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36 ads analyzed · 12 use a rhetorical technique, most often loaded language and glittering generalities.
The words doing the persuading
From the Cuellar side · Paid for by HMP“Millionaire Tano Tijerina supports the law driving up healthcare costs on South Texas families. He’s completely…”Loaded LanguageSee this ad →
From the Tijerina side · Paid for by CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP FUND“Henry Cuellar has his priorities backwards. Putting criminal illegals first and Texans last.
Illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes...Henry Cuellar…”Loaded LanguageSee this ad →
Henry Cuellar (Democrat) and Tano Tijerina (Republican) are the nominees for Texas's 28th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Henry Cuellar is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Henry Cuellar's campaign had raised $3.0 million (through October 14, 2026) and Tano Tijerina's campaign $1.9 million (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $275,000 for Henry Cuellar and $3.1 million against; $160,000 for Tano Tijerina and $6.5 million against. Semblen has analyzed 36 ads in this race; 12 used at least one rhetorical technique, most often loaded language and name calling.
Henry Cuellar (DEM, incumbent), Tano Tijerina (REP).
2 others filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 36 ads analyzed, 12 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-10-27. 1 ad from other advertisers shown separately below.
Voting in Austin? 10 local ballot measures →The ballot wording read for rhetorical techniques, and who is paying for and against each.
How to vote in Texas
From Texas's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.
Registration
Register by Mon, Oct 5 (30th day before Election Day, moved to the next business day. Mailed applications must be postmarked by the deadline. New registrations are on paper; online is only for updating an existing record.) (passed)Source: votetexas.gov ↗
Mail voting needs a reason the state accepts (Only these voters qualify: away from the county, sick or disabled, expecting to give birth within 3 weeks of Election Day, 65 or older, or confined in jail or involuntary civil commitment); request a ballot by Fri, Oct 23 (Must be received by this date; a postmark does not count); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Received by 7 pm on Election Day, or postmarked by 7 pm on Election Day and received by 5 pm on Nov 4) (passed)Source: sos.state.tx.us ↗Source: votetexas.gov ↗
One of 7 acceptable photo IDs. A voter who cannot reasonably get one may sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and show supporting ID instead.Source: votetexas.gov ↗
Checked October 6, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us
A person reads every report and fixes errors the same day.
Got a political text?
Paste a campaign text message you’ve received. Semblen marks the persuasion techniques in its wording and lists the factual claims it makes. Take your name out first: what you paste is analyzed and kept like any text.
Findings
As of 2026-10-27. Counts are of distinct ads; the same text run many times is one ad.
Ads analyzed
36 · started running between 2026-09-03 and 2026-10-26
$51,900–75,265 on all ads, $38,500–50,269 on flagged ads · Meta reports ranges; these are the sums of their ends
Example
“criminal illegals” — Loaded Language, paid for by CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP FUND
· the flagged ad with the highest reported spend that shows the most common technique
A small box with these findings and the newest ads, updated as new ads are analyzed. Free for newsrooms, blogs and campaigns alike; it links back here.
Follow Henry Cuellar in office
Henry Cuellar won. Get what Henry Cuellar says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.
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Each side is the campaign plus the groups backing it. How a group is placed is explained below the table.
Side
Ads
With at least one technique
Most common
Cuellar (D)
30
7 of 30 (23%)
Glittering Generalities (4), Loaded Language (3), Name Calling (3)
Cuellar's campaign
24
4 of 24 (17%)
Glittering Generalities (3), Appeal to Fear (1), Flag-Waving (1)
2 groups backing Cuellar
6
3 of 6
Loaded Language (2), Name Calling (2), Glittering Generalities (1)
Tijerina (R)
6
5 of 6
Loaded Language (5), Appeal to Prejudice (3), Appeal to Fear (1)
All from 2 groups backing Tijerina; none from the campaign itself.
Read this before comparing the sides. Ads that attack an opponent use these techniques far more often than ads that introduce a candidate, whoever runs them, so the side running more attack ads shows a higher share. A technique is about wording, not about whether an ad is true. These are online ads only (Meta and YouTube), not television.
