- One thing Carlos De La Cruz has made clear is that he wants to be Trump's “wingman” in Congress and that he was endorsed by House Speaker Mike Johnson. That means De La Cruz wanted to “wingman” their agenda.
- Mike Johnson worked around the clock to block legislative opposition to Trump’s costly tariffs. Johnson pulled several legislative maneuvers to ensure House Republicans supported tariffs that were raising prices on all Americans. In Texas, the tariffs were causing worsening job growth and increased prices for local businesses and their customers.
- Trump and Johnson were behind the single largest cut to SNAP in history.
De La Cruz Said He Was Ready To Be Donald Trump’s “Wingman” In Congress. According to Carlos De La Cruz’s 2026 campaign website, "He’s ready to be President Trump’s wingman in Congress and take down the radical leftists who are destroying America. Carlos will fight every day to make sure our children inherit a country where God, Country, and Families can prosper." [Carlos For Congress, “Meet Carlos”, Viewed 2/23/26]
De La Cruz On Trump: “I Will Be His Wingman In Congress.” According to Carlos De La Cruz’s 2026 campaign website, "Career politicians have betrayed President Trump time and time again. I will be his wingman in Congress. That means securing our border, bringing manufacturing back home, and stopping communist China from ripping us off. While the elites sell us out, I will always put American workers and families first. America should never bow to global elites—we put our people first, period." [Carlos for Congress, “Mission”, Viewed 2/24/26]
De La Cruz Said He Was “Honored” To Have Speaker Mike Johnson’s Endorsement And Said “No One Has Fought Harder To Advance President Trump’s Agenda.” [Twitter, @CarlosForTexas, 2/18/26]
¶ De La Cruz Wanted To Wingman Trump And Johnson As They Raised Prices On Texans
Johnson’s Procedural Maneuver To Prevent A Vote Blocking Trump’s Tariffs Failed After Three Republicans Defected Against Johnson And Trump. According to Axios, "House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has repeatedly blocked these votes over the past year, but his attempt to do so on Tuesday was thwarted by a trio of Republican defectors in a late-night vote. Johnson's procedural maneuver to stop Democrats from forcing votes to end Trump's tariffs under the National Emergencies Act failed 214 to 217, with Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) breaking away." [Axios, 2/11/26]
- HEADLINE: “House Defeats Republican Bid To Block Votes On Trump’s Tariffs” [New York Times, 2/10/26]
- The House Adopted A Rule In March 2025 Barring Tariff Challenges That Expired In January, Resulting In Speaker Johnson Calling Another Extension, Through This Rule, “Necessary.” According to Reuters, “Earlier in the day, Johnson told reporters that he expected the measure to pass the House, calling it necessary in view of an expected Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the tariffs. House Republicans first adopted a rule barring tariff challenges last March and later extended it through January.” [Reuters, 2/11/26]
- The Rule That Barred Tariffs Challenges Blocked Democrats From Repealing Trump’s Declared National Emergency That Allowed For His Broad Tariffs. According to the Hill. “Trump declared national emergencies as a basis for implementing his broad-based global tariffs, as well as specific tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada. The National Emergencies Act dictates that Congress can use joint resolutions to repeal a national emergency, and outlines procedures to expedite that action after a certain number of calendar days. Multiple times last year, GOP leaders inserted language into procedural rule legislation to not count a ‘calendar day’ for the purposes of the National Emergencies Act until a specific date, blocking members from forcing action to repeal the tariffs. That prohibition expired at the end of January as GOP leaders faced resistance from Republicans. The latest attempt would have reinstated that prohibition until July 31, 2026.” [Reuters, 2/11/26]
- Johnson Delayed The Vote To Ban Members From Blocking Tariffs From 1:30 PM To 8:30 PM In An Attempt To Flip Votes. According to the Hill, “Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was unable to win over the holdouts, despite delaying the vote from 1:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.” [The Hill, 2/10/26]
