Texas's 15th congressional district

Texas's 15th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes a thin section of the far south of the state of Texas. The district's current Representative is Republican Monica De La Cruz. Elected in 2022, De La Cruz is the first Republican and woman to represent the district.

Currently, the 15th congressional district composes of a narrow strip of land running from western Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley northwards to eastern Guadalupe County, to the east of San Antonio. The district includes the entirety of Brooks, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Karnes, and Wilson counties between Hidalgo and Guadalupe counties.

The district has generally given its congressmen very long tenures in Washington; only eight people, seven Democrats and one Republican, have ever represented it. The district's best-known Representative was John Nance Garner, who represented the district from its creation in 1903 until 1933, and was Speaker of the House from 1931 to 1933. He ran with Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1932 and 1936 presidential campaigns, and was elected Vice President of the United States, serving from 1933 to 1941. The district was one of the first Latino-majority districts in the country, and has been represented by Latino congressmen since 1965.

Notably, this district narrowly voted more Republican in the House elections than the nation as a whole in 2020. Vicente Gonzalez won by 2.9 points while Democrats won the national vote by a combined 3.1 percentage points. It also voted more Republican than the national average while voting Democratic in the 2020 United States presidential election, and the difference between the national vote and the result was wider in the presidential election than the House. Due to redistricting, incumbent Gonzalez in the 2022 election ran in the 34th congressional district. The Republican nominee, former insurance agent Monica De La Cruz defeated the Democratic nominee, businesswoman Michelle Vallejo.

Recent election results from statewide races

2023–2027 boundaries

{| class=wikitable

! Year

! Office

! Results

||2008

| President

| align="right" |Obama 56% - 43%

||2012

| President

| align="right" |Obama 56% - 44%

|rowspan=2|2014

| Senate

| align="right" |Cornyn 53% - 47%

| Governor

| align="right" |Abbott 50.1% - 49.9%

||2016

| President

| align="right" |Clinton 55% - 42%

|rowspan=5|2018

| Senate

| align="right" |O'Rourke 56% - 44%

| Governor

| align="right" |Valdez 50% - 49%

| Lt. Governor

| align="right" |Collier 54% - 44%

| Attorney General

| align="right" |Nelson 55% - 43%

| Comptroller of Public Accounts

| align="right" |Chevalier 52% - 44%

|rowspan=2|2020

| President

| align="right" |Trump 51% - 48%

| Senate

| align="right" |Cornyn 51% - 46%

|rowspan=4|2022

| Governor

| align="right" |Abbott 52% - 46%

| Lt. Governor

| align="right" |Patrick 52% - 45%

| Attorney General

| align="right" |Paxton 51% - 47%

| Comptroller of Public Accounts

| align="right" |Hegar 52% - 44%

|rowspan=2|2024

| President

| align="right" |Trump 58% - 41%

| Senate

| align="right" |Cruz 54% - 44%

2027–2033 boundaries

{| class=wikitable

! Year

! Office

! Results

||2008

| President

| align="right" |Obama 56% - 43%

||2012

| President

| align="right" |Obama 57% - 43%

|rowspan=2|2014

| Senate

| align="right" |Cornyn 50.1% - 49.9%

| Governor

| align="right" |Davis 52% - 48%

||2016

| President

| align="right" |Clinton 55% - 41%

|rowspan=5|2018

| Senate

| align="right" |O'Rourke 55% - 44%

| Governor

| align="right" |Abbott 50% - 49%

| Lt. Governor

| align="right" |Collier 54% - 44%

| Attorney General

| align="right" |Nelson 55% - 43%

| Comptroller of Public Accounts

| align="right" |Chevalier 52% - 44%

|rowspan=2|2020

| President

| align="right" |Trump 51% - 48%

| Senate

| align="right" |Cornyn 50% - 46%

|rowspan=4|2022

| Governor

| align="right" |Abbott 52% - 46%

| Lt. Governor

| align="right" |Patrick 53% - 45%

| Attorney General

| align="right" |Paxton 51% - 47%

| Comptroller of Public Accounts

| align="right" |Hegar 52% - 44%

|rowspan=2|2024

| President

| align="right" |Trump 59% - 41%

| Senate

| align="right" |Cruz 54% - 44%

Current composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:

Brooks County (5)

: All 5 communities

Guadalupe County (16)

: Geronimo, Kingsbury, New Braunfels (part; also 28th; shared with Comal County), Redwood, Staples, Seguin (part; also 28th)

Hidalgo County (34)

: Abram, Alton, César Chavez, Citrus City, Cuevitas, Doffing, Doolittle, Edinburg (part; also 34th), Granjeno, Harding Gill Tract, Hargill, Havana, Hidalgo, La Blanca, La Coma Heights, La Homa, La Joya, Linn, Los Ebanos, McAllen (part; also 34th), Mission, Monte Alto, Palmhurst, Palmview, Palmview South, Peñitas, Perezville, Pharr, Salida del Sol Estates, San Carlos (part; also 34th), San Juan (part; also 34th), South Alamo, Sullivan City, West Sharyland