How a group is placed: by its own filings with the Federal Election Commission. A group is with a candidate when it reported spending to support that candidate, or to oppose the other one in the general election. The parties' own committees are with their nominee. Spending against a candidate in a primary places a group nowhere, and neither does our reading of its ads: a group with no such filing is listed as not placed. The sponsor table gives the reason for each.
Decide what counts
Not everyone would call every technique a problem. Untick the ones you'd call ordinary persuasion and the count updates.
33% of the 36 ads here use at least one of the techniques ticked below (12 ads).
Leaving out the softer ones (loaded language, glittering generalities, slogans, exaggeration, repetition): 22% of ads.
The words doing the work
The words that show up most in phrases our model flagged as loaded language or name calling in this race's ads, by number of ads.
illegalin 3 ads· e.g. “criminal illegals”, “illegals”
putsin 3 ads· e.g. “Selling us out puts money in their pockets”, “Puts himself first”
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Money in this race
From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.
Henry Cuellar (DEM, incumbent)
Raised
$3.0M through 2026-10-14individuals $1.7M · PACs $922K · party $5,761 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $318K · from the candidate's other committees $112K · cash on hand $657K
CLF— $2.9M opposing Cuellar
· 4 ads on this pageLargest donors:
AMERICAN ACTION NETWORK $64.3M (25%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Elon Musk $30.0M (12%), Space Exploration Technologies Corp., CEO; Timothy Mellon $21.0M (8%), Self-Employed, Investments; Miriam Adelson $10.0M (4%), Adelson Drug Clinic, Physician; Paul E Singer $8.0M (3%), EMC, PresidentHMP— $174K supporting Cuellar
· 5 ads on this pageLargest donors:
HOUSE MAJORITY FORWARD $93.7M (39%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Reid G Hoffman $8.5M (4%), Greylock Partners, Partner; ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FUND $5.0M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Fred Eychaner $5.0M (2%), Retired; UNITED ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ISSUES FUND $4.8M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)NO GOING BACK PAC INC.— $105K opposing CuellarAMERICA PAC— $93K opposing Cuellar
· 2 ads on this pageLargest donors:
Elon Musk $50.3M (100%), Space Exploration Technologies Corp., CEONATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE— $50K supporting CuellarLargest donors:
CREPAC FEDERAL $2.5M (26%) (its largest donors: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1.3M); TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS FEDERAL PAC $1.4M (15%)and 8 more
TRUCKING PAC OF THE AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS INC. $2,500
UA UNION PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS VOTE! PAC (UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICES OF THE PLUMBING & PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES & CANADA) $5,000
US ONCOLOGY INC. NETWORK PAC $1,000
USA RICE FEDERATION PAC $2,500
VALLEY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
VPP $1,000
VULCAN MATERIALS COMPANY PAC $2,500
WALMART INC PAC FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT $4,000
WATERPAC - NATIONAL RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION POLITICAL COMMITTEE $2,500
HMP— $5.4M opposing Tijerina
· 5 ads on this pageLargest donors:
HOUSE MAJORITY FORWARD $93.7M (39%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Reid G Hoffman $8.5M (4%), Greylock Partners, Partner; ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FUND $5.0M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Fred Eychaner $5.0M (2%), Retired; UNITED ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ISSUES FUND $4.8M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)BOLD AMERICA— $605K opposing TijerinaLargest donors:
PROXIMO ACTION $2.9M (31%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); UNITED DEMOCRACY PROJECT ('UDP') $2.8M (30%); DEMOCRATS 2026 $1.2M (12%) (its largest donors: KOLBECK, PETER $290K); OPPORTUNITY FORWARD ALLIANCE $775K (8%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); CHC BOLD PAC $600K (6%)CHC BOLD PAC— $502K opposing TijerinaLargest donors:
ELECT DIVERSE DEMOCRATS 2026 $1.0M (14%); BLUE VICTORY FUND PAC $800K (11%); BLUE VICTORY FUND 2026 $400K (5%); BOLD DEMOCRATS $300K (4%); ELECT DIVERSE DEMOCRATS PAC $200K (3%)NO GOING BACK PAC INC.— $101K supporting TijerinaAMERICA PAC— $56K supporting Tijerina
· 2 ads on this pageLargest donors:
Elon Musk $50.3M (100%), Space Exploration Technologies Corp., CEOand 3 more
Bundled through PACs
none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01
74 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-2610 variantsspend $0–9904,200–7,690 impressions
The choice is clear. Congressman Henry Cuellar has delivered for South Texas — from CHIP and new health clinics to border security funding and protecting families from data center utility costs. Vote Henry Cuellar on Tuesday, Nov. 3!
