Jessica Cisneros

Cisneros was born and raised in Laredo, Texas.{{cite news |last1=Medina |first1=Jennifer |title=The Young Progressive Lawyer at the Center of a Marquee Texas Runoff |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/us/politics/cisneros-cuellar-runoff.html |access-date=3 March 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=March 2, 2022}}{{cite web|last=Murphy|first=Tim|title=This 26-year-old Texan could be the next AOC. (But don't tell her that.)|date=January 2020|url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/01/cisneros-texas-aoc/|access-date=January 4, 2022|website=Mother Jones|language=en-US}} Before she was born, her parents emigrated from Mexico to seek medical care for her older sister. Her parents became United States citizens under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.{{cite news |last1=Gamboa |first1=Suzanne |title=A young Latina, Jessica Cisneros, takes on a conservative congressional Democrat in Texas |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/young-latina-jessica-cisneros-takes-conservative-congressional-democrat-texas-n1146666 |access-date=14 May 2022 |work=NBC News |date=March 2, 2022}}

File:Jessica Cisneros and Henry Cuellar, 2014 internship (one more crop).jpg in 2013 during her internship in his office]]

Cisneros was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Early College High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law.{{Cite web|title=Jessica Cisneros|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/jessica-cisneros/|access-date=January 4, 2022|website=Forbes|language=en}} Her focus during law school included immigration law. In 2014, while a student at the University of Texas, she worked as an intern in the Washington, D.C. office of Congressman Henry Cuellar, after developing an interest in immigration law reform.{{cite news |last1=Del Valle |first1=Gaby |title=Jessica Cisneros on Texas Politics, Abortion Access, and Running for Congress |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/jessica-cisneros-texas-congress-henry-cuellar |access-date=22 June 2022 |work=Teen Vogue |date=April 27, 2022}}{{cite web|last=Baird|first=Addy|date=March 2, 2020|title=She used to be his intern. Now she's trying to kick him out of office.|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/addybaird/texas-primary-progressive-jessica-cisneros-henry-cueller|access-date=January 4, 2022|website=BuzzFeed News|language=en}} She is Latina.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-02 |title=A young Latina, Jessica Cisneros, takes on a conservative congressional Texas Democrat |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/young-latina-jessica-cisneros-takes-conservative-congressional-democrat-texas-n1146666 |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

After graduating from law school, Cisneros worked as an attorney, including at Brooklyn Defender Services with a focus on immigration law.{{cite news |last1=Read |first1=Bridget |title=Is Jessica Cisneros the Next Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/jessica-cisneros-justice-democrats-henry-cuellar-primary-challenge-2020 |access-date=2 March 2022 |work=Vogue |date=June 13, 2019}} Her law practice has included advocacy for clients seeking asylum. Cisneros entered politics after she was proposed by Laredo community leaders in response to a local newspaper advertisement by the Justice Democrats seeking candidates for political office.{{cite news |last1=Ulloa |first1=Jazmine |title=Cuellar Defeats Cisneros in South Texas Primary Runoff, Recount Shows |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/us/politics/cuellar-defeats-cisneros-texas-primary-runoff.html |access-date=22 June 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=June 21, 2022}} After the 2020 election, she worked as an attorney in the Laredo office of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and became a supervising attorney at RAICES in Laredo, a legal aid organization for immigrants.{{cite news |last1=Marans |first1=Daniel |title=Jessica Cisneros Announces Rematch Run Against Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jessica-cisneros-announces-second-run-against-henry-cuellar_n_610b7a3be4b05f815705bbf1 |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=HuffPost |date=August 5, 2021}}

