Republican candidates reassess Trump branding before midterms
Texas Republican congressional candidate Carlos De La Cruz has changed his campaign website headline from “TRUMP CONSERVATIVE” to “PROVEN CONSERVATIVE,” according to an Associated Press report by Steve Peoples.
The website previously led with the all-caps line: “AIR FORCE VETERAN. SMALL BUSINESSMAN. TRUMP CONSERVATIVE.” That text has since been changed to: “NATIVE TEXAN. AIR FORCE VETERAN. SMALL BUSINESSMAN. PROVEN CONSERVATIVE.”
De La Cruz is an Air Force veteran and small businessman running for Congress in Texas.
The shift replaces an explicit reference to the president with a general claim of conservative standing. De La Cruz’s other biographical details — his military service and business background — remained in place on the website.
The AP report, published August 27, 2026, draws on examples from multiple states. The report frames Republican candidates as reassessing how prominently to associate their campaigns with the president ahead of the midterm elections.