Texas Democrat resigns from Congress to join lobbying firm

By Daniella Diaz, CNN

Rep. Filemon Vela, a Texas Democrat, officially resigned from Congress on Thursday night to take a position at a law and lobbying firm in Washington, DC, starting the process to set up a special election to replace him.

Vela is joining Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

“I write to inform you that I have notified Texas Governor Greg Abbott of my resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives, effective today at 11:59 PM EST. It has been a profound honor to represent the people of the 34th Congressional District of Texas for the last nine years, and my distinct pleasure to serve under your leadership,” Vela told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in his resignation letter.

Vela represented a district near the US-Mexico border and won his district by 55% in November 2020. President Donald Trump performed better than expected with Hispanic voters in the Rio Grande Valley, making districts there, including Vela’s and a handful of others, key pickup targets for Republicans.

Vela announced he wouldn’t seek reelection for his seat in Texas’ 34th Congressional District last March. After Texas redistricting took place, current TX-15 Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez is now running for reelection to Congress in the 34th district, a safer Democratic district than his current one.

Abbott, a Republican, did not immediately announce a special election to replace Vela.

Vela is a close ally of President Joe Biden and was in talks for a Biden administration position.

While Vela ultimately did not end up in the administration, his wife, Rose Vela, works as director of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships.

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