A Democratic congressional candidate in Texas faces mounting scrutiny after revelations surfaced that he performed with a convicted child sex offender for years following the musician’s prison release, raising serious questions about judgment and vetting in a critical South Texas race.
Convicted Sex Offender Performed in Multiple Cities
Frankie Caballero, an accordionist who performed on Pulido’s 1995 debut album Desvelado, was convicted in May 2014 of second-degree felony indecent contact with an 8-year-old girl. After serving four years in prison, Caballero rejoined Pulido’s touring band and performed in cities including Kansas City, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, and Tucson between 2018 and 2021. YouTube videos document these performances, creating a public record that undermines any claims of obscurity. The Texas sex offender registry confirms Caballero’s conviction and ongoing registration status. This pattern of post-conviction performances raises fundamental questions about responsibility and due diligence that voters deserve answered.
Campaign Claims Unawareness Despite Decades-Long Collaboration
Abel Prado, Pulido’s campaign manager, issued statements claiming the candidate was unaware of Caballero’s criminal history throughout their collaboration. According to Prado, Pulido’s management company, Jimmy Montez Management, handled musician hiring without conducting background checks, which the campaign describes as standard practice in the Tejano music industry. The campaign maintains that management immediately terminated Caballero in 2021 upon discovering his sex offender status. However, Rep. De La Cruz claims Pulido was “caught on tape admitting he knew” about Caballero’s history and praised him as recently as November, though specific evidence of this tape has not been publicly verified. This contradiction demands clarification before voters cast ballots.
Republican Incumbent Highlights Pattern of Poor Judgment
Rep. Monica De La Cruz, who has held Texas’ 15th Congressional District since 2022, issued a forceful statement condemning Pulido’s association with Caballero. “My heart goes out to the children,” De La Cruz stated, adding “These are not South Texas values.” The Republican incumbent connects this controversy to a broader pattern of questionable behavior, including Pulido’s past social media posts linking pornographic and explicit websites, a video showing him urinating on President Trump’s Walk of Fame star, and a music video in which he portrayed a pervert. These incidents, resurfaced after Pulido’s September 2025 candidacy announcement, paint a troubling picture for a candidate seeking to represent family-oriented South Texas communities in Congress.
South Texas District Remains Republican Stronghold
Texas’ 15th Congressional District, stretching from McAllen to east of San Antonio with a majority-Hispanic population, remains solidly Republican territory. President Trump carried the district by 18 points in 2024, reflecting the region’s conservative values and rejection of far-left policies. Pulido positions himself as a celebrity outsider energized by national Democratic enthusiasm, leveraging his 30-year music career and two Latin Grammy awards to build name recognition. However, his claim of a scandal-free three-decade career now rings hollow given these revelations. The Tejano star’s attempt to flip this seat appears increasingly desperate as voters weigh his entertainment credentials against serious questions about judgment, transparency, and alignment with the community’s traditional principles.
Industry Standards Cannot Excuse Negligence
While Pulido’s campaign cites the Tejano music industry’s lack of routine background checks for musicians, this explanation fails to address fundamental accountability concerns. The campaign also notes Caballero’s addiction issues as context, though this offers no justification for employing a convicted child sex offender in a public-facing role for three years. For South Texas voters who prioritize protecting children and upholding moral standards, the absence of vetting procedures reflects poorly on Pulido’s leadership and organizational competence. If he cannot ensure basic safeguards in his business operations, how can he be trusted to exercise proper oversight in Congress? This question resonates particularly strongly in a district where traditional family values remain paramount and constituents expect representatives who demonstrate sound judgment consistently.