Maureen Galindo

Maureen Galindo is an American [...] therapist, housing activist, and politician who ran as a Democratic Party candidate for the US House of Representatives in Texas's 35th congressional district in 2026. After advancing to a primary runoff, her campaign drew national scrutiny and bipartisan condemnation following her invocation of antisemitic conspiracy theories. She also stated that she wanted to use a local detention center to imprison "American Zionists" and ICE officers, and that American Zionists should be castrated. Her campaign was heavily funded by Lead Left PAC, a group tied to the Republican Party. She lost The Primary election to her opponent Johnny Garcia, receiving 36.2% of the vote.

Biography

Galindo grew up in Philadelphia. She later lived in Texas while following a military husband and pursuing an undergraduate degree. She finished the coursework for a master's program in Portland, Oregon that focused on improving the health of underserved communities, and her background includes training in community psychology. In 2017, Galindo moved to the Soapworks and Towne Center Apartments in San Antonio without a stable income stream. After a new owner took over the Soapworks complex and raised her rent, Galindo relocated to a vacancy at the Refugio Place development because she was on a waitlist for a more affordable mixed-income unit. Galindo wrote her master's thesis on gentrification. As of 2026, she works full-time as a nonprofit therapist and served as an organizer for a tenant union.

Galindo ran in the 2025 San Antonio City Council election, garnering less than 3 percent of the vote. In the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, she ran in the Democratic primary for Texas's 35th congressional district. She spent roughly $11,000 on her campaign but finished first in the March primary with 29.2 percent of the vote, advancing to a May runoff against Johnny Garcia. During the runoff, the Lead Left PAC, a group linked to Republicans, spent money supporting her.

Her campaign received national attention for her rhetoric regarding "billionaire Zionists." She stated she would write legislation defining Zionism as a form of antisemitism and convert an immigrant detention center into a prison for American Zionists and ICE officers. She also said that American Zionists should be forcibly castrated. During her campaign, she promoted a conspiracy theory that billionaire Jews exert control over Hollywood, the media, and politicians.

In the last week of the race, the Democratic Party began running ads opposing Galindo's candidacy. The ads called her "MAGA Maureen" in reference to her ties to Republican funding. Galindo lost the District 35 primary election, being defeated by her opponent Johnny Garcia. She received 7,291 votes, accounting for 36.2% of the vote.