A GOP Texas House candidate is not a fan of free advertising for his campaign featuring him and President Trump on a huge billboard off a highway.
Eric Flores, who is running against Democratic Representative Vicente Gonzalez in Texas‘ 34th Congressional District, has sent a cease-and-desist letter to billboard company Lamar Advertising over the display in the district.
It features Flores alongside Trump, highlighting the president’s endorsement of the Republican candidate and his support for ICE.
The billboard reportedly identifies Gonzalez’s campaign and Northern Cameron County Democrats as its sponsors.
Flores’s campaign argues that the design closely resembles his own campaign branding and could mislead voters into believing the advertisement was authorized by his team.
His lawyer, Eric Wang, sent the cease-and-desist letter on October 12, demanding that Lamar Advertising remove the display.
But the billboard was still standing as of October 16.
Gonzalez, who has represented the district since 2017, is seeking another term against Flores, a Republican former federal prosecutor.
The billboard meant to mimic Texas House candidate Eric Flores’ campaign, features Flores alongside Trump, highlighting the president’s endorsement of the Republican candidate and his support for ICE
Flores has toned down his references to Trump on his campaign website since securing the Republican nomination, removing a pledge to ‘SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S AGENDA’ that once ranked as the second priority on his campaign homepage
Flores’s campaign has denied that its objection to the billboard is an effort to conceal that relationship, arguing instead that the problem is the advertisement’s resemblance to its official materials
The billboard controversy also follows changes to Flores’s campaign messaging.
Earlier campaign signs prominently featured Trump’s endorsement, while newer materials have placed greater emphasis on Flores’s professional background and biography, according to reporting by The Texas Observer.
Flores even toned down his references to Trump on his campaign website since securing the Republican nomination, removing a pledge to ‘support President Trump’s agenda’ that once ranked as the second priority on his campaign homepage.
He replaced it with a promise to ‘lower the cost of living,’ while moving Trump’s endorsement to a separate page on his website.
Democrats have pointed to the shift as evidence that Flores is playing down his association with Trump as the midterms approach.
Flores’s campaign has denied that its objection to the billboard is an effort to conceal that relationship, arguing instead that the problem is the advertisement’s resemblance to its official materials, according to the Washington Sun.
On Point Politics estimated on October 15 that Gonzalez is leading Flores by 3 points.
