With the primary run-off election just days away, a Political Action Committee supporting RINO congressional candidate John Lujan has come under fire for distributing a mailer mocking Trump-endorsed competitor Carlos De La Cruz for his status as a disabled veteran. Both candidates are vying for the open seat in Texas’ 35th District.
Protect and Serve, the PAC that disturbed the mailers, described De La Cruz as the “100% disabled kickboxer” who uses “a 100% disability to avoid paying any property taxes” while launching criticism at the candidate for owning a martial arts gym and volunteering as a carpenter.
Federal Elections Commission filings show that both Protect and Serve and the Lujan campaign have paid significant sums to Pelican Campaigns, a one-person consultancy based in Austin, Texas. The Lujan campaign paid out a total of $25,171.92 to the firm this cycle, with Protect and Serve dropping an additional $7,500.
Texas law allows for veterans with 100 percent disability status an exemption to their property taxes as a means of honoring the service of members of U.S. Armed Forces. Disability ratings are determined by individuals in the Department of Veteran Affairs using a range of factors, and do not necessarily require a visible disability to receive benefits.
Despite partnering with a PAC that has maligned a disabled veteran, Lujan has still attempted to portray himself as an ally to the constituency.
Thank you to our veterans for your sacrifices, dedication, and unwavering commitment to protecting our freedom. We are forever grateful for your service. Happy Veterans Day! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/IQKjxZqbbl
— John Lujan (@LujanForTX) November 11, 2025
The work facilitated by Pelican Campaigns isn’t the first consultancy-led controversy that had embroiled the Lujan campaign. As Townhall has previously reported, Lujan has kept a consultant who has worked with some of Texas’ most notorious progressives on his payroll. The decision has caused so much uproar that his campaign appeared to conceal those payments as the election has drawn nearer.
The run-off match up between Lujan and De La Cruz will take place on Tuesday, May 26.