Congressman Vela endorses Biden over Texas friends Castro, O'Rourke

U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, endorsed Joe Biden for president Tuesday, choosing the former vice president over his Texas friends Julian Castro and Beto O’Rourke, who are also running for president.

“Love ‘em,” Vela said in a text message, “but I’m with Tío Joe.”

Vela, who entered the U.S. House of Representatives the same day as O’Rourke and who campaigned for O’Rourke during his near-miss U.S. Senate run last year, broke with his Rio Grande Valley colleague, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, who endorsed Castro in March. Vela has said, however, that he donated to Castro and O’Rourke’s campaigns when they announced their 2020 bids earlier this year.

“America needs Joe Biden,” Vela said in a statement. “Joe Biden will restore our nation’s spirit and make America feel good again. Joe Biden will use his enduring record of fighting for the working and middle-class Americans and reinvigorate America’s soul.”

Read more: https://www.themonitor.com/2019/05/14/congressman-vela-endorses-biden-texas-friends-castro-orourke/
(McAllen Monitor)