“The RED WAVE did not happen”: Texas Republican Mayra Flores projected to lose House seat

“The RED WAVE did not happen,” she said. “Republicans and Independents stayed home. DO NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RESULTS IF YOU DID NOT DO YOUR PART!”

Her comments come as Republicans nationwide appear to have fallen short of expectations in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Democrats are projected to grab a Senate seat in Pennsylvania while overall control of Congress has yet to be determined.

The South Texas Republican became the first Mexican-born woman sworn into Congress in June and earned a seat in the House Agriculture and Homeland Security Committees. In reelection bid, she focused her platform on border security and immigration, often remarking on her own experience as she immigrated to the U.S. when she was a child.

“I want more little girls like Mayra to be able to come to here to this country and also accomplish the American dream like I have, and why not also become members of Congress,” she told CBS News on Tuesday before polls closed.

She received Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s first Republican vote in her special election and backed former President Trump publicly. Flores was also among the 238 out of 436 Republicans running for House that CBS News found to have raised unfounded doubts about the results of the 2020 election.

Her race was closely watched around the country as the GOP invested heavily in flipping them. CBS News projects Democrats will maintain two of three House seats in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley area – districts located along the U.S.-Mexican border. One of those was Flores’ seat.

Gonzalez, who served Texas’ 15th congressional district, opted to run in the 34th congressional district after district lines were redrawn. Gonzalez supported abortion rights and strong border security. He thanked supporters in a statement on Twitter.

“I hope all of us can come together and work for the betterment of all South Texans and Americans, regardless of political affiliation,” said Gonzalez. “It is on all of us to ensure we hold up the work of those who have come before us and that we leave a better America for those who come after.”

Caroline Linton contributed to this report.