Mexican-born Candidate Pioneers Campaign-as-Career Business Model

New FEC rule to promote DEI is already getting weird.

A recent rule passed by the non-elected Federal Election Commission in the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion has taken effect, and one Texas congressional candidate is already close to maxing out the new “candidate salary.”

This new dawn in US politics aligns nicely with the rise of TikTok politicians who can make a comfortable living without winning elections. Proponents said the new rule would help “women, people of color, LGBTQ+, and/or working class.”

Previous campaign finance rules only allowed candidates to draw a salary after they won the primary. The new rule change allows for candidates to start paying themselves a candidate salary using campaign donations as soon as they file. You no longer have to actually win an election to make yourself into a career politician. Former Congresswoman Mayra Flores from Texas is already making the most of this—even turning her campaign into a family business!

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2025 Mayra Flores Campaign

First reported by Mark McCaig of The Texas Voice, Mayra Flores, a Texas candidate for congress and formerly the first Mexican-born woman in Congress (something she points out often), has so far paid herself $20,000 in campaign funds as a salary for her current (see fourth) run for office. Salary payments for Flores reached as much as $7,000 a month.

Fiance reports this cycle also show Flores paying members of her family including her mother (Rosalva Flores) and her son (John Michael Vallejo). All in total, she’s paid both herself and her family approximately $24,500 from April to June of this year.

Flores, who was born in Mexico, is running for Texas’ 34th Congressional district.

It would seem that political donors and consultants love promoting and backing Flores as she makes for a good token Hispanic Republican. She is also a real woman, serving up a double-dose of DEI.

However, Flores has a history of heavily under-performing in her political races. For example, despite this being her fourth run for office, over half of voters are still undecided about voting for her and 30% have never even heard of Flores:

But this of course is no bother as she is using donations for her run for office to pay herself and family members a healthy salary. It appears that the maximum candidate salary allowed under the new rule is about $7,250 per month.

You may be shocked to see how much Flores and her family made during her last failed run for office: