The Washington’s Birthday Celebration Association (WBCA) has announced the selection of United States Senator Ted Cruz as the honoree for the prestigious Mr. South Texas Award for the 128th Washington’s Birthday Celebration.
“We are honored to have Senator Ted Cruz as our Mr. South Texas recipient,”
said WBCA President Jaime Fuentes.
“We welcome him as our newest Ambassador for the Washington’s Birthday Celebration. A special thank you to our Mr. South Texas selection committee and Texas Community Bank for its unwavering support of the Mr. South Texas Luncheon.”
The Mr. South Texas designation is presented to a deserving individual who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the growth and development of Laredo and/or the South Texas region. The formal announcement with a meet and greet will be made in the coming weeks, during a press conference held at the Texas Community Bank (TCB) in Laredo. The event is sponsored and hosted by TCB.
“Texas Community Bank is pleased to sponsor the Mr. South Texas Luncheon, and we congratulate United States Senator Ted Cruz, for being selected as the 2026 Mr. South Texas Honoree as part of the 128th Celebration,”
said Douglas G. Macdonald, President & CEO of TCB.
“It is a well-deserved recognition. We’re excited to welcome such a fine and hardworking individual to our community and invite all Laredoans to join us in congratulating him.”
The Mr. South Texas Selection Committee, comprised of past presidents of the WBCA and former Mr. South Texas recipients who reside in Laredo, meet and discuss possible candidates. Committee members take great effort in creating an all-inclusive nominating pool of candidates from all walks of life who have made a significant impact on the area.
“I’m honored to be named Mr. South Texas for 2026,”
said United States Senator Ted Cruz.
“Laredo and Webb County hold a special place in my heart — the people embody the spirit, grit, and generosity that make Texas exceptional. Working alongside families, local leaders, and small businesses in Laredo has been one of the great privileges of my public service. I’m deeply grateful to the Washington’s Birthday Celebration Association for this meaningful recognition — it strengthens my resolve to keep leading the fight for Laredo and all of South Texas.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz is currently serving his third term in the United States Senate.
Widely recognized as a grassroots conservative champion, Cruz was overwhelmingly re-elected to a third term this past November—earning broad support, including a majority of Hispanic and Latino voters. Notably, in 2024, Cruz was the first Republican in history to be awarded the key to the city of Laredo.
The Beginning:
Ted grew up in Houston, Texas. The valedictorian of his class at Houston’s Second Baptist High School, Ted went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Princeton and his law degree from Harvard Law School. After law school, Ted clerked for Chief Justice Rehnquist and then worked in private practice. In 1999, Ted joined George W. Bush’s campaign for president as a domestic policy advisor. The best thing about Ted’s experience on the Bush-Cheney campaign, by far, was meeting Heidi Nelson, who also worked on the policy team. Heidi and Ted married after the campaign.
Representing Texas:
After working at the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission during the Bush administration, Ted moved back home to be the Solicitor General of Texas. As Solicitor General, Ted argued eight cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, and defended our freedom of speech, our right to keep and bear arms, and our religious liberty in courts across the nation. Following his service as Solicitor General, Ted returned to private practice, where he continued to litigate high stakes cases and argued his ninth case before the Supreme Court.
Ted and Heidi also started their family, welcoming Caroline and Catherine.
U.S. Senator for Texas:
In 2013, Ted was sworn into the United States Senate, where he has been a passionate fighter for limited government, economic growth, and national security. He has authored over one hundred legislative measures that have been signed into law, including expanding 529 college savings accounts to allow parents to save for K-12 public, private, and religious education, repealing Obamacare’s individual mandate, imposing sanctions on terrorists who use civilians as human shields, designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, targeting Putin’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, reforming NASA, holding dictatorships in South America accountable, and ensuring the availability of additional records to help solve civil rights cold cases.
Ted is honored to serve as the Chairman on the Commerce Committee, a position that gives him the chance to have a far-reaching impact on innovation and growth across the landscape of daily life. As Chairman, he is focused on