Official portrait of Henry Cuellar, U.S. Representative for Texas

U.S. Representative

Henry Cuellar

Texas District 28

DemocratModerate Liberal

Votes on Record

189

across 12 categories

202 analyzed in depth

Contact

202-225-1640Official Website2308 Rayburn House Office Building Washington DC 20515-4328

Voting Profile

Legislative Record

202 votes analyzed

Most Active Policy Areas

#1 healthcare#2 agriculture#3 budget#4 other#5 banking finance

202

Votes Analyzed

Data sources: voteview, congress.gov

Political Position

Ideology Spectrum

-0.23Moderate Liberal

Representative Cuellar is a moderate Democrat whose voting record places him notably more conservative than the average House Democrat. His NOMINATE score of -0.225 indicates a center-left positioning, reflecting his representation of a border district in Texas where he often balances traditional Democratic priorities with more centrist positions.

LiberalModerateConservative
Democrat avg

More conservative than the average Democrat (-0.38)

Data source: VoteView NOMINATE scores (UCLA/UC San Diego)

Policy Positions

Category Breakdown

202

total votes analyzed

Overview

Henry Cuellar has served as a Democratic representative from Texas, establishing himself as one of the more moderate voices within his party. His voting patterns show he frequently crosses party lines or takes independent positions, particularly on procedural matters where he has voted against his party's preferred approach. His legislative focus, based on voting frequency, centers heavily on healthcare issues, followed by agriculture and budget matters—priorities that align with the economic and demographic concerns of his South Texas district. His high support rate on defense-related votes (83% yea) and education (100% yea) suggests strong backing for military and educational initiatives. Cuellar's position as a border-district Democrat has historically made him a swing vote on various issues, and his voting record reflects this balancing act between party loyalty and district-specific concerns. His relatively lower support on healthcare bills (55% yea) compared to other categories suggests he takes a more selective approach to healthcare legislation.

Key Positions

  • Strong supporter of defense and military-related legislation
  • Consistent advocate for education funding and initiatives
  • Moderate stance on healthcare policy with selective support
  • Frequent independent voting on procedural matters
  • Active engagement on agriculture issues relevant to his rural Texas district
  • More conservative than typical House Democrats on multiple issue areas

By Policy Area

Healthcare110
55% yea45% nay
Agriculture29
62% yea38% nay
Budget & Spending29
62% yea38% nay
Other10
80% yea20% nay
Banking & Finance9
56% yea44% nay
Defense6
83% yea17% nay

Analysis updated: January 9, 2026

Campaign Finance

Follow the Money

Includes all authorized campaign committees (principal committee, joint fundraising, and other authorized committees). Outside spending by Super PACs and independent groups is shown separately below. Verify on FEC.gov →

Career: $25.8M

Fundraising Over Time

Raised per election cycleSpent

Contribution Sources

Individual$1.1M

62%

PAC / Committees$671K

37%

Party Committee$5K

0%

Self-Funded$14K

1%

Individual Breakdown

Itemized (>$200)

$1.1M

Small Dollar (<$200)

$45K

Donation Sizes

Under $200
$53K · 4%
$200 – 499
$39K · 3%
$500 – 999
$147K · 12%
$1,000 – 1,999
$281K · 23%
$2,000+
$691K · 57%

Share of individual contribution dollars by donation size, current election cycle.

Where the Money Comes From

In-state (TX)$588K · 50%
Out-of-state$577K · 50%

Itemized individual contributions only (donations over $200 report the donor's state). Small-dollar donations are not included because the FEC does not itemize them.

TX
$588K
CA
$141K
NY
$62K
MA
$53K
VA
$46K
DC
$42K
FL
$42K
MD
$26K

Top Contributors

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Top Contributing Industries

Top Donor Employers

N/A$235K
SELF-EMPLOYED$164K
STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE CO.$18K
KISTLER INVESTMENT COMPANY$11K
NULL$9K
AKIN GUMP$7K
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT$7K
PG RENTAL & LEASING LLC$7K
MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL$7K
CLARKSON AEROSPACE CORPORATION$7K
TACO PALENQUE$7K
EARL & ASSOCIATES P.C.$7K

Employer as self-reported by itemized donors. “Not Employed” and “Self-Employed” typically rank highest for small-dollar campaigns and include retirees.

Where the Money Goes

Spending by Purpose

Other / Uncategorized
$809K
Administrative
$192K
Fundraising
$67K
Travel
$24K
Advertising
$20K
Events
$17K
Materials
$6K
Refunds
$2K

Purpose categories are self-reported on FEC filings; large “Other” totals are common.

Top Payees

1.

FLOOD & FLOOD

$188K
2.

ORTIZ, JERRI LYNN

$133K
3.

DRUMHELLER, HOLLINGSWORTH & MONTHY, LLP

$102K
4.

BRACEWELL LLP

$80K
5.

PERKINS COIE LLP

$50K
6.

FLYWIRE GLOBAL

$49K
7.

CANTU, CHRIS

$36K
8.

GRIMM, BRITTANY

$31K

Detailed Breakdown

Expenditures

Operating Costs

$1.1M

Operating Offsets

$11K

Net Operating

$1.1M

Loans

Candidate Loans

$301K

Refunds

Individual Refunds

$3K

Outside Spending (Super PACs)

Supporting

$4.2M

Opposing

$14.1M

Total Outside Spending

$18.3M

Top Outside Spenders

01

NRCC

-$5.4M
$5.4M
02

CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP FUND

-$4.3M
$4.3M
03

TEXAS FORWARD

-$2.4M
$2.4M
04

MAINSTREAM DEMOCRATS PAC

+$1.4M
$1.4M
05

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS CONGRESSIONAL FUND

+$1.3M
$1.3M
06

WOMEN VOTE!

-$1.0M
$1.0M
07

UNITED DEMOCRACY PROJECT (UDP)

+$531K
$531K
08

VOTER PROTECTION PROJECT

+$509K
$509K

Independent expenditures are made without coordination with the candidate. Source: FEC Schedule E filings.

Coverage: 1/1/2025 6/30/2026FEC: H2TX23082Updated: 8/12/2026Source: FEC.gov (all authorized committees)