Before running for U.S. representative, Bobby Pulido had already toured the communities in his Texas border district. He spent 31 years as a tejano and regional Mexican singer, performing solo and with his father, the legendary musician Roberto Pulido. In South Texas everyone knows the performer: they grew up with his hit Desvelado, they danced and fell in love to Se murió de amor. But for the past year Pulido has shown a new side—one some support without hesitation and others are still weighing as an option on the midterm ballot: that of politician.

Pulido, who studied political science for a few years at a university in San Antonio, also tends to distance himself from political parties. Although he is the Democratic candidate for the competitive 15th district, which stretches from rural counties east of San Antonio down to the Rio Grande Valley, he says he is not running to turn a traditionally Republican red state blue: “I’m not talking about colors, but about things that matter to people.” He says that as a candidate he has visited communities in northern counties of the district where people told him they had not seen a Democrat in 10 years.