Johnson Convinced Republican Members To Vote To Prohibit Recall Votes On Trump’s Tariffs. According to The Hill, "The House previously voted to prohibit recall votes on some tariffs until Sept. 30 and on others to the end of the calendar year, while Tuesday’s rule extended that prohibition to March 31, 2026. Leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) huddled with the three California Republicans and Bacon as they aimed to convince them to switch their votes, as Massie and Spartz — two members who have often broken with GOP colleagues on spending matters — were across the House floor, not part of the negotiation." [The Hill, 9/16/25]
- Johnson And GOP Leadership Won Support From Holdouts By Promising The Shorten The Block On Tariff Disapproval Votes. According to Politico, “GOP leaders flipped several of the Republican holdouts with a promise to add language shortening the block on tariff disapproval votes to a forthcoming measure set for approval later in the week, per two Republicans with direct knowledge of the agreement. The expiration date on the block will be reset from March 31 to the end of January, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Tuesday. It’s likely the Supreme Court will have ruled on a challenge to Trump’s tariff-declaring powers by then.” [Politico, 9/16/25]
- September 2025: House Republicans Voted In Favor Of A Measure That Effectively Blocked Challenges To Trump’s Tariffs Through March 2026, With The Intent Of Changing The Length Of Time To January 2026. According to Politico, "House Republicans voted in near lockstep Tuesday to again cede congressional power over tariffs to President Donald Trump. A measure that effectively blocks challenges to Trump’s sweeping global tariff declarations through March 2026 was adopted on a 213-211 vote. The vote was gaveled down only after GOP whips had a drawn-out struggle on the floor with a band of Republicans who initially opposed the legislation before flipping to yes. The vote was held open for more than a half-hour as they worked to bring the members back on board. GOP leaders flipped several of the Republican holdouts with a promise to add language shortening the block on tariff disapproval votes to a forthcoming measure set for approval later in the week, per two Republicans with direct knowledge of the agreement. The expiration date on the block will be reset from March 31 to the end of January, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Tuesday. It’s likely the Supreme Court will have ruled on a challenge to Trump’s tariff-declaring powers by then." [Politico, 9/16/25]
4/9/25: Johnson Pushed Forward A Measure That Made It Harder For Any Opposition Efforts To Strike Down Trump’s Tariffs. According to Business Insider, "House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leaders on Wednesday moved to make it harder for challenges to President Donald Trump's Liberation Day tariffs to succeed. Republican leaders tucked in a provision in an unrelated measure that would forestall challenges to the underlying national emergency Trump used to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on Liberation Day. […] The House passed the procedural measure on a 216 to 215 vote. Three Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, and Mike Turner of Ohio voted against it. Effectively, Johnson and his fellow Republicans have shielded Trump's trade policies amid grumbling from Republicans on both sides of the Capitol. Seven GOP senators are backing an unrelated bill to curb presidential tariff policy. Trump has promised to veto that legislation." [Business Insider, 4/9/25]
- Speaker Johnson Backed The Move, Claiming Trump Has “Executive Authority” And That The Tariffs Are “In The Interest Of The American People.” According to ABC News, “House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended the move, telling reporters, ‘I've made it very clear I think the president has executive authority. It's an appropriate level of authority to deal with the unfair trade practices. That's part of the role of the president is to negotiate with other countries.’ Johnson said Trump told him Tuesday night that ‘there are almost 70 countries that are [in] some stage in negotiation of more fair-trade agreement agreements with the United States. I think that is in the interest of the American people. I think that is an ‘America First’ policy that will be effective, and so we have to give them the space to do it.’” [ABC News, 4/9/25]