In 2020, Cisneros was a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 28th congressional district against Henry Cuellar, the incumbent since 2005. If elected, Cisneros would have been the youngest woman elected to Congress.{{cite news |last1=Truong |first1=Kimberly |title=Jessica Cisneros Lost Her Race At 26 — But Her Campaign Still Matters |url=https://www.instyle.com/news/jessica-cisneros-henry-cuellar-results-movement |access-date=6 July 2022 |work=InStyle |date=March 4, 2020}} During her campaign, she promoted progressive policies such as single-payer healthcare and raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.{{cite web|last=Godfrey|first=Elaine|date=October 12, 2019|title=The Search for the Next AOC|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/10/jessica-cisneros-justice-democrats-aoc/599941/|access-date=January 4, 2022|website=The Atlantic|language=en}} She also criticized Cuellar's voting record as too conservative, noting in particular his views on abortion rights and his campaign donations from the private prison industry, especially in light of the controversial migrant detention facilities operated at the border by the Trump administration. She was endorsed by progressive groups Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats.{{cite book|last1=Carroll|first1=Susan J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2g9NEAAAQBAJ&dq=Jessica+Cisneros&pg=PA178|title=Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics|last2=Fox|first2=Richard L.|last3=Dittmar|first3=Kelly|date=December 9, 2021|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-51147-3|language=en}}{{cite news|last=Medina|first=Jennifer|date=July 3, 2019|title=Jessica Cisneros on challenging an incumbent Democrat: 'There's a lot he has never had to justify'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/03/us/politics/jessica-cisneros-2020.html|access-date=January 4, 2022|issn=0362-4331}} Cisneros lost to Cuellar in the March 2020 primary by 1700 votes.{{cite web|last=Fang|first=Lee|date=March 4, 2020|title=Jessica Cisneros, a progressive favorite, loses to incumbent Henry Cuellar|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/03/04/jessica-cisneros-texas-28-henry-cuellar-congress-primary/|access-date=January 4, 2022|website=The Intercept|language=en-US}}

In August 2021, Cisneros announced she would challenge Cuellar in the 2022 Democratic primary,{{cite news |last1=King |first1=Maya |title=Jessica Cisneros launches primary rematch against Rep. Henry Cuellar |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/05/cisneros-primary-cuellar-502452 |access-date=28 February 2022 |work=Politico |date=August 5, 2021}}{{cite news|last=Joselow|first=Maxine|date=November 29, 2021|title=Another Texas House primary showdown is coming, and it's all about climate policy and Big Oil donations|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/11/29/another-texas-house-primary-showdown-is-coming-it-all-about-climate-policy-big-oil-donations/|access-date=January 4, 2022|issn=0190-8286}}{{cite news|last=Chávez|first=Aída|date=December 7, 2021|title=Jessica Cisneros is the future of the Democratic Party|journal=The Nation|language=en-US|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/jessica-cisneros-interview/|access-date=January 4, 2022|issn=0027-8378}}{{cite book|last1=Geer|first1=John G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ggcPEAAAQBAJ&dq=Jessica+Cisneros&pg=PT461|title=Gateways to Democracy: An Introduction to American Government|last2=Herrera|first2=Richard|last3=Schiller|first3=Wendy J.|last4=Segal|first4=Jeffrey A.|date=January 1, 2021|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-0-357-45933-1|language=en}} and faced Cuellar in the primary on March 1, 2022.{{cite news|last=Weisman|first=Jonathan|date=February 25, 2022|title=After Trump surge, a liberal Democrat in south Texas shifts tactics|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/25/us/politics/latino-politics-jessica-cisneros.html|access-date=February 25, 2022|issn=0362-4331}} Cisneros continued to campaign on economic issues and access to health care. She was endorsed again by the Justice Democrats, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and the abortion rights advocacy groups NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY's List.{{cite news |last1=Sonmez |first1=Felicia |last2=Sotomayor |first2=Marianna |last3=Alfaro |first3=Mariana |title=Rep. Henry Cuellar, Jessica Cisneros locked in tight battle in Texas |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/25/cuellar-cisneros-texas-congress/ |access-date=26 May 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 25, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Livingston |first1=Abby |date=February 24, 2022 |title=Will an FBI raid boost Laredo progressive Jessica Cisneros' bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar? |work=The Texas Tribune |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/24/jessica-cisneros-henry-cuellar-primary/ |access-date=25 February 2022}} She was also supported by labor unions, the Texas AFL–CIO, the Latino Victory Fund, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. After the March 1 primary, Cuellar led in the results, but with less than fifty percent of the primary vote, so Cisneros and Cuellar competed in a runoff on May 24.{{cite news |last1=Alfaro |first1=Mariana |title=Meet Jessica Cisneros, the 28-year-old immigration lawyer who forced a veteran Democrat into a runoff in Texas |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/02/jessica-cisneros-cuellar-texas-primary-runoff/ |access-date=2 March 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 2, 2022}}[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/03/01/us/elections/results-texas-us-house-district-28.html Texas 28th Congressional District Primary Election Results], New York Times, March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.

