WATCH LIVE: Vance addresses GOP midterm election rally in Texas

Vice President JD Vance travels to Texas on Wednesday to appear with Republican congressional candidate Eric Flores, then heads to Florida on Thursday. The visits signal that Republicans still face a competitive midterm landscape, even after Trump-backed redistricting in Republican-run states aimed at protecting their House majority, according to PBS NewsHour.

Flores, a onetime federal prosecutor who also held the rank of captain in the Army National Guard infantry, is challenging Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in Texas' 34th District, which favored Donald Trump by 10 points over Kamala Harris. Flores keeps Trump's endorsement pinned on his X account but deleted a pledge from his website to back the president's agenda, telling the AP he prefers to sell voters on himself. Republicans had hoped to gain as many as nine seats across Texas and Florida, yet discontent over Trump, the economy, the Iran war and deportations is weighing on the party.

Another Republican, Rep. Monica De La Cruz, is being pressed by Latin Grammy-winning musician Bobby Pulido, who already enjoys wide name recognition. In Florida, Republicans sought to raise their 20 of 28 House seats to 24, targeting Reps. Kathy Castor and Darren Soto. Democratic campaign chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said Republicans overreached and voters are souring on the GOP agenda, while Mike Marinella, a spokesman for House Republicans, cited stronger candidates and fundraising and spending advantages.

Summarized by PolitiKool from PBS NewsHour’s reporting. Read the full story at PBS NewsHour →