- The Vote Was The Second Use Of The Procedural Tactic To Block Votes On The Tariffs, The First Use Of It Being In March 2025. According to ABC News, “House Democrats, led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., moved to force a vote on Tuesday on terminating the national emergency authority and blocking Trump's sweeping tariffs. Now, that vote is unlikely to occur. This is the second time Johnson has moved to stop the legislative calendar to prevent votes on Trump's authority on tariffs. Under House rules, these votes would typically come up within 15 calendar days but now will not if the ‘rule’ passes during the vote series Wednesday afternoon.” [ABC News, 4/9/25]
After House Republicans Voted To Block The Ability Of Congress To Challenge Trump’s Tariffs, Johnson Claimed It Was Because Republicans “Trust[Ed] This White House To Do The Right Thing.” According to Reuters, "The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to block the ability of Congress to quickly challenge tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump that have rattled financial markets. The 216-214 vote, largely along party lines, delays lawmakers' ability for the rest of the year to force a vote that could revoke Trump's tariffs and immigration actions. […] ‘This is an appropriate balance of powers and we trust this White House to do the right thing, and I think that was the right vote and it was reflected in the vote count,’ House Speaker Mike Johnson said when asked by Reuters why he was comfortable giving more trade power to the executive branch. The provision was tucked into a procedural vote related to the Republicans' six-month stopgap funding bill." [Reuters, 3/11/25]
- The Bill Effectively Blocked The House From Voting To Reverse Trump’s Tariffs On Mexico, Canada, And China. According to the New York Times, “Republican leaders on Tuesday slipped language into a procedural measure that would prevent any resolution to end the tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China from receiving a vote this year. It passed on party lines as part of a resolution that cleared the way for a vote later Tuesday on a government spending bill needed to prevent a shutdown at the end of the week.” [New York Times, 3/11/25]
- The Bill Nullified A Law That Would Allow The House And Senate To End A Disaster Declared By The President. According to the New York Times, “In this case, Republican leaders did so using a particularly unusual contortion: They essentially declared the rest of the year one long day, nullifying a law that allows the House and Senate to jointly put an end to a disaster declared by the president.” [New York Times, 3/11/25]
- The National Emergencies Act Required Consideration Of Resolutions Ending A Presidential Emergency Within Fifteen Calendar Days, But Republican Leadership Included A Measure In The Bill Declaring Each Day For The Remainder Of The 119th Congress Would Not Constitute A Calendar Day. According to the New York Times, “The national emergency law lays out a fast-track process for Congress to consider a resolution ending a presidential emergency, requiring committee consideration within 15 calendar days after one is introduced and a floor vote within three days after that. But the language House Republicans inserted in their measure on Tuesday declared that, ‘Each day for the remainder of the 119th Congress shall not constitute a calendar day’ for the purposes of the emergency that Mr. Trump declared on Feb. 1.” [New York Times, 3/11/25]
¶ trump’s tariffs were hurting texas’ economy by raising prices and worsening job growth
HEADLINE: “San Antonio Will Be U.S. Metro Most Damaged By Trump’s Canada Trade War, Study Finds” [San Antonio Current, 3/27/25]
HEADLINE: “Expert Explains Why Texas Could See Biggest Impact Regarding Sweeping Tariffs Announcement” [ABC 13 Eyewitness News, 4/4/25]
COLUMN: “Trump Tariffs Are Bad For Texas, Leaving Executives Guessing And Investors On The Sidelines” [Chris Tomlinson, Column, Houston Chronicle, 4/11/25]
HEADLINE: “New Numbers Show Trump’s Tariffs, Mass Deportations Taking A Toll On The Texas Economy” [San Antonio Current, 8/15/25]
The Federal Reserve Bank Of Dallas Released A Report That Indicated Worsening Job Growth In Texas Following The White House Tariff Announcements. According to the San Antonio Current, "A growing number of signs suggest Trump’s tariff tantrums and mass deportation roundups are delivering a bruising one-two punch to the Texas economy. Numbers released this week by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas show the Lone Star State faces slipping job growth, declining construction starts and rising inflation. All signs its economic engine is sputtering. And all at least partially tied to the White House’s policies." [San Antonio Current, 8/15/25]