Jim Wells County (17)

: All 17 communities

Karnes County (4)

: All 4 communities

Live Oak County (2)

: George West, Three Rivers

Wilson County (4)

: All 4 communities

Future composition

Beginning with the 2026 election, the 15 district will consist of the following counties:

Aransas (part)
Bee
Brooks
DeWitt
Goliad
Gonzales
Hidalgo (part)
Jim Wells
Lavaca
Refugio (part)
San Patricio (part)

List of members representing the district

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"

|- valign=bottom

! Member

! Party

! Years

! Cong ress

! Electoral history

! width=350px | Counties

|- style="height:3em"

| colspan=6 | District established March 4, 1903

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=3 align=left | 100px John N. Garner

| rowspan=3 | Democratic

| rowspan=3 nowrap | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1933

| rowspan=3 |

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Resigned to become Vice President of the United States.

| 1903–1911

|- style="height:3em"

| 1911–1919

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=3 | 1919–1935

|- style="height:3em"

| colspan=2 | Vacant

| nowrap | March 4, 1933 – April 23, 1933

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=2 align=left | 100px Milton H. West

| rowspan=2 | Democratic

| rowspan=2 nowrap | April 23, 1933 – October 28, 1948

| rowspan=2 |

| rowspan=2 | Elected to finish Garner's term. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Died.

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=4 | 1935–1959

|- style="height:3em"

| colspan=2 | Vacant

| nowrap | October 28, 1948 – December 4, 1948

|- style="height:3em"

| align=left | 100px Lloyd Bentsen

| | Democratic

| nowrap | December 4, 1948 – January 3, 1955

| Elected to finish West's term. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Retired.

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=2 align=left | 100px Joe M. Kilgore

| rowspan=2 | Democratic

| rowspan=2 nowrap | January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1965

| rowspan=2 |

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Retired.

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=2 | 1959–1967

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=8 align=left | 100px Kika de la Garza

| rowspan=8 | Democratic

| rowspan=8 nowrap | January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1997

| rowspan=8 |

| rowspan=8 | Elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired.

|- style="height:3em"

| 1967–1969

|- style="height:3em"

| 1969–1973

|- style="height:3em"

| 1973–1975

|- style="height:3em"

| 1975–1983

|- style="height:3em"

| 1983–1985

|- style="height:3em"

| 1985–1993

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=2 | 1993–2003 Bee, Brooks, De Witt, Goliad, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Live Oak, San Patricio, and Willacy

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=5 align=left | 100px Rubén Hinojosa

| rowspan=5 | Democratic

| rowspan=5 nowrap | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2017

| rowspan=5 |

| rowspan=5 | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Retired.

|- style="height:3em"

| 2003–2005 Bee, Brooks, Goliad, Hidalgo, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, and San Patricio

|- style="height:3em"

| 2005–2007 300px Bastrop, Bee, Brooks, Cameron, Colorado, De Witt, Fayette, Goliad, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Lavaca, Refugio, and San Patricio

|- style="height:3em"

| 2007–2013 300px Bee, Brooks, Cameron, De Witt, Duval, Goliad, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Karnes, Live Oak, Refugio, and San Patricio

|- style="height:3em"

| rowspan=2 | 2013–2023 300px Brooks, Duval, Guadalupe (part), Hidalgo (part), Jim Hogg, Karnes, Live Oak, and Wilson (part)

|- style="height:3em"

| align=left | 100px Vicente Gonzalez

| | Democratic

| nowrap | January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2023

| Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Redistricted to the .

|- style="height:3em"

| align=left | 100px Monica De La Cruz

| | Republican

| nowrap | January 3, 2023 – present

| Elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024.

| 2023–2027 300px Brooks, Guadalupe (part), Hidalgo (part), Jim Wells, Karnes, Live Oak, and Wilson

Election results

{| id=toc class=toc summary=Contents

| align=center |

1920 • 1922 • 1924 • 1926 • 1928 • 1930 • 1932 • 1934 • 1936 • 1938 • 1940 • 1942 • 1944 • 1946 • 1948 • 1950 • 1952 • 1954 • 1956 • 1958 • 1960 • 1962 • 1964 • 1966 • 1968 • 1970 • 1972 • 1974 • 1976 • 1978 • 1980 • 1982 • 1984 • 1986 • 1988 • 1990 • 1992 • 1994 • 1996 • 1998 • 2000 • 2002 • 2004 • 2006 (Special) • 2008 • 2010 • 2012 • 2014 • 2016 • 2018 • 2020 • 2022

Recent election results from statewide races

2023–2027 boundaries

2027–2033 boundaries

Current composition

Future composition

List of members representing the district

Election results

1920

1922

1924

1926

1928

1930

1932

1933 (Special)

1934

1936

1938

1940

1942

1944

1946

1948 (Special)

1948

1950

1952

1954

1956

1958

1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006 (Special)

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

Historical district boundaries

See also

References