A controversial Democratic hopeful with a questionable history of anti-Semitic remarks is hoping to secure her party’s confidence Tuesday in a nail-biting race.
Maureen Galindo, 38, a Democratic candidate running for Congress in Texas will learn her fate after polls close in the Lone Star state Tuesday evening.
Though most eyes will be on the precarious Senate Republican primary runoff between Senator John Cornyn and Ken Paxton after a surprise Trump endorsement, the Democratic primary could cause a stir.
Galindo – a progressive former sex therapist – stirred national intrigue after suggesting an immigration detention center be transformed into ‘a prison for American Zionists’ – a claim that was widely criticized as anti-Semitic.
Her campaign pushed back, saying that Galindo ‘never said’ that she ‘wants anyone in internment camps.’
But in an Instagram post by her campaign account, Galindo said she would ‘turn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking. (It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles which will probably be most of the Zionists).’
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said such ‘vile’ speech has ‘no place in Democratic politics.’
Johnny Garcia, a more establishment Democrat and former employee of the local sheriff’s office, is facing Galindo in the runoff to represent the district that includes parts of Austin and San Antonio.
Maureen Galindo, 38, a sex therapist, has surged in the Democratic primary for Texas’s 35th congressional district
Galindo secured more votes in the March 3 primary than her incumbent-backed opponent Johnny Garcia. Tuesday’s election will determine who faces off for the congressional seat in November’s midterms
Galindo prompted outrage after posting this on her Instagram account
She narrowly beat Garcia 29.2 percent to 27.1 percent in the March 3 Democratic primary. Tuesday’s election will settle a runoff, which occurs in Texas primaries where no candidate receives a majority of the vote.
Garcia is the institutional candidate backed by two current members who have represented the area, outgoing Congressman Lloyd Doggett and Congressman Greg Casar.
According to prediction market Kalshi, Garcia has a 90 percent chance of winning the runoff as of Tuesday afternoon.
The winner of tonight’s Democratic primary will go head-to-head with the winner of the Republican primary runoff, either State Representative John Lujan or Air Force veteran Carlos De La Cruz – who was endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Carlos is also the brother of Texas Republican Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz.
In the March Republican primary, Lujan received 33 percent of the vote while De La Cruz secured 26.81 percent.
Cornyn, a Texas Senator for over two decades, is facing off with Texas Attorney General Paxton on Tuesday evening after Trump refused to back the incumbent last week.
Last week, Trump announced his long-awaited endorsement in the race, surprising some by opting to support Paxton instead of Cornyn.
Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez backed Galindo’s opponent after her post
Johnny Garcia has been backed by multiple members of Congress
Galindo previously ran an astrology-themed sex therapy business called Cosmic Kinks Tarot. It offered ‘kinky birthchart readings and live tarot therapy’ aiming to ’empower individuals through the exploration of their sexuality, spirituality, and the stars.’
On her current business website, Exulted Sex Therapy, Galindo notes that she is a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate.
Galindo received a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate license in 2024, according to records.
Texas has three licenses that permit the practice of psychology, but neither of those is the Marriage and Family Therapist license that she holds. The licensed psychologist requirements in Texas include a doctoral degree.
On January 19, 2022, Galindo filed an ‘assumed name’ registration with Bexar County, Texas, for an unincorporated business for the name Cosmic Kinks.
During her campaign, however, she has not emphasized her prior business ventures, seemingly in an attempt to throw off voters about her past.
Three months after filing her business registration on April 13, 2022, the domain for the now-defunct website www.cosmickinkstarot.com was first registered.
When previously asked about her business by the Daily Mail, Galindo said she ran the Cosmic Kinks business prior to obtaining her therapist license. ‘I supported people in developing healthy and safe sexuality using tarot, astrology, and sex education. It did not involve therapy,’ she told the Daily Mail.
Tagged posts suggest Galindo also created a since-deleted Instagram handle for the business @cosmic.kinks.
Cosmic Kinks Tarot was additionally listed in the Wedding Expert directory of San Antonio Bachelorette Party vendors, including an entry for ‘Cosmic Kinks Tarot,’ listing the associated phone number as Galindo’s personal cell.
