TX-23: Pete Gallego, Again!

​In 2012, West Texas state Representative Pete Gallego (D-Alpine) unseated one-term Rep. Quico Canseco (R), 50-46%, to claim Texas’ one swing district, a seat that stretches all the way from San Antonio to El Paso.  Two years later, former CIA agent Will Hurd (R-San Antonio) knocked Gallego from office, and then survived a re-match between the two this past November.  Hurd won both elections by two points or less. 
 
Now, Mr. Gallego may be returning for a third contest.  This week, the former Congressman filed an exploratory committee to again run against Rep. Hurd, but this time the district may be more to his liking.  The 23rd CD has been ruled illegal and will be re-drawn before the next election.  The question remains whether the state legislature or the courts will actually command the pen for the final re-construction.  Since Hurd has little in the way of margin, another tight race will be expected and is certainly a campaign to watch.  Since Hurd has already beaten Gallego twice, seeing him in another rerun may well be to the Congressman’s benefit.  A fresh Democratic candidate could be a tougher foe.