On May 2, Politico published a leaked draft majority opinion written by U.S. Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Before the draft opinion was leaked, NARAL Pro-Choice America announced further support for her campaign, including advertising and organizing efforts.{{cite news |last1=Manchester |first1=Julie |title=Supreme Court leak throws curve into pivotal Texas primary |url=https://thehill.com/news/campaign/3477495-supreme-court-leak-throws-curve-into-pivotal-texas-primary/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |work=The Hill |date=May 5, 2022}} On May 4, Cisneros released a statement calling on Democratic Party leadership to withdraw their support from Cuellar.{{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Marissa |title=Cisneros calls out House Democratic leadership for supporting anti-abortion Cuellar |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/04/cisneros-calls-out-house-democrat-leadership-for-supporting-anti-abortion-cuellar-00030124 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=Politico |date=May 4, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Shabad |first1=Rebecca |last2=Haake |first2=Garrett |last3=Talbot |first3=Haley |title=Rep. Cuellar attacked on his anti-abortion stance by opponent Cisneros in Texas Democratic run-off |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/rep-cuellar-attacked-anti-abortion-stance-opponent-cisneros-texas-demo-rcna27251 |access-date=5 May 2022 |work=NBC News |date=May 4, 2022}}{{cite magazine |last1=Voght |first1=Kara |title=Want to Know What Politics Looks Like After Roe? Look at Texas' Primary |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/texas-primary-cisneros-cuellar-abortion-roe-vs-wade-1357442/ |access-date=6 July 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 24, 2022}} On May 4, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn continued to express support for Cuellar,{{cite news|last=Weber|first=Paul J.|work=Associated Press|date=May 4, 2022|url=https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-immigration-abortion-henry-cuellar-us-supreme-court-3da368b8ad90355daee5b00da767f3f0|title=House leaders stick with Rep. Cuellar despite abortion stand}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/04/jim-clyburn-henry-cuellar-democrats-abortion-election/|title=Campaigning for Henry Cuellar, a Democratic U.S. House leader says party shouldn't shun abortion opponents|work=The Texas Tribune|date=May 4, 2022}} and Pelosi continued to do so on May 12,{{cite magazine |last1=Vaillancourt |first1=William |title=Nancy Pelosi Says Anti-Choice Democrats Are Fine as Long as … Their Votes Don't Matter |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/nancy-pelosi-henry-ceuller-support-1352290/ |access-date=14 May 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 12, 2022}} and recorded robocalls supporting Cuellar. According to Federal Election Commission reports released in May 2022, Cisneros raised $1.2 million between April 1 and May 4, while Cuellar raised $352,000 during the same time period, with a total of $4.5 million raised by Cisneros and $3.1 million by Cuellar.{{cite news |last1=Livingston |first1=Abby |title=In rematch, Jessica Cisneros faces a weakened Henry Cuellar for South Texas congressional seat |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/17/jessica-cisneros-henry-cuellar-texas-runoff-election/ |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=The Texas Tribune |date=May 17, 2022}} On May 13, Women Vote!, the super PAC affiliated with EMILY's List, purchased $526,000 in ads to support Cisneros, and EMILY's List president Laphonza Butler made a statement criticizing Cuellar's views on abortion.{{cite news |last1=Mutnick |first1=Ally |title=EMILY's List goes on air against Cuellar in Texas primary battle |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/13/emilys-list-goes-on-air-for-cisneros-00032478 |access-date=14 May 2022 |work=Politico |date=May 13, 2022}} On May 19, Rep. Pramila Jayapal endorsed Cisneros, stating "we must elect pro-choice candidates".{{cite news |last1=Manchester |first1=Julie |title=Jayapal endorses Cisneros in Cuellar primary challenge |url=https://thehill.com/news/state-watch/3494062-jayapal-endorses-cisneros-in-cuellar-primary-challenge/ |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=The Hill |date=May 19, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Wu |first1=Nicholas |title=Pramila Jayapal endorses Jessica Cisneros in Texas runoff |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/19/pramila-jayapal-endorses-jessica-cisneros-texas-00033681 |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Politico |date=May 19, 2022}}

