At the largest nonpartisan political event in the Rio Grande Valley, with teams from 17 congregations and nonprofits, candidates for federal, state and local (county) office agreed to support Valley Interfaith's agenda. Leaders asked pointed questions about keeping Social Security solvent; protecting SNAP food access; supporting DREAMers and immigration reforms; promoting affordable health care; preventing flooding through investments in drainage and protecting communities from the harms of unregulated data centers.
[Excerpt]
Father Kevin Collins, of St. Eugene de Mazenod, told the Rio Grande Guardian that a Valley Interfaith accountability session is the reverse of a candidate’s campaign event.
“It’s the reverse of a campaign event. It's our campaign. I tell the candidates that
they didn't come here for their campaign. They came here to hear our campaign. The issues that are important to us, especially the families, the working and poor families that are part of our institutions and congregations.”
The 600 attendees wanted to know if federal state and county candidates are in support of Valley Interfaith’s legislative agenda. Almost all the candidates who attended said “yes.”
The candidates in attendance were Bobby Pulido, the Democrat running for Congressional District 15, Willacy County Judge Aurelio ‘Keter’ Guerra, a Democrat, Guerra’s Republican opponent, Paula Anders, Mauro Garza, a Republican running for Cameron County Judge, Oziel Ochoa, a Democrat running for Texas House District 37, and the two candidates running for Texas House District 41, Democrat Julio Salinas, and Republican Gary Groves.
All the candidates said they would support Valley’s Interfaith’s agenda, although Garza, the candidate running for Cameron County Judge, said “yes, but” on the question of data centers.
[Photo Credit: Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian]
Around 600 Parishioners Attend Valley Interfaith's 2026 Candidate Accountability Session, Rio Grande Guardian [pdf]
Oped by Fr. Kevin Collins: Valley Interfaith Accountability Session Focus, Rio Grande Guardian [pdf]
Valley Interfaith Unveils Its Legislative Agenda, Rio Grande Guardian [pdf]