Republican House candidate accused of abusing stepdaughter in Texas

A Republican House candidate in Texas has been accused by her ex-husband of abusing his daughter.

Monica De La Cruz, who is running for the 15th Congressional District, is seen as a top choice for the seat among GOP leadership, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), The Washington Post reported. 

Johnny Hernandez, De La Cruz’s husband, accused her in court filings for the couple’s divorce of abusing his 14-year-old daughter.

The couple have no biological children together, with Hernandez’s daughter being from a previous relationship.

Hernandez says De La Cruz would verbally abuse his daughter and pinch her to get her to stop crying. 

He claimed in court documents that De La Cruz told him not to bring his child back to their home or she would divorce him. 

“Unfortunately, it got to that point where I had to make a decision for the best sake of my daughter,” Hernandez said in an interview with the Post on Tuesday. “She didn’t want to go to parenting classes, and she didn’t want to make things better for my daughter.”

De La Cruz, who announced the couple’s divorce last week, denies the allegations against her.

“These accusations are false and I’m heartbroken that as we work through some mental health issues that involve a minor this deeply personal matter is now being exposed in the national press. My number one concern will always be the wellbeing of all of my children, and I would appreciate your prayers and continue to ask for privacy for our family,” she said in a statement to The Hill.

Hernandez has also asked De La Cruz to stop mentioning his daughter in her campaign, saying she is using his daughter’s health issues to garner support. 

“I believe that she is putting her campaign in front of our family,” he said. “She is using my daughter for sympathy votes. My daughter is going through mental health issues, and she should not be using that on her campaign page. She needs to take that down.”

— Updated at 4:04 p.m.