Trump Endorsement Shakes Texas GOP Race as Candidate Withdraws

South Texas businessman Scott Mandel announced his withdrawal from the Republican primary race for Texas’ 34th Congressional District, citing President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Army veteran Eric Flores as the decisive factor for party unity.

In a recent interview, Mandel stated he had met extensively with district residents and concluded that “the endorsement that President Trump gave to Eric Flores” had become indispensable. “I am withdrawing from the race,” he said. “I am supporting the president … the most important thing here is the party.”

Mandel praised Flores: “Eric is the right guy to do the job. He really is.”

Flores, who has drawn support from House Republican leadership following Trump’s December endorsement, emphasized his border security and law enforcement experience in a recent interview. He noted that he served on the Texas-Mexico border as a soldier and dismantled major human smuggling networks in the Southern District of Texas.

Flores also highlighted his role as a federal prosecutor: “I have lived these issues. I have been in the trench … I have litigated for municipalities, school districts.”

The race is pivotal as Democrat Rep. Vicente Gonzalez won the seat by nearly 3 percentage points last election. Republicans view it as a potential pickup target in a cycle where control of the House could depend on a handful of seats.

Flores contrasted himself with previous GOP nominees: “I was tired of hearing sound-bite candidates. We had a previous nominee who lost twice.”

Despite the field narrowing, Republican candidate Mayra Flores—who previously served in Congress—has not announced her withdrawal from the race.

Texas will hold one of the earliest primaries on March 3, intensifying focus on contested races like this district ahead of November.