Cisneros requests recount in race against Texas Rep. Cuellar

AUSTIN (AP) — Progressive Jessica Cisneros is requesting a recount in her tight runoff election against nine-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar that remained too close to call nearly two weeks later.

Cuellar was leading Cisneros by 187 votes, or 0.4 percentage points, out of 45,429 ballots counted as of Monday night, according to an Associated Press count. The AP will not declare a winner until the recount is completed.

“Our movement was never just about one politician — it was about taking on an unjust system that rewards corruption and corporate profits at the expense of the needs of working people,” Cisneros said in a statement to the Texas Tribune that she retweeted to her followers. “Our community isn't done fighting, we are filing for a recount."

She added, “I owe it to our community to see this through to the end.”

Cisneros, a 29-year-old immigration attorney, forced the runoff in March after she came within 1,000 votes of Cuellar. She also ran against him in 2020, losing by 4 percentage points. She is a former intern in his Washington office.

Cuellar, one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress, was endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and others. Cisneros had the backing of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The winner of Texas’ race will face Cassy Garcia, who won the Republican runoff for the seat.