An October 2025 Texas Restaurant Survey Found That All But 10 Percent Of Restaurants Said They Were Seeing Costs Increase As A Result Of Tariffs. According to Houston Public Media, "The report surveyed more than 50 restaurants across the state in October. Eighty-eight percent of restaurants reported their food costs rose during the last quarter, while 40% said their costs went up ‘significantly.’ Two out of every three restaurants also said their labor costs are increasing. That's a result, at least in part, of some of the policies from the Trump administration, the restaurant association reported. All but 10% of restaurants said they were seeing costs increase as a result of tariffs." [Houston Public Media, 10/31/25]
¶ De La Cruz Stood With Trump And Johnson As They Made Significant Cuts To Food Assistance
¶ Trump and Johnson were behind the largest snap cut in history
¶ Trump And Johnson Worked Together To Pass The Final Version Of Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill That Would Cut SNAP Funding By $186 Billion
2025: Johnson And Trump Worked Together To Pass The “One Big Beautiful Bill.” According to Fox News, "House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., touted the close coordination between Congress and President Donald Trump to successfully pass the ‘one big, beautiful bill,’ saying the collaboration is part of the ‘beauty of unified government.’ Congress officially passed Trump’s multitrillion-dollar bill Thursday afternoon after back-to-back sleepless sessions for both the House and Senate. The massive agenda package now goes to Trump’s desk to be signed into law just in time for Republicans’ self-imposed Fourth of July deadline." [Fox News, 7/3/25]
- July 2025: Trump And Johnson Lobbied The Republican Holdouts To Make Way For Passage Of The Bill. According to NBC News, "A bloc of Republican holdouts had initially opposed a procedural vote Wednesday to advance the bill, leading to an hourslong overnight standoff. But Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., managed to sway all but one of them, teeing up final passage in the House." [NBC News, 7/3/25]
HEADLINE: "Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Cuts Food Stamps For Millions — The Average Family May Lose $146 Per Month, Report Finds" [CNBC, 7/10/25]
- The GOP Reconciliation Bill Would Cut SNAP Funding By $186 Billion, Which CBPP Said Constituted The “Largest Cut To SNAP In History.” According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "The Senate Republican leadership’s reconciliation bill would dramatically raise costs and reduce food assistance for millions of people by cutting federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $186 billion through 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), about 20 percent — the largest cut to SNAP in history. These cuts would increase poverty, food insecurity, and hunger, including among children. The so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is anything but beautiful; it would cause widespread harm by making massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, which would raise costs on families and make it much harder for them to afford the high cost of health care and groceries." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/30/25]
¶ May 2025: Trump And Johnson Spearheaded The Effort To Pass Republicans’ Budget Bill, Which Included A $300 Billion Cut To SNAP
May 2025: Johnson Reached Agreements With Conservative And Moderate Republicans With Help From Donald Trump Before Passing The Sweeping Budget Bill. According to the Guardian, "The biggest obstacle the bill faces is disputes among Republicans themselves. In the days leading up to the vote, Johnson had to reach agreements with lawmakers representing Democratic-led states who demanded a bigger deduction for state and local taxes (Salt). He also had to woo moderates wary of cutting too deeply into safety net programs and rightwing lawmakers demanding more cost savings. The speaker appears to have bridged those divides, aided by a visit to the Capitol from Trump on Tuesday. Moderates backed down after some cuts were nixed, while lawmakers who held out over Salt won an enlarged tax break. Johnson also managed to corral most fiscal conservatives, but acknowledged: ‘There was a few moments over the last week when it looked like the thing might fall apart.’" [Guardian, 5/22/25]
