In the 2024 presidential election, South Texas (particularly the Rio Grande Valley), voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, after over 100 years of voting solidly Democratic. The reasons were myriad: overwhelming inflation and a sputtering local economy, Trump’s machismo appealed to young male voters in the region, and widespread exhaustion with decades of illegal immigration. Well, we see what Trump’s presidency has wrought: increasing inflation and a sputtering local economy, a deranged machismo bordering on reckless insanity, and the wholesale deportation of both undocumented and documented immigrants alike (as well as several US citizens) from the Rio Grande Valley.

Esmeralda Cantu-Castle (she/her) is running to change all that. Esmi was first encouraged to run for political office in the aftermath of the brutal murder of her daughter, a Navy Seaman, last year, by a fellow sailor who kept her body for four days before dumping it in the woods behind an elementary school in Norfolk, Virginia. Esmi is passionate about supporting others, particularly workers, families, and veterans. This millennial mom is running to ensure that women in her district are afforded access to contraception and reproductive healthcare. Dismayed at how Elon Musk’s SpaceX corporation has willfully polluted South Texas, she is also running on a strong environmental platform that protects both the land and water of the Rio Grande Valley.

Where are you based?
Harlingen, Texas

What position are you running for?
Texas Representative for House District 37

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I am running to serve people, not systems.
My platform is rooted in dignity, accountability, and real opportunity for our community. I stand for women, workers, families, veterans, the protection of our earth, and upholding the Constitution, because our rights, our freedoms, and our future all depend on it. I believe people deserve compassionate and respectful healthcare, fair working conditions, and access to the resources they need to build stable lives. I will stand up to corporate greed and the influence it has on our leadership, especially when it comes to industries that harm our land, water, and communities.

I believe in creating real pathways out of poverty by investing in education, entrepreneurship, local businesses, and community driven solutions. When we invest in people and protect the environment that sustains us, our entire district grows stronger. At the core of everything I stand for is this: people deserve to be seen, heard, and supported. This campaign is about restoring that.

Esmi’s daughter (left) and Esmi herself (right)

What inspired you to run?
I decided to run because I am being called to do so.
After losing my daughter, Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz, I am fighting for accountability, justice, and change not just for my family, but for every family. On this journey, I have met incredible leaders and advocates who showed me that real change happens when ordinary people step forward. One of those voices was Claudia Kennedy. She told me I was not just fighting for Angie, I was fighting for all families. She said our country needs more people who are willing to stand, fight for their communities, and demand justice. She told me I needed to run.

I did not choose this path. It was choosing me. This is me answering that call to serve, to lead, and to help build something better for all of us. Working closely with families in our community, I have seen people doing everything right and still struggling to get ahead. Laws meant to help often miss the mark, and for parents already stretched thin, pursuing education or training can feel out of reach.

I believe in the power of opportunity. When we invest in people, education, entrepreneurship, local businesses, health, and the environment that sustains us, we build a stronger and more sustainable future right here at home. This is about people, compassion, community, resilience, and hope. I am running because our community deserves leadership that sees people, hears them, and fights for fairness, opportunity, and every family’s chance to thrive.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
I want to bring upliftment.
I want our district to feel strong, capable, and proud of who we are. I want to build real pathways out of poverty with built in support systems, so people are not left to figure it out alone. I want to make sure state resources actually reach District 37, so families, veterans, and our entire community have access to the support that already exists. I want to support entrepreneurs and create incubators where people can build solutions for our community and beyond. With the right mentorship and guidance, people in our district can become micro manufacturers, land contracts, and create opportunity where it does not currently exist.
I will stand up for workers across all industries in our district.

What are your major accomplishments?

Some of my major accomplishments include being the first person in the Rio Grande Valley to license a NASA patent and co-found a startup company built around the technology. Through that experience, I worked with veterans, students, inventors, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, scientists, and experts while collaborating with several federal and state agencies. I also received training through the federally funded I-Corps program, which focuses on innovation, research commercialization, and entrepreneurship.

