Congresswoman opens Seguin office in Justice Center

Dalondo Moultrie The Seguin Gazette

When it comes to being heard in the halls of Congress, Seguin’s national representative wants her constituents to know she’s in their corner.

That’s partially why it was important for her to open her first district office in Guadalupe County, Texas District 15 Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R) said Thursday after unveiling her knew office at the Guadalupe County Justice Center. Accessibility for all of the residents of Texas-15 is what drove the congresswoman to open the office in Seguin, she said.

“This is a big district that stretches across nearly 300 miles in South Texas. It would take someone in Seguin nearly five hours to reach McAllen,” De La Cruz said. “Guadalupe County is also very near and dear to my heart. I want our local residents to know that I am fighting for them every single day and that they can count on effective constituent services.”

Her local office is in a former law library on the justice center’s first floor. Two staff members currently — Field Director Rita Jordan and Brandon Kuehner, De La Cruz’s constituent liaison — call the office home.

Jordan said she is the face for De La Cruz in a four-county segment of the district — comprised of Guadalupe, Karnes, Live Oak and Wilson counties.

“We’re here to work with constituents who have issues,” Jordan said. “I’ll be attending commissioners courts, city council meetings. It could be Rotary, a chamber of commerce… . Just to get a feel for what their needs are so we can take that back to Monica.”

Seguin and the Guadalupe County area make up part of one of the fastest growing regions in the country, De La Cruz said Wednesday during a ceremony celebrating her opening the office. Seguin also serves as a cornerstone to her district and one of the main anchors to the north of the district, she said.

Constituents, elected officials, area dignitaries and supporters attended the celebration. De La Cruz spoke to them and said she and her team are here for all who need them.

Schertz Mayor Ralph Gutierrez said he felt De La Cruz’s commitment and thinks it is beneficial for Schertz and the surrounding areas.

“Her presence is very inspiring knowing we have representation,” Gutierrez said. “It’s inspiring because we’re forgotten sometimes. Having someone who knows the struggles, obstacles and challenges we have can help us get the funding to overcome some of those.”

De La Cruz said it is her honor to serve the district and the area. She plans to work in the United States Congress to focus on issues affecting people of her district, she said.

Residents and others from the area should not hesitate to use her office and team to attain local goals, De Le Cruz said.

That’s one reason she opened the office here, she said.

“The advantage of having an office in Seguin is that now, Guadalupe County residents in Texas-15 can meet directly with my office to address federal issues — from replacing lost Social Security checks and discussing (Department of Veterans Affairs) benefits to applying to one of our service academies,” De La Cruz said. “You shouldn’t have to drive five hours to meet with a caseworker. I want all our residents to receive the attention and care they deserve.”

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