On Sunday, November 23, 2025, LMT Online reported that a federal complaint had been filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, alleging violations of federal campaign law.

The complaint, filed on Friday, November 21, by Cecilia Martinez, Ph.D., of San Antonio, centers on Tijerina’s purported circumvention of Texas’ resign-to-run law while exploring a run for Congress.

Martinez, who has a background in ethics, decision-making, and journalism, emphasized the importance of transparency in political campaigns. She expressed concerns that Tijerina’s actions could undermine public trust and potentially indicate a pattern of behavior that might persist if he were elected to federal office.

Tijerina announced on June 18 that he had formed an exploratory committee to consider a bid for the Texas 28th Congressional District seat, currently held by U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar. This announcement followed his switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party after nearly a decade in office.

The core of the complaint revolves around the resign-to-run law in Texas, which mandates that local officeholders resign if they become candidates for another office with more than one year and 30 days remaining in their current term. Tijerina’s current term as Webb County Judge extends until the end of 2026, as he was re-elected in 2022. While he could theoretically delay declaring his candidacy until early December, the complaint alleges that he has already made the decision to run for Congress.

Evidence cited in the complaint includes an interview with a Houston radio station where Tijerina stated that the exploratory committee was formed due to the resign-to-run clause, and that he would publicly announce his intentions on December 1st.

A post on X (formerly Twitter) on July 30, featuring eyeball emojis and an image of Tijerina coming out of a corral in response to a proposed congressional map, was also referenced. Furthermore, an Instagram story from Daisy Campos on October 30, expressing excitement about Tijerina’s potential move to Congress, was included as evidence.

Federal law requires individuals to file a statement of candidacy within 15 days of either raising $5,000 in contributions or making $5,000 in expenditures for a campaign. The complaint alleges that Tijerina has likely exceeded these thresholds, pointing to the Tano Tijerina Exploratory Committee’s solicitation of contributions through WinRed since at least July 1 and its collaboration with the Texas-based political strategy firm Lilly and Company. Donation options on the WinRed website range from $500 to $7,000.

The complaint also highlights an October 29 fundraising event held in honor of Team Tano at Otilia’s, suggesting that the event likely cost more than $5,000 to host and generated more than $5,000 in contributions.

Based on these factors, the complaint requests that the FEC investigate whether Tijerina violated the resign-to-run law and determine the exact date his candidacy began. It also requests that the FEC issue a fine up to the maximum amount allowable by law if a violation is found.

 

 

Source: LMT Online