Seven candidates are running in the March Republican primary for Texas’ 16th Congressional District, vying to secure a nomination that would put them up against four-term Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar in November.
The crowded field is emerging as El Paso County’s long Democratic stronghold saw an uptick in Republican voters in 2024 – though the race this year is shaped by political turbulence tied to the current administration.
The Republican candidates for District 16, which represents most of El Paso County minus some portions of the Lower Valley and East Montana, are:
- Manuel J. Barraza, 70, former district court judge convicted on charges related to a bribery scheme; now works as a paralegal
- Adam Bauman, 49, Navy veteran and former Border Patrol agent who now runs a canine drug detection business
- Hector Cabildo, entrepreneur, didn’t respond to requests for interviews
- Raul “Bullet” Castaneda, 71, Navy veteran, teacher
- Marisela Chavez, 67, retired office manager
- Deiliris “DMB” Montanez, 55, retired Border Patrol agent and Army Reserve officer who ran unsuccessfully for Congress as an independent write-in candidate in 2024 and as a Democrat in 2022
- Ruben Arturo Rios, history teacher, didn’t respond to requests for interviews
Voting records show that five of the seven GOP candidates haven’t voted in any Republican primary in El Paso in the past decade. The only exceptions are Rios and Chavez, and Chavez voted in the Democratic primary in 2024.
If no candidate takes more than 50% of the votes, which is likely in such a crowded field, the top two vote-getters will move on to a runoff May 26.
The Republican nominee will face Escobar, who’s seeking her fifth term unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the Nov. 3 midterms.
The congresswoman’s fundraising stands at over $616,000 in this election cycle, with her latest campaign filing showing more than $99,000 raised in the last reporting period from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. That dwarfs the nearly $10,000 combined reported by two of the seven Republican candidates; the others reported either no funds raised or didn’t file required reports with the Federal Election Commission.
National Republicans, who are trying to hold on to their narrow majority in the House of Representatives, haven’t included Texas 16th Congressional District among their targets for defeating a Democratic incumbent. In the 20th and 21st centuries, a Republican has only been elected once in El Paso’s main congressional district – Ed Foreman in 1962.
As Republicans in 2024 made deep inroads among Hispanics nationwide – including in El Paso – Escobar for the first time in her Congressional campaigns received less than 60% of the vote.
With President Donald Trump’s controversial first year into his second term, only about a quarter of Americans (27%) say they support all or most of Trump’s policies and plans, according to a Pew Research Center survey in January. That’s down from 35% compared with when he returned to office last year – a decrease that has come entirely among Republicans, the Pew survey shows.
The candidate elected to office will be sworn into the 120th Congress in early January 2027. U.S. representatives serve two-year terms and are paid $174,000 a year. District 16 is among the 435 House and 33 Senate seats up for election this year.
Early voting for the March 3 primary begins Tuesday, Feb. 17, and runs through Friday, Feb. 27.
Manuel Barraza
In 2010, Barraza was sentenced to five years in federal prison after a jury convicted him on multiple counts – including wire fraud and deprivation of honest services – for accepting cash and other bribes in exchange for using his judicial influence in a felony case. Prosecutors showed he solicited and accepted bribes, including cash and sexual favors, tied to his official actions. He served four years in prison and was disbarred.
In a recent interview with El Paso Matters, he called the charges a political hit job and alleged jury misconduct in his trial.
“There was never any favor done for anyone,” Barraza said, but then added that the people of El Paso are forgiving and allow for second chances.
Barraza, who said he now works as a paralegal, said he brings an understanding of complex legislation to the table and an insight into the justice system from the “other side.” He cited jail reform as one of his priorities, alleging nepotism is unfairly allowing family and friends to work together as directors, guards and other staff.
He also cited health care as a top priority, saying he would support a universal health care system funded by reallocating money from foreign aid and expanding the government accountability department to find savings in other areas.
“We work to support the world,” he said about aid to Ukraine and other countries. “It doesn’t seem right. It doesn’t seem fair that we should bear the cost to the world.”
He cited other examples of what he called taxpayer waste, including that U.S. dollars were being used for circumcisions in Africa, that bridges that went nowhere were being built and that migrants were receiving Walmart gift cards worth thousands of dollars.
Funding for voluntary medical male circumcisions was part of a longrunning HIV prevention program in Africa that historically had bipartisan support, which Barraza said needed to be looked into. The “bridge to nowhere” phrase comes from a proposed bridge in an Alaskan island of 50 residents that received funding earmarks in 2005, becoming symbolic of wasteful allocations that benefit few in a legislator’s district or state. While the project was canceled, Barraza said he would ensure no other such projects receive federal funding.
Some cities and nonprofits provided short-term aid such as food, shelter and hygiene products for recently arrived migrants during an influx in 2023 – sometimes paid by the cities or organizations themselves or reimbursed by FEMA’s Shelter and Services Programs. Barraza also said he was concerned about the million-dollar contracts given to transportation companies during the influx of migrants to transport them across the country after being processed by Border Patrol and allowed to remain in the country temporarily. Both the federal government and state government in Texas ran programs to bus migrants out of the border region.