I was also called to serve as Relief Society President, where I worked alongside an incredible team to organize and complete both large and small service projects that supported families, individuals, and the broader community. Each project brought much-needed relief to families and organizations. That experience strengthened my leadership, compassion, and commitment to serving others.

Another accomplishment I am proud of is being accepted into Mitchell Hamline School of Law and now preparing to graduate. Law school has challenged me to grow personally and professionally while deepening my understanding of justice, advocacy, and service.

I also helped Congressman Vicente Gonzalez pass an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in honor of my daughter, Navy Seaman Angeline Resendiz, requiring the military to brief Congress on service members in the last five years who were labeled AWOL and later found deceased, including whether they were reported missing before being classified as AWOL. This effort was deeply personal and focused on accountability, transparency, and protecting service members from being overlooked.

What are the most important issues right now, and how will you address them?
There is a lot of weight our community is carrying, especially within the Hispanic community. Many are living with uncertainty, feeling the impact of policies, economic pressure, and decisions that affect their sense of safety, stability, and belonging.

Many families are doing everything right and still struggling to get ahead. The cost of living is high and access to healthcare is limited. Too many people are just trying to move through life without realizing how much the systems around them are shaping their opportunities and outcomes, all while balancing work, family, and everything life demands of them.

At the same time, we are facing serious concerns around protecting our natural resources, our health, and our environment from industries that consume without accountability. Our land, our water, and our air are not just resources, they are part of our survival and our future. When they are harmed, our communities are the ones who carry that burden.

They are going through it. Families are already under stress financially, emotionally, and mentally, and too often wellbeing gets pushed aside because people are focused on surviving.

To address this, I believe we have to start by reconnecting as a community. We need spaces where people can come together, have real conversations, build trust, and be part of shaping what a better now looks like.

I will work to make sure resources that already exist actually reach our communities, whether that is healthcare, education, workforce support, or small business opportunities. Too often, people do not know what is available or how to access it, and that has to change.

I will stand with our community in protecting our land, water, and health by holding industries accountable and pushing for responsible development that does not come at the cost of our future. Most importantly, I will continue helping people find their voice and their power, making sure they understand how to use it to hold leadership and institutions accountable. Real change happens when people are informed, connected, and empowered.

This is about restoring balance, protecting what sustains us, and making sure no one is left behind.

America is extremely divided. How would you help unite people?
With peace and love. That is my language.
At the end of the day, we are all people. And deeper than that, we are all human beings seeking freedom, stability, and security. The way I unite people is by creating spaces where they can come together, have real conversations, and actually be heard. I sit with people, I listen, and I ask questions that help them see each other beyond assumptions and division. Common ground is important. When people are given the space to talk, to listen, and to really hear each other, they begin to see what they share instead of what divides them.
When people feel seen and heard, connection starts to happen, and that is where unity begins.

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
My background is rooted in advocacy, real relationships, and awareness.
I have worked closely with workers, families, and individuals navigating systems that are not always easy to understand or access. That experience has given me a clear awareness of where people struggle, what is missing, and where support is needed most. That awareness is gold, because you cannot fix what you do not truly see. I have also built strong connections within the community. I am not coming in disconnected. I already know the people, the challenges, and the work that is being done on the ground.

I am not part of the establishment, and my decisions are my own. I lead with love, and from that place I stand for transparency, accountability, and justice in service to the people. That is what makes my background an asset. I bring awareness, relationships, and a commitment to continue advocating for my community.

What is your motto in life?
No matter what, I always get to choose.

Where can people learn more about you?
Facebook: Esmeralda Cantu-Castle
TikTok: @ecc_tx_hd37
Instagram: @esmeralda_cantu_castle
Website: https://www.esmeraldacastle.com

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Esmeralda Cantu Castle, Texas House of Representatives, District 37