By TRINA “INDI” JOHNSON
Special to the PRESS
Gregory Kunkle, Jr., a South Texas native who says his life has been shaped by faith, family, and hard work, has entered the race for Congress in Texas’ 34th District.
“Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley along the U.S./Mexico border molded my childhood unlike any other,” Kunkle said. He was born in Weslaco, where his mother began a 35-year career as a nurse at Knapp Medical Center. He remembered summers in Mercedes with his Tia Yaya, pushing a lawnmower from house to house. “Yaya Gonzalez was the hardest working woman I have ever known and mowed lawns for work every day,” he said. Later, his family built a small business in Harlingen, where he worked outdoors in the Texas heat cutting lumber and manufacturing pallets for companies like Lockheed Martin. “My mother Irasema, my Tia Yaya, and hard work most shaped who I am today.”
Faith and service, he said, have guided him ever since. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout and said the lessons of the Boy Scouts continue to anchor him. “Although the values of the Boy Scouts may have changed, today, I still live by the oath and the law of doing your duty to honor God and country, remaining physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
Kunkle’s life was also marked by the loss of his mother during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the first nurse to die of the virus at the Port Isabel Immigration Processing Center. “It was here that I learned that politics affects policy, and policy affects people. Even though today she is gone, I am her voice and the voice of many that feel like they do not have one in our country,” he said.
Those experiences, he added, sharpened his sense of urgency to enter politics. His campaign centers on a plan he calls South Texas Vision 2050, which he said will focus on water infrastructure, economic development, and supporting families. “From the devastating flooding, to helping small businesses, to energy production, to drinking water for our children, to hurricane preparedness, I have developed a platform for the future of our people,” Kunkle said.
He expressed concern over the decline of agriculture and manufacturing in the region, pointing to shuttered plants and the recent closure of Texas’ only sugar mill in Santa Rosa. “However, I believe a resurgence in manufacturing and agriculture is coming and will expand economic opportunities for all constituents, urban and rural,” he said.
On border management, Kunkle stressed the importance of deterrence. “Furthermore, I have been calling for the militarization of our South Texas Border for years, and now we see that an aggressive posture diminishes the demand for illegal entry, thus deterrence,” he said. At the same time, he said families caught in difficult situations deserve compassion and opportunities through legal immigration.
His platform also includes expanding skilled trades training, vocational programs, and military service opportunities for young people. “I believe high schools serve as the perfect opportunity for students today to learn a vocation, skilled trade, or receive a certification that will help them get to work,” Kunkle said.
For energy policy, Kunkle called South Texas “the heart of a nuclear energy renaissance.” While supporting oil, gas, and LNG, he emphasized the role of small modular reactors. “With SpaceX right in our backyard, I will work to bring these industries to South Texas and begin selling electricity to Mexico,” he said.
Kunkle often referenced his roots in South Texas culture. He recalled fishing trips to Boca Chica, Holly Beach, and the Laguna Madre. “Nothing makes me feel more at home than fishing our South Texas waters,” he said. Food memories, too, hold weight. “I grew up crossing the border to Nuevo Progresso almost every weekend and always had to get an orden de lonches with a Mexican Coke,” he said.
Music is another outlet for him and his wife, who perform as Christian recording artists under the name Kingdom Come Worship. “She is a Godsend,” Kunkle said. “We started as jazz musicians and have played with countless bands, churches, and artists.”
Asked what keeps him grounded when campaigning feels overwhelming, Kunkle answered simply: “My family. I know that I am working to leave a better community and country for my children’s children.”
Looking ahead, he said he hopes voters see him as a candidate focused on people, not party. “It is a representative’s job to represent the people not the party!” Kunkle said. “I believe in accountability and will hold any Republican, Democrat, or Independent accountable for their words, actions, or lack thereof, and I expect nothing less from the people of TX-34.”
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