Republican Texas House Candidate Accused of Physically Abusing Stepdaughter

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Monica De La Cruz, a Republican who is running for a seat in Texas’s 15th Congressional District, was accused by her husband of abusing her stepdaughter.

Johnny Hernandez, who does not have any biological children with De La Cruz, said in court filings that De La Cruz would verbally abuse his daughter and pinch her to get her to stop crying. 

“Unfortunately, it got to that point where I had to make a decision for the best sake of my daughter,†Hernandez said in an interview with The Washington Post. “She didn’t want to go to parenting classes, and she didn’t want to make things better for my daughter.â€

Hernandez has also asked De La Cruz to stop mentioning his daughter in her campaign, saying she is using the relationship to score political points.

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“I believe that she is putting her campaign in front of our family,†he said. “She is using my daughter for sympathy votes. My daughter is going through mental health issues, and she should not be using that on her campaign page. She needs to take that down.â€

De La Cruz has denied the allegations.

“[The allegations are] false, and I’m heartbroken that as we work through some mental health issues that involve a minor this deeply personal matter is now being exposed in the national press,” she said in a statement to the Post. “My number one concern will always be the well-being of all of my children, and I would appreciate your prayers and continue to ask for privacy for our family.”

De La Cruz was once described as a promising “young gun” by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

De La Cruz recently appeared at a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser that featured former President Donald Trump as one of the speakers.

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