Texas Democrat Bobby Pulido Accused of Violent Rhetoric Against Trump

South Texas Democratic congressional hopeful Bobby Pulido is under siege from Republicans who accuse him of stoking violence with years of inflammatory rhetoric against President Donald Trump. The uproar escalated dramatically following a tragic shooting at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility last week, where a gunman killed one detainee and wounded two others before taking his own life. Critics, including top GOP figures, have resurfaced a 2015 Halloween photo of Pulido dressed as a blood-drenched Trump, branding it as emblematic of a “sickness” that endangers lives and law enforcement.

The Dallas incident, which unfolded on September 24, has ignited a national debate over the perils of partisan vitriol amid the Trump administration’s aggressive mass deportation campaign. Authorities identified the shooter as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, a Collin County resident with no prior criminal record. Firing from a nearby rooftop, Jahn targeted an unmarked ICE van transporting detainees, leaving behind shell casings inscribed with “Anti-ICE” messages. The FBI has classified the attack as “targeted violence,” with no injuries to agents but profound trauma to the immigrant community. This comes on the heels of a similar, non-fatal shooting at an ICE office in San Antonio last month, signaling a disturbing uptick in threats against federal immigration enforcers.

President Trump wasted no time pinning the blame on Democrats, posting on Truth Social: “The Brave Men and Women of ICE are just trying to do their jobs… but they are facing an unprecedented increase in threats from Radical Left Terrorists. DEMOCRATS: STOP THIS RHETORIC AGAINST ICE!” Vice President JD Vance amplified the message, decrying “disgusting” anti-ICE comments as an “obsessive attack on law enforcement.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem echoed the sentiment, warning that far-left words have “real consequences.”

Enter Bobby Pulido, the Tejano music icon turned political rookie, whose bid for Texas’ 15th Congressional District – a battleground that backed Trump by 18 points in 2024 – was already drawing scrutiny. A U.S. Air Force veteran, former Laredo City Council member, and five-time Latin Grammy nominee known for hits like “Desvelado,” Pulido announced his candidacy just two weeks ago, pitching himself as a moderate voice on border security and veterans’ affairs. But his past social media trail has become a Republican weapon.

The flashpoint: a now-deleted 2015 X post (formerly Twitter) showing Pulido in gory makeup, mimicking a stabbed Trump, captioned in Spanish: “Years ago Donald Trump and Paquita had a son. Here is the exclusive image.” “Paquita,” a nod to a beloved Tejano cultural figure, added a satirical twist, but conservatives see it as glorifying assassination. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) blasted it as “extreme political rhetoric” that’s “utterly disqualifying,” tying it directly to the Dallas bloodshed. “Pulido’s history of spreading hate feeds a sickness that’s costing innocent lives,” NRCC spokesman Reilly Richardson told Fox News.

Pulido’s digital footprint runs deeper. In 2017, he unleashed profane Spanish rants against “racist” police, and earlier posts likened Trump to tyrants while urging his “removal.” Even pre-campaign dirt from January resurfaced, including a 2016 tweet mocking Asian GOP voters: “How convenient that Wikileaks only hacked the Democrat party. Open your Asian eyes. That’s more rigged than anything.” Republicans like Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) – the first Mexican-born woman in Congress – slammed Pulido for endangering ICE agents and detainees alike. “This rhetoric is causing innocent lives to be lost,” Flores said, invoking the Dallas victims.

On X, the backlash is viral. Users from @ElwinSidney to @TexasTweetsonX reposted the Fox article with calls to “stop this now,” racking up thousands of views. One thread tied Pulido’s barbs to “lefty looney tunes” inspiring the shooter, while others demanded his disqualification. Semantic searches reveal a chorus of conservative outrage, with posts labeling the costume “a call to violence” and linking it to broader “Democrat-fueled terror.”

Democrats, however, are pushing back hard. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), who has likened ICE to “slave patrols,” mourned the detainees – all vulnerable immigrants – and redirected ire at Trump’s “anti-immigrant rhetoric” for breeding hate crimes. “This tragedy underscores the human cost of dehumanizing policies,” Crockett said, pivoting to gun control calls. House Democratic leaders condemned all violence but rejected the blame game, with Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) urging de-escalation from both sides: “GOP labels like ‘Marxists’ aren’t helping.” Immigrant advocates, including the Texas Civil Rights Project, faulted the administration’s “monsters” talk for the toxicity cycle.

Pulido, reached via campaign channels, has yet to respond directly to the costume controversy but reiterated his anti-violence stance in a general statement: “No one should glorify harm – period. My focus is uniting South Texas for secure borders and strong communities.” As of Tuesday evening, his X account – @BobbyPulidoTX – remained silent on the furor, though supporters rallied with posts defending his “satirical” past as free speech.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) joined the fray, demanding an end to “divisive rhetoric” from the left. “This isn’t satire; it’s a pattern,” Cruz posted. Liberal outlets like The Guardian and New York Times decried the politicization, noting the victims’ plight and questioning if rushed narratives overlook root causes like easy gun access.

In TX-15, a district blending urban Laredo with rural strongholds, Pulido’s star power – from Tejano festivals to Grammy nods – could sway Latino voters. But this scandal risks alienating moderates in a race against incumbent Rep. Monica De La Cruz. With midterms looming, the NRCC is already airing ads splicing Pulido’s posts with Dallas footage, warning: “Hate like this has consequences.”

As investigations continue, the shooting – and Pulido’s unearthed demons – lay bare America’s fractured immigration soul. Rhetoric once dismissed as edgy now carries the weight of blood. In a nation on edge, the question lingers: Can leaders dial back the venom before the next bullet flies?