S.A. now can speak louder in Congress

WASHINGTON — A fortified San Antonio delegation expanded its political clout in Congress on Thursday, becoming five-strong in the U.S. House.

Newcomers Joaquín Castro and Pete Gallego and redistricted veteran Lloyd Doggett were sworn in and joined Lamar Smith and Henry Cuellar in representing the city.

The freshman congressmen clearly basked in the pomp and pageantry of the moment, taking the official oath of office and casting their first votes for House speaker — all part of a historic ritual that ushered in the 113th Congress.

“I was very proud to be sworn in to represent my hometown,” Castro said after the ceremony. “There was a lot of excitement in the air.”

Castro entertained family and friends at his new Capitol Hill office.

His brother, San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, his mother, Rosie, and his girlfriend, Anna Flores, watched from the gallery as he took his House seat.

Mayor Castro said he was proud of his identical twin and predicted he'll make an excellent representative for San Antonio.

The political landscape for San Antonio shifted in the past election, which followed an acrimonious redistricting that gave Texas three new congressional seats.

It also led to the defeat of Rep. Francisco Canseco, a Republican, by Gallego, a veteran in the state House.

Redistricting and the partisan battles also were cited by Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, a Democrat, who retired after 14 years in the House. Castro will replace Gonzalez.

Gallego and Castro will join Rep. Lamar Smith, a veteran Republican, and Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat, and Austin Democrat Doggett as representatives for San Antonio.

Doggett, who begins his 10th term in a new district that stretches from his Travis County home southwest along Interstate 35 into downtown San Antonio, now will represent neighborhoods in a minority-majority district carved out by the state GOP-led Legislature with Latino Democrat support.

A total of 84 freshmen took seats in the new Congress, including eight from Texas.

Rep. Filemon Vela of Brownsville, a Democrat, will join the South Texas congressional delegation that also includes Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, and Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi.

“I am ready and prepared to tackle the critical issues facing our communities,” Vela said.

Vela escorted his mother, former Brownsville Mayor Blanca Vela, into the Capitol, and was accompanied by his wife, Judge Rose Vela, an associate justice for the 13th Court of Appeals in Texas.

His father, the late Filemon B. Vela, was a U.S. district judge in the Rio Grande Valley for 30 years.

The congressman's niece, Carolina, 9, sat with him on the House floor, where numerous children of new representatives fidgeted through the long and tedious roll call vote for speaker.

Gallego sat with his son Nicolas, 8, in aisle seats that allowed them to shake hands with House leaders as they entered the chamber and walked down to the podium.

The new South Texas members are part of a House that includes a record 35 Latino lawmakers, up from 30 in the last Congress.

Hinojosa is the new chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He was feted at ceremonies Thursday that included a reception with Vice President Joe Biden at Union Station.

“I will proudly represent all of the constituents of my new district in South Texas,” said Hinojosa, who now represents San Antonio exurbs that include Seguin.

In addition to the new South Texas members, Republican Randy Weber of Pearland was sworn in to replace former Rep. Ron Paul, R- Lake Jackson, who retired.

And Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Friendswood, returned to Congress in a newly drawn East Texas congressional district.

Freshman Rep. Beto O'Rourke, an El Paso Democrat, defeated incumbent Silvestre Reyes in the Democratic primary and won the general election.

Other new Texas members include Rep. Marc Veasey, a Fort Worth Democrat, and Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Weatherford, whose district includes part of Austin.

gmartin@express-news.net