Rep. Vicente Gonzalez launched his re-election campaign in Corpus Christi, focusing on labor, base jobs and bipartisan ties in Texas’ revamped 34th District.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — South Texas Congressman Vicente Gonzalez officially launched his re-election campaign Monday, beginning his bid for a sixth term in his hometown of Corpus Christi as Texas’ newly approved congressional map reshapes the region.

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The campaign kickoff comes after a December Supreme Court ruling upheld Texas’ revised congressional boundaries, placing Corpus Christi, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and the Corpus Christi Army Depot within the redrawn 34th Congressional District.

Gonzalez chose to announce his campaign at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union hall, whose members largely work at NAS Corpus Christi and CCAD. The location underscored his focus on labor issues and job losses tied to the departure of helicopter repair operations from the base last year.

“We need to continue to make major investments in the Naval Air Station here in Corpus and ensure we stop losing jobs and bring new industry to this region,” Gonzalez said. “Drone operations, AI and other cutting-edge industries can help supplement the loss we had from the helicopter industry leaving this base.”

Union leaders say hundreds of workers were laid off following the loss of the helicopter repair contracts, making defense investment and workforce stability a central issue in the district.

Gonzalez also emphasized the need for bipartisan cooperation on regional priorities, including water shortages that continue to affect South Texas. The area is currently represented by members of both major political parties in Congress.

Former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, who represented parts of South Texas for more than a decade, said Gonzalez’s relationships in Washington could be an advantage as Republicans look to flip the redrawn district.

“Having those sorts of relationships with the people that run the House can only help the people that Vicente will represent,” Vela said, pointing to Gonzalez’s ties with both Democratic and Republican congressional leadership.

Despite the changes to the district map, Gonzalez said his approach to representing South Texas remains unchanged.

“At the end of the day, I think it’s one community,” Gonzalez said. “When we worked in Washington the past ten years, people didn’t ask if you were from McAllen, Brownsville, Kingsville or Corpus Christi. It was all considered one region.”

While the general election is not until November, Gonzalez must first face a Democratic primary challenge from Dr. Etienne Rosas. That primary election is scheduled for March 3. 

3News plans to cover a Rosas campaign event scheduled for Thursday night at House of Rock in Downtown Corpus Christi.