Texas Democrat Bobby Pulido Faces Dual Controversies in Congressional Race
Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy Award-winning Tejano musician running as a Democrat for Congress in Texas, is confronting significant political headwinds over his unconventional campaign strategy and troubling personal associations. The candidate, best known for hits like Desvelado, is attempting to flip Texas's 15th congressional district, which stretches from east of San Antonio to the Mexican border, from Republican control.
Quinceañera Campaign Strategy Draws Mixed Reactions
Pulido's campaign took an unusual turn when his Republican opponent, incumbent Representative Monica De La Cruz, criticized his musical background in a March video statement. 'This election isn’t about who you want performing at your niece’s quinceañera. It’s about who you trust with your family’s future,' De La Cruz declared, referencing the traditional Hispanic celebration of a girl's 15th birthday.
Rather than retreating from the criticism, Pulido embraced it with a strategic response. In his own video, he countered: 'In South Texas, a quinceañera isn’t just a pachanga. It’s a rite of passage that brings family and neighbors together. And honestly that’s exactly what this campaign is about.'
The musician then launched a highly visible campaign initiative, making regular appearances at quinceañeras across the district. At these events, he performed his songs, distributed and signed campaign merchandise, and took photographs with families. The strategy proved remarkably successful, with Pulido's campaign receiving over 2,700 requests through a dedicated Google form for quinceañera appearances.
Association with Convicted Sex Offender Emerges as Major Liability
While Pulido successfully turned his opponent's criticism to his advantage regarding the quinceañera appearances, he now faces more serious allegations regarding his professional associations. According to reports first published by The New York Post, Pulido maintained a long-term professional relationship with Frankie Caballero, a registered sex offender who served as the accordionist on Pulido's breakthrough hit Desvelado.
Caballero was sentenced to four years in prison in 2014 for indecent contact with an eight-year-old girl. Despite this conviction, he continued to perform with Pulido at concerts in at least six cities between 2018 and 2021, after his release from prison and subsequent placement on Texas's Public Sex Offender Website.
Pulido's campaign manager, Abel Prado, issued a statement claiming the candidate had no knowledge of Caballero's criminal history. 'Bobby was never made aware of Caballero’s sex offender registration and would never knowingly associate with anyone with that kind of history,' Prado told The New York Post. 'Bobby extends his deepest sympathies and support to all of the victims involved.'
Contradictory Evidence and Additional Criminal History
Multiple sources have contradicted the campaign's claims of ignorance regarding Caballero's background. Ramon Rodriguez, a bass player who performed with Caballero in 2020, told reporters the conviction was 'a known fact in music circles,' adding that the Tejano music industry is 'very tight-knit' and that 'you get to a certain point in music where they vet everybody around you.'
A former prosecutor in Hidalgo County was even more direct, stating there is 'simply no version of this story where Bobby Pulido did not know the man he employed and befriended for decades is a career child predator.'
Caballero's criminal record extends beyond the sex offense conviction and includes thirteen additional charges:
- Cocaine possession charges dismissed in 2009
- Transportation of an unlawful alien from Mexico into the United States
- Domestic violence charges from 2020 involving strangulation of a family member
Despite this extensive criminal history, Pulido continued to praise Caballero publicly. In a November 2025 interview with the Houston Chronicle, after announcing his congressional bid, Pulido recounted how Caballero had saved the recording of Desvelado when another musician failed to appear, stating: 'And I said, "F**k Brando, we’re keeping the accordion."'
Campaign Response and Ongoing Fallout
Prado, Pulido's campaign manager, offered additional context regarding the relationship with Caballero. 'Frankie Caballero has long struggled with addiction issues and Bobby Pulido has acknowledged and attempted to help him with that battle,' he explained. 'When Jimmy Montez management learned of Caballero’s criminal history in 2021 he was immediately fired and that relationship was severed.'
The campaign emphasized that a different accordionist, Homero Esquivel, has spent the most time in Pulido's band. However, the timing of Caballero's dismissal raises questions, given that Pulido continued to perform with him for years after his 2014 conviction and prison release.
As the congressional race intensifies, Pulido faces the dual challenge of defending his innovative campaign strategy while addressing serious questions about his judgment regarding professional associations. The controversy threatens to overshadow his efforts to connect with voters through cultural traditions, creating a complex political landscape in Texas's 15th district.