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-26spend $0–998,000–8,999 impressions
President Bill Clinton endorses Henry Cuellar for Congress!
“Henry understands public service is about putting people first, and if we are going to fix this country, we need leaders like him in Congress.”
I’m honored to have President Clinton’s support as I continue fighting for South Texas families.
Make sure to vote on or before November 3rd! Every vote counts!
Henry Cuellar won. Get what Henry Cuellar says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.
Confirming also makes your free Semblen account, with a 14-day Pro trial. No card.
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-17spend $0–99100–999 impressions
Atascosa County, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19! 🗳️ Vote early for Congressman Henry Cuellar at any of 4 sites: the County Annex II Building in Jourdanton, Poteet EMS Building, JP Pct. 2 Building in Lytle, or JP Pct. 4 Building in Pleasanton. Hours are extended to 7am–7pm Oct. 26–30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Experience Matters.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-17spend $0–990–99 impressions
Live Oak County, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19! 🗳️ Vote early for Congressman Henry Cuellar at the Live Oak County Elections Office, 301 Houston St., George West. Open 8am–5pm Oct. 19–23, then 7am–7pm Oct. 26–30 (until 8pm on Thursday, Oct. 29). Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Experience Matters.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-17spend $0–990–99 impressions
Starr County, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19! 🗳️ Vote early for Congressman Henry Cuellar in Roma, Rio Grande City or La Rosita, weekdays 8am–5pm. The Starr County Courthouse also has weekend voting and is open until 7pm Oct. 26–30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Experience Matters.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-17spend $0–990–99 impressions
La Salle County, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19! 🗳️ Vote early for Congressman Henry Cuellar at the La Salle County Elections Office, 117 N Front St., Cotulla. Open 8am–5pm Oct. 19–23, then 7am–7pm Oct. 26–30 (until 8pm on Thursday, Oct. 29). Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Experience Matters.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-17spend $0–99100–999 impressions
Maverick County, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19! 🗳️ Vote early for Congressman Henry Cuellar at the Multi-Purpose Center, 480 S Adams St., Eagle Pass. Open 8am–5pm Oct. 19–23, then 7am–7pm Oct. 26–30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Experience Matters.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by TEXANS FOR HENRY CUELLAR CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNfrom 2026-10-17spend $0–990–99 impressions
Zapata County, early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19! 🗳️ Vote early for Congressman Henry Cuellar at the Zapata County Courthouse, 200 E. 7th Ave., Building B. Open 8am–5pm Oct. 19–23, then 8am–8pm Oct. 26–30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Experience Matters.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid posts that ran in TX and name a candidate, from advertisers that aren't part of this race: news-style pages, campaigns for other offices, and others. They're shown here for completeness and not counted with the ads above. We show the same technique analysis; their claims are not checked.
Longhorn Ledger: news-style page
Paid for by Longhorn Ledgerfrom 2026-09-292 variantsspend $0–198200–1,998 impressions
A major South Texas congressional race is putting two very different political paths head-to-head.
Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar has represented Texas’ 28th Congressional District since 2005 and has described himself as a conservative Democrat.
Now, he is facing Republican Tano Tijerina, who spent most of his political career as a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party in 2024.
Tijerina, who has served as Webb County judge since 2015, is campaigning on border security, lower taxes, economic growth and protecting South Texas land. Cuellar is highlighting his record in Congress, including his work securing federal funding for the district and his positions on border policy.
The race stretches from parts of San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border and comes as South Texas continues to draw national political attention.
What do you think will be the biggest issue for voters in Texas’ 28th Congressional District?
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in TX; or it ran mostly in TX and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.