When asked about the millions now going to companies to build detention centers and conduct deportation flights, Barraza said they were necessary for immigration enforcement.
He said while he wouldn’t support defunding the police – or ICE – he doesn’t support police brutality and abuse of authority. He said he would support better training and accountability for all law enforcement agencies, but didn’t offer details.
Barraza didn’t file any campaign finance reports.
CANDIDATE Q&A: 5 questions for candidates in March primary contested races
Adam Bauman
Bauman, who retired from the Navy and later the Border Patrol, now owns and operates a canine narcotics detention business. He also hosts a podcast, “The Adam Bauman Show,” in which he talks about being passionate about politics.
El Paso Matters didn’t secure an interview with Bauman and he did not submit a candidate questionnaire. The Federal Election Commission doesn’t show that he filed any campaign finance reports.
In an April 2025 podcast, Sun City SITREP, Bauman states he was born in Phoenix, came to El Paso when stationed here with Border Patrol in 2001. He said he always saw himself as a patriot and supports law enforcement.
On his campaign website, Bauman lists his priorities as working to make “property taxes more affordable,” cutting the red tape for veteran benefits, and providing resources to help local and small businesses thrive. He also states he’s committed to supporting CBP’s mission “to protect our border and keep El Paso safe.”
His website also states he’d support “women only sports” and “women only restrooms,” as well as reducing insurance premiums “without the federal government subsidizing these costs.”
He doesn’t provide details on how he’d accomplish any of those goals.
Hector Miguel Cabildo
Cabildo, who called himself an entrepreneur in his filing for office, didn’t respond to requests for interviews or a candidate questionnaire from El Paso Matters.
Cabildo on his campaign website lists guaranteeing veteran benefits, bringing specialized jobs to El Paso and bringing funds to El Paso to facilitate visa processes for immigrants as top priorities. He didn’t expand on the priorities or how he’d implement them.
On Facebook, Cabildo said it was “time to bring God back into our government” but didn’t expand on how his beliefs would translate to legislation other than to say decisions would be based “on God.”
His campaign finance reports show he raised $4,120 and spent $4,099 through Dec. 31. He received a $3,500 donation from Larry Wollslager, a self-employed geologist Wolf Energy.
Raul Castaneda
Castaneda, whose nickname “Bullet” derives from his Navy call sign, said his time in the service and serving as an altar boy at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Segundo Barrio taught him commitment and structure.
The retired Navy pilot later served as an electronics instructor in Bernalillo, New Mexico.
“The biggest thing I have going for me is being a veteran,” he said. “If I get elected, I’m going to ask to be put on the Armed Forces Committee.”
Castaneda said he would work to bring a full Veterans Affairs regional office to El Paso for benefits-related services. The VA Waco Regional Office currently serves El Paso, which has a satellite branch as well as a county-run veteran’s assistance program.
“I would throw more money at the VA director, but I’m also not afraid to go talk to any president about it,” he said.
Castaneda said he would like to see the federal government put more money into helping homeless veterans rather than helping “the illegals.”
When it comes to immigration, Castaneda said he has a seven-year plan that includes stricter border enforcement as well as a path to citizenship for immigrants “who play by the rules.” But, he said, he didn’t want to disclose because other candidates “might steal it and take credit for it.”
He said he worked for a private contractor running the migrant Tornillo detention center in 2018-19, where he saw migrants “doing nothing” while employees worked to provide them food and wash their clothes. “It’s not a Marriott,” he said. Castaneda earlier this year made a Marriott reference on Instagram, criticizing Escobar’s calls to close down Camp East Montana, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center at Fort Bliss.
To help improve the region’s economy, Castaneda said he would work to bring a car factory with good pay and benefits to the community.
“I would go over and say, ‘Elon Musk, let’s close down your factory in California where you’re having a lot of problems with that sanctuary city and let’s bring it right here to Northeast El Paso,’” he said.
Among his other priorities, he said, is improving education through the use of school vouchers and pushing for core values where parents are involved in their children’s school and religious upbringing.
Castaneda said he supports putting the Ten Commandments in classrooms as a national mandate because “we pledge allegiance to one nation under God.” He said more federal dollars need to go to public schools “who are doing it right,” but didn’t expand on how he would measure that.
He also said if elected, he would not serve more than two terms.
The FEC website shows he did not file a campaign finance report. He said his campaign “takes care of that stuff.”
Marisela Chavez
Chavez said she decided to enter politics after the death of her husband, who she said had dementia and alleges he was wrongfully “taken” from her by the state’s Adult Protective Services.
“It’s not just about my husband, it’s about the millions of people they have done it to,” she told El Paso Matters, saying she wanted to ensure government agencies are held accountable for their actions through yearly auditing.
