Henry Cuellar, Texas Democrat pardoned by Trump, wins 12th House term

Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat pardoned by Donald Trump after being indicted on corruption charges, won a 12th term in the US House. His victory matters because Republicans had hoped to capture his seat, despite Trump’s public criticism of Cuellar for not switching parties after the pardon.

With about 80% of ballots counted, Cuellar led Republican Tano Tijerina by 66% to 30%. Cuellar and his wife were indicted in 2024 on bribery and money laundering charges; prosecutors alleged they accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from an Azerbaijani energy company and a Mexican bank. The case was still pending when Trump pardoned the couple in December, and Republican groups later shifted campaign spending away from the race.