NY Times: “When some of the most promising Democrats running for Congress visited Washington for a “candidate week” last fall, the people besieging one of them for photos or brief introductions weren’t the usual lobbyists or lawmakers.
It was the restaurant staff.
They had recognized Bobby Pulido, the Tejano music star, who had put his music career on pause to try to flip a deep red Texas district that the Republicans drew to be Democrat-proof.
“Happens a lot, to be honest with you,” said Mr. Pulido, who hopes that his star power and conservative Blue Dog positions will help him win. “That’s the people I want to fight for.”…In western North Carolina, a fourth-generation farmer with deep political roots is running from the front porch of his family farm. In Montana, a 31-year-old smokejumper has injected new energy into Democratic efforts to win a House seat in the state for the first time this century. In Arizona, the former head of the Navajo Nation is aiming to build on his stronger-than-expected performance in 2024 in a strongly red seat. And in Middle Tennessee, a moderate mayor is seeking to oust a scandal-tarred ally of President Trump.
Mr. Trump carried each of those districts by roughly 10 percentage points or more. No House Democrat currently holds a seat in a district Mr. Trump won by that wide a margin.”