The majority of federal agencies are already legally required to undergo annual financial audits, but Chavez claims those audits are not “catching fraud.”
“I would make every scenario – health fraud, Social Security fraud and the whatever fraud – one of my priorities and the reason why is that the economy right now is very serious and we can’t afford fraud,” she said.
Chavez, who worked as an office manager and realtor assistant, said she chose to run as a Republican because she had to declare a party and not necessarily because she aligned with all of the party’s values. She said what makes her a good candidate is what’s in her heart.
“I’m not going to promise, I’m just going to do,” she said.
Taking care of the homeless rather than “foreigners” and making housing more affordable are among her top priorities.
She said if elected, she would donate most of her salary to programs that help veterans and the homeless, and allocate to them money that now goes to “foreigners pouring into the country” who are “handed a “basket of benefits.”
Chavez said she also would not allow “foreigners” to run for office in the federal government, adding that only natural born citizens should serve in elected office at that level. She said foreigners would bring in outside laws and religions that don’t belong in the country.
She said she would advocate that seniors older than age 65 not pay any property taxes, saying she would make it a federal rather than state mandate.
Chavez didn’t file a campaign finance report, saying she didn’t know she had to. She said she’s spent at least $2,000 of her own money on printed campaign materials, which don’t have the disclaimer language required by campaign finance laws.
Deliris Montanez Berrios
A native of Puerto Rico, Berrios has lived in the El Paso area for nearly 25 years. She served in the Army Reserve for 29 years and was a Border Patrol agent for 20 years. She now owns an equestrian holistic retreat.
“I have worked my entire adult life as a federal employee,” she said. “I know the policies, the regulations, I have researched federal law and I have fought for our constituents in different fields.”
Citing her law enforcement career and name recognition, Berrios said she’s the most experienced and qualified candidate in the Republican primary to face Escobar in the November general election.
Berrios, who goes by DMB and calls herself a moderate conservative, said she decided to run as a Republican after launching unsuccessful independent campaigns for Congress the past two elections. In 2022, she also ran unsuccessfully for El Paso City Council, a nonpartisan position.
“I feel like I fall in the middle,” she said about her moderate conservatism.
She said she’s pro-life but supports abortions in very limited exceptions such as rape; supports ICE enforcement but not agents covering their identities with face masks; and supports health care for all citizens and some legal residents but not illegal immigrants who don’t have status in the United States.
On her campaign website, Berrios said she doesn’t support “open borders,” but believes there’s a need for immigration reform that would offer a path to residency and citizenship for immigrants with no criminal records who have lived in the U.S. for more than five years and have “proven to be an asset to our society.”
Berrios told El Paso Matters that she doesn’t like the way Trump talks about Hispanics, saying he’s “not polite or diplomatic enough.”
But she said she likes what he’s done to secure the border that has seen record low migrant encounters “so agents can focus on other operations.” She said that has led to “lower criminality” in El Paso, saying she believes there’s been fewer break-ins, vandalism and graffiti since Trump took office.
“I’m not saying it was all illegal immigrants before, but there’s a difference,” she said without citing any specific data.
Studies have consistently shown undocumented immigrants have substantially lower crime rates than native-born citizens and legal immigrants across a range of felony offenses, as well as drug and property crimes. El Paso has consistently recorded the lowest crime rates among cities its size, FBI data shows.
In 2024, Berrios, then a congressional write-in candidate, filed a lawsuit against the El Paso County judge and the Texas Secretary of State claiming election irregularities and administrative errors violating federal voting laws. The case was dismissed Jan. 30 this year, with a federal judge ruling the lawsuit failed to state viable claims under various voting rights acts and that the allegations described isolated election issues rather than constitutional violations.
In 2023, a federal judge dismissed a pro se lawsuit she filed against Border Patrol alleging supervisors discriminated and retaliated against her based on race, sex, national origin and disability – citing post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression as disabilities.
Berrios reported more than $71,000 in debts and loans owed by her financial committee through 2025. She said the investment shows her dedication to serve in public office without taking many donations.
“I don’t want to owe anything to anybody,” she said.
In 2025, she contributed nearly $2,700 to her committee and loaned herself another $2,900. She spent about $2,400 for a Republican’s women’s conference in Florida, the committee’s disbursement report shows, as well as $1,300 for her campaign kickoff at Landry’s Seafood House.
Ruben Arturo Rios
Rios, a middle school history teacher, wasn’t available for an interview, he told El Paso Matters.
Calling himself a conservative candidate, Rios on campaign videos said he’s served as a state delegate, precinct chair and poll worker.
In his candidate questionnaire, he said he’s running as a Republican because he’s pro-life, believes in secure borders and supports first responders, veterans and educators. He said his priorities include property tax relief, cut carbon taxes, eliminate fraud and overspending. He didn’t outline specific plans for achieving those goals.
He didn’t file a campaign finance report with the FEC.
The post GOP primary draws 7 candidates for party’s 16th Congressional District nomination appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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