- May 2025: The Passage Of The Budget Bill Was A “Triumphant Moment For Johnson,” Who Got The Bill Passed With A Singular Vote Margin. According to ABC News, "A smiling Speaker Mike Johnson announced the massive measure passed by a single vote -- 215-214 -- and was greeted with applause. He had struggled to get it done -- as he had promised -- by Memorial Day, before lawmakers go on recess. The sweeping package of tax cuts, Medicaid reform and immigration spending delivers on many of the president's domestic campaign promises. Following debate that stretched Wednesday through the entire night and into early Thursday morning, the vote was a triumphant moment for Johnson, who conquered sharp divisions among his conference ‘through a lot of prayer’ amid a historically low 3-vote majority." [ABC News, 5/22/25]
The House Republican Reconciliation Bill Included Nearly $300 Billion In Cuts To The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "The House-passed Republican reconciliation plan would cut nearly $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through 2034, based on Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates — by far the largest cut to SNAP in history.[1] As a result of these cuts and other policies in the legislation — which are being used to pay partly for trillions in tax cuts skewed to the wealthy — millions of people would lose some or all of the food assistance they need to afford groceries, when many low-income households are struggling to afford the high cost of food and other basic needs." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/28/25]
¶ February 2025: Johnson And Trump Pushed Forward A Budget Bill That Set Up Future Cuts To SNAP
Johnson “Fought On All Fronts” To Advance The Budget Bill That Passed “With A Push From President Donald Trump.” According to the Associated Press, "With a push from President Donald Trump, House Republicans sent a GOP budget blueprint to passage Tuesday, a step toward delivering his ‘big, beautiful bill’ with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts despite a wall of opposition from Democrats and discomfort among Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson had almost no votes to spare in his bare-bones GOP majority and fought on all fronts — against Democrats, uneasy rank-and-file Republicans and skeptical GOP senators — to advance the party’s signature legislative package. Trump made calls to wayward GOP lawmakers and invited Republicans to the White House. The vote was 217-215, with a single Republican and all Democrats opposed, and the outcome was in jeopardy until the gavel." [Associated Press, 2/25/25]
- HEADLINE: "House Republican Budget Takes Away Health Care, Food Aid To Pay For Expanded Tax Cuts For Wealthy" [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/21/25]
- CBPP Said The Republican Budget Resolution Outlined $230 Billion In Cuts, Primarily From SNAP Benefits. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "The House Republicans’ budget plan would give major tax cuts to high-income, wealthy households. Extending the expiring individual income and estate tax provisions for households with incomes in the top 5 percent of the income distribution (households with incomes over $321,000) costs around $1.8 trillion through 2034, accounting for 49 percent of the total $3.6 trillion cost of extension through 2034. That $1.8 trillion for wealthy and high-income households is close to the amount of the spending cuts House Republicans have outlined — including at least $880 billion primarily from Medicaid, $230 billion primarily from SNAP benefits, and $330 billion primarily from making student loans more expensive. Of the tax cuts for wealthy households, nearly $200 billion is for an estate tax giveaway that showers some $6 million per estate on the 1 in 1,000 wealthiest estates. In contrast, the average SNAP benefit is $6.20 per person per day, which helps struggling families put food on the table." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/21/25]
Trump Cuts To Food Assistance Caused The San Antonio Food Bank To Lose Roughly $3 Million In Aid. According to My San Antonio, "Earlier this year, Trump cut about $500 million in federal food aid. The San Antonio Food Bank was one of those groups affected, losing around $3 million in aid. The need for food aid, however, has not waned. In fact, it has grown as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and other benefits assistance programs are cut as well." [My San Antonio, 8/10/25]
- HEADLINE: “With SNAP Benefits Slashed, San Antonio Food Bank Rises To The Challenge” [My San Antonio, 8/10/25]
HEADLINE: “'Unprecedented Cuts' To SNAP Would Impact Low-Income Texans Who Need It Most” [Texas Public Radio, 5/21/25]
HEADLINE: “SNAP Cutoff Could Hurt Texas Grocers And The Rest Of The Economy, Experts Say” [Texas Tribune, 10/28/25]
HEADLINE: “With SNAP Benefits Cut Off, Central Texas Groups Work To Fill Gap With Free Meal Giveaway” [KVUE (ABC), 11/2/25]