Ciro Rodriguez

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch
  • Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• United States House Committee on Veterans Affairs
  • United States House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health
  • United States House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs

• Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Chair of the Taskforce on Agriculture and Rural Communities

Rodriguez voted against both President Bush's and Obama's TARP/bank bailouts. He also voted against the General Motors bailout. Rodriguez did support the Stimulus plan, Health Care Reform and Financial Regulation of Wall Street. He helped pass the largest increase in veteran’s health care funding and the Wounded Warrior Act, reducing red tape for veterans in need. See: The Voter's Self Defense System He has also focused on national security issues including cyber-security.[4]

The 2003 Texas redistricting shifted most of heavily Democratic Laredo, previously one of the bases of the 23rd District, into the already heavily Democratic 28th. Laredo is the base of former Texas Secretary of State Henry Cuellar, a somewhat more conservative Democrat than Rodriguez. A year earlier, Cuellar had given the 23rd's five-term Republican incumbent, Henry Bonilla, his closest race ever.

By moving most of Laredo to the 28th, the Republican-controlled legislature hoped to protect Bonilla by packing the 28th with as many Democrats as possible. In March 2004, Rodriguez lost the primary election, the real contest in this district, to Cuellar by 58 votes. Rodriguez sued to overturn Cuellar's victory, but the Texas 4th Court of Appeals ruled against him.

Rodriguez tried to regain his old House seat in 2006. His campaign was under-financed, but gained significant momentum after a photographer with The Washington Post snapped a photo of Cuellar at the 2006 State of the Union address, on the Republican side of the aisle, smiling as President George W. Bush affectionately grabbed his face. Rodriguez lost the March 7 Democratic primary with 40% of the vote to Cuellar's 53%.

In June, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Texas Legislature had violated the Voting Rights Act when it drew most of Laredo out of the 23rd and replaced it with several heavily Republican San Antonio suburbs. A three-judge panel then drew new district lines. The new 23rd included Rodriguez's home, along with much of his old south San Antonio base. That area had been part of the 23rd from its creation in 1967 to 1993.

On August 10 Rodriguez announced that he would run against Bonilla in the 23rd.[5] The two opponents, original Democratic nominee Rick Bolanos, four other Democrats and one independent, faced one another in an all-candidate (or "jungle") primary on November 7. Incumbent Bonilla emerged with 48.1% of the vote, and Ciro Rodriguez with 20.3%.

In the runoff election, Rodriguez defeated Bonilla 54% to 46% in an upset victory. This made Rodriguez's district the 30th Democratic pickup in the 2006 House elections, and the second from Texas,[6] after Nick Lampson. He also regained a seat after being defeated in another district in 2004, like Lampson. It was only the second time a Republican congressional incumbent had lost to a Democratic challenger in Texas since 1988 (the first time being Nick Lampson's defeat of a Republican incumbent in 1996). Lampson served with Rodriguez again in 2007–2009, until he was defeated for the second time in 2008.

Rodriguez won against Republican nominee Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larson and Libertarian Lani Connolly.

Rodriguez was challenged by Republican nominee Quico Canseco, Libertarian nominee Martin Nitschke, Green Party nominee Ed Scharf, and Independent Craig T. Stephens. The election was targeted by the Republican National Committee, which poured money in to support Canseco in an attempt to gain the seat for their party.

Rodriguez was defeated by Canseco, winning 44% to Canseco's 49%.[7]

Ciro Rodriguez announced in early summer 2011 that he would seek election to his former seat in the U.S. Congress in a rematch against Rep. Quico Canseco. But, on November 29, 2011, Rodriguez announced he would campaign for election in the newly drawn, neighboring 35th District, which takes in eastern San Antonio, as well as portions of Atascosa, Comal and Hays counties.[8] After courts changed the redistricting map again, however, Rodriguez returned to running in the 23rd district. He lost to State Rep. Pete Gallego in the Democratic Party primary runoff.