly. In fact, he said something in his launch video that stuck with me: “We need fewer politicians and more fighters who will put our communities first… In Congress.” Trump, for all his faults, stood up to the D.C. insiders and paid attention to places like the Valley that had been ignored. Eric sees that and wants to harness it for good. He’s effectively saying: I’ll use that same fighting spirit to make sure the Valley gets its fair share.

Crucially, Eric understands South Texas in a way outsiders don’t. He knows that improving our community isn’t about left or right – it’s about right or wrong. It’s wrong when our levees and drainage projects go unfunded and we suffer floods. It’s wrong when our colonia communities lack basic infrastructure. It’s wrong when border patrol and local law enforcement don’t have the resources to keep us safe, or when small businesses in the Valley are drowned in red tape and high taxes. These are issues that neither party has solved for years, but Eric is determined to actually tackle by working with anyone who will help. I truly believe that if we send Eric Flores to Congress, he will make sure we are respected and heard. He’ll walk into the halls of power with the credibility of someone who’s served and bled for his country and community, and he will not be ignored. He’ll demand a seat at the table – and get it – precisely because he doesn’t take any of us for granted.

Country Over Party – Starting in South Texas

My decision to publicly support a Republican friend is not something I take lightly. I know some lifelong Democrats will be angry. I want to speak to you especially, my fellow Democrats: I am not betraying our core Democratic ideals. If anything, I am trying to salvage those ideals from a party establishment that has lost its way in our region. Remember JFK’s challenge of service – it’s about what we do for our country and community. That spirit means we must sometimes reach across old party lines for the greater good. Putting country (and community) over party starts with each one of us, in our own voting booth. How can we claim to put country first if we reflexively vote for our party, even when the candidate they offer is not delivering for our community?

I remain a Democrat at heart – I haven’t changed my registration or my fundamental beliefs in equality, justice, and opportunity. But I’m also a Texan, an American, and a Rio Grande Valley native, and those identities come before any party label. In this election, supporting Eric Flores is the most Democratic thing I feel I can do – if you define Democratic by the era of leaders like Kennedy, Clinton, and Obama who put results over rhetoric. It’s a message to my own party that our votes are not automatic and must be earned through attentiveness and action. And it’s a message to Republicans that if you produce a candidate of integrity who truly works for us, we will give them a fair hearing.

So, to my Democratic friends who feel as I do – frustrated but still hopeful – I say: be open-minded this election. Look at the person, not just the party. I know it’s not easy to break years of voting habit. But remember why we’re Democrats in the first place: we care about the working family in Pharr, the single mom in Brownsville, the farmer in Lyford, the young graduate in McAllen looking for a decent job. If the best champion for those folks in this race is a guy with an “R” next to his name, shouldn’t we consider giving him a chance? I believe we should.

Eric Flores has earned my trust over a lifetime. You’ll find a man who loves this community as much as you and I do. You’ll find someone who doesn’t want to tear down the Democratic Party so much as wake it up and force it to start delivering for us again. And you’ll find that voting for a good person who genuinely wants to serve feels right, regardless of party.

In the end, our democracy is strongest when we hold our leaders accountable and demand the best from them. South Texas deserves the best. We deserve leaders who lose sleep at night worrying about our families, not their political careers. My friend Eric Flores is exactly that kind of leader. I’m betting my vote – and my voice – on integrity over party. If you, like me, are a proud Democrat who’s tired of being taken for granted, I urge you to join me. This isn’t about turning red or blue; it’s about turning the page. It’s about reminding all parties that the Rio Grande Valley has to be earned.

Sometimes, to serve your country and community, you have to color outside the party lines. This is one of those times. I am a Democrat and support Eric Flores for Congress – because I believe the Valley comes first. Do I agree everything the Republican party stands for – no. But I also don’t agree with everything Democrats are doing today. So, to me, it’s about the person this time.

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Edén Ramírez, Jr., an attorney from Palmview, Texas, who now practices law for a San Antonio-based law firm. The column appears in the Rio Grande Guardian with the permission of the author. Ramírez can be reached by email via: edenramirez@gmail.com.

The post Ramírez: A Lifelong Democrat’s Case for Eric Flores appeared first on Rio Grande Guardian.

Read Entire Article