Photo: Eric Gay/AP Photo

In this Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, photo Republican congressional candidate Mayra Flores speaks at a Cameron County Conservatives event in Brownsville, Texas. Flores argues that Democrats are forcing Texans choose between their energy sector jobs and curbing climate change.

Flores, who wasraised with “strong conservative values"and to “always put God and family first,” earned nearly51 percent of the vote, defeating the leading Democrat in the race, Dan Sanchez, who received a little more than 43 percent.

“This historic win will bring back God to the halls of Congress!” shewrote on InstagramTuesday alongside an image that says, “We Won!”

“This win is for the people who were ignored for so long!” she continued in the post. “This is a message that the establishment will no longer be tolerated! We have officially started the red wave!!”

Born in Tamaulipas, Mexico, Flores immigrated to the U.S. when she was 6 years old and will be the first Mexican-born woman to serve in the House of Representatives. She’s married to a U.S. Border Patrol agent, which she reportedly touted often during her campaign.

“For over 100 years, we have been taken for granted,” Flores said, declaring victory in a speech on Tuesday at a rally with supporters in San Benito, Texas,The Texas Tribunereports. “I will show you what real representation looks like. I will represent all people.”

Eric Gay/AP Photo

In this Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, photo Republican congressional candidate Mayra Flores attends a Cameron County Conservatives event in Brownsville, Texas. Flores argues that Democrats are forcing Texans choose between their energy sector jobs and curbing climate change.

A win for the GOP candidate in the Rio Grande Valley could serve as a warning for Democrats, who’ve historically prevailed in the region.

Flores will face Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat currently representing a neighboring district, in November for a redrawn 34th District, which appears to favor Democrats.

And Democrats are confident their candidate will prevail on Election Day over Flores, an avid supporter of former President Donald Trump, whose campaign website declares she is “Pro-Life,” “Pro-God,” “Pro-Second Amendment” and “will ALWAYS put America first.”

In this Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, photo Republican congressional candidate Mayra Flores, left, attends a March to the Border event in McAllen, Texas. Flores argues that Democrats are forcing Texans choose between their energy sector jobs and curbing climate change.

In April, Monica Robinson, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,told theSan Antonio Express-News, “Flores has raced so far to the extreme right that she’s completely out of touch with South Texans.”

In an interview with the paper, Flores also claimed there was voter fraud in South Texas, though she declined to say where or whether it cost Trump the presidential election in 2020, a lie he continues to promote despite widespread evidence to the contrary.

source: people.com