Editing Ciro Rodriguez (section)

===2004===
{{See also|2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas}}
The [[2003 Texas redistricting]] shifted most of heavily Democratic [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], previously one of the bases of the [[Texas's 23rd congressional district|23rd District]], into the already heavily Democratic 28th. Laredo is the base of former Texas Secretary of State [[Henry Cuellar]], a somewhat more conservative Democrat than Rodriguez. A year earlier, Cuellar had given the 23rd's five-term [[Republican Party of the United States|Republican]] incumbent, [[Henry Bonilla]], his closest race ever.

By moving most of Laredo to the 28th, the Republican-controlled legislature hoped to protect Bonilla by packing the 28th with as many Democrats as possible. In March 2004, Rodriguez lost the [[Partisan primary|primary election]], the real contest in this district, to Cuellar by 58 votes. Rodriguez sued to overturn Cuellar's victory, but the [[Texas Courts of Appeals|Texas 4th Court of Appeals]] ruled against him.