Dathan Trevino 
EDINBURG – Earlier today, a former republican congresswoman visited UTRGV to debate students on topics such as border security, immigration and government assistance.
Dozens of students gathered around former U.S. District 34 Representative Mayra Flores outside the Robert and Janet Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship as she debated students on the Edinburg campus.
Coordinated by the RGV College Republicans, the event mirrored former Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk’s “Prove Me Wrong” debates, in which he would go back and forth with university students on a variety of political topics.
Alexis Uscanga, the event coordinator and RGV College Republican’s president, said the goal was to bring advocacy on “all sides of the aisle.”
“Even though Turning Point is more conservative, we want people to have their voice heard, and I believe that’s exactly what we did here,” Uscanga said.
Biology junior Kai, who debated Flores, said they do not think it should be a contest of “whoever’s the loudest wins.”
“She talks about not wanting divide, but it’s very dividing,” Kai said. “To insult the people who come up to you, interrupt them, not let them talk. And I would really love to have a productive conversation with her, but she wanted a news story. I don’t want a news story.”
Marketing freshman Noah Cortez watched the debate and criticized some members of the crowd for their comments.
“I love hearing both sides,” Cortez said. “It’s just, you know, a lot of people who are against the republicans, you know right now, you know, they’re kind of shouting all these things. You’re not proving your point the way you want it to.”
Members of the crowd shouted comments such as “Your president is a f*cking rapist,” “But they burned the capitol, they burned the f*cking capitol on Jan. 6” and “You voted against that,” toward Flores as she debated.
*Audio may contain foul language
Flores is running for U.S. District 34 Representative for this year’s election. Early voting ends Friday and Election Day is Nov. 4.
This should have been marketed more broadly. I wish I was in attendance to refute every single counterpoint & unsubstantiated conspiracy theories these republicans spew. To be a simultaneous minority & Republican in modern times is beyond pitiful. Next time, Alexis Uscanga, put the word more out there and bring her, or anyone else brainlessly following a blatant demagogue, to the Brownsville campus.
They should of stopped her family at the border!