On June 3, the May 24 primary runoff count concluded with Cuellar holding a lead by 281 votes.{{cite news |last1=Santana |first1=Steven |title=Rep. Henry Cuellar claims nomination over Cisneros, but may face recount |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/local/politics/article/Henry-Cuellar-wins-over-cisneros-recount-possible-17218111.php |access-date=4 June 2022 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=June 3, 2022}} On June 7, the race remained uncalled by the Associated Press and CBS News, and Cisneros filed a recount petition.{{cite news |last1=Paybarah |first1=Azi |title=In South Texas, Jessica Cisneros calls for a recount in her primary runoff against Representative Henry Cuellar. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/06/06/us/midterms-primary-elections#jessica-cisneros-cuellar-recount |access-date=7 June 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=June 6, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Navarro |first1=Aaron |title=Jessica Cisneros files for recount in race against Rep. Henry Cuellar in Texas' 28th District |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/recount-texas-democratic-primary-house-jessica-cisneros-henry-cuellar/ |access-date=8 June 2022 |work=CBS News |date=June 7, 2022}} In 2004, when a 145-vote deficit for Cuellar led to a recount and resulted in a Cuellar win, Cuellar stated, "Until every eligible vote is accurately counted, the voters cannot be certain of the outcome of this election"; in 2022, Cisneros stated, "With just under 0.6 percent of the vote symbolizing such stark differences for the future in South Texas, I owe it to our community to see this through to the end."{{cite news |last1=Herrera |first1=Jack |title=When It Comes to Recounts, It's Not Henry Cuellar's First Rodeo |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/cuellar-cisneros-recount-texas-elections/ |access-date=10 June 2022 |work=Texas Monthly |date=June 10, 2022}} On June 21, after the recount concluded, the Associated Press called the race for Cuellar based on his 289-vote lead,{{cite news |last1=Alfaro |first1=Mariana |title=Henry Cuellar defeats Jessica Cisneros in contentious Texas primary race |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/21/texas-race-cuellar-cisneros/ |access-date=21 June 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 21, 2022}} and Cisneros conceded the race.{{cite news |last1=Richards |first1=Zoë |title=Jessica Cisneros concedes to Rep. Cuellar in Texas primary runoff after recount |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/jessica-cisneros-concedes-rep-cuellar-texas-primary-runoff-recount-rcna30194 |access-date=22 June 2022 |work=NBC News |date=June 21, 2022}}

{{election box begin no change

| title = 2020 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district{{cite web|date=March 3, 2020|title=Election results (2020 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district)|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=872658|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128001814/https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=872658|archive-date=November 28, 2021|access-date=February 25, 2022|website=Our Campaigns}}

}}

{{election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Henry Cuellar (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 38,834

| percentage = 51.79%

}}

{{election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jessica Cisneros

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 36,144

| percentage = 48.21%

}}

{{election box total no change

| votes = 74,978

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{election box end}}

{{election box begin no change

| title = 2022 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district, March 2, 2022{{cite news|last=Livingston|first=Abby|date=March 2, 2022|title=Henry Cuellar, Jessica Cisneros head to runoff for South Texas congressional seat|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/02/henry-cuellar-jessica-cisneros-texas-primary-election/|access-date=March 2, 2022|work=Texas Tribune}}

}}

{{election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Henry Cuellar (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 23,552

| percentage = 48.4%

}}

{{election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jessica Cisneros

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 22,785

| percentage = 46.9%

}}

{{election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Tannya Judith Benavides

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 2,289

| percentage = 4.7%

}}

{{election box total no change

| votes = 48,626

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{election box end}}

{{election box begin no change

| title = 2022 U.S. House Democratic primary runoff in Texas's 28th district{{cite web|date=March 3, 2022|title=Texas Election Results (2022 U.S. House Democratic primary in Texas's 28th district)|url=https://results.texas-election.com/contestdetails?officeID=2017&officeName=U.%20S.%20REPRESENTATIVE%20DISTRICT%2028&officeType=FEDERAL%20OFFICES&from=race|access-date=June 8, 2022|website=Texas Secretary of State}}{{cite web |title=Texas Democratic Party Announces Unofficial Results of Recount in CD-28 Primary |date=June 21, 2022 |url=https://texasdemocrats.org/press/texas-democratic-party-announces-unofficial-results-of-recount-in-cd-28-primary/ |access-date=22 June 2022 |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621232338/https://texasdemocrats.org/press/texas-democratic-party-announces-unofficial-results-of-recount-in-cd-28-primary/ |url-status=dead }}

}}

{{election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Henry Cuellar (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 22,901

| percentage = 50.32%

}}

{{election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jessica Cisneros

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 22,612

| percentage = 49.68%

}}

{{election box total no change

| votes = 45,513

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://jessicacisnerosforcongress.com/ Campaign website]

{{CongLinks|votesmart=188209|fec=H0TX28077}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cisneros, Jessica}}

Category:1993 births

Category:21st-century American women lawyers

Category:21st-century American lawyers

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections

Category:Living people

Category:People from Laredo, Texas

Category:People from Webb County, Texas

Category:Texas Democrats

Category:University of Texas School of Law alumni

Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections

Category:Hispanic and Latino American politicians

Category:Hispanic and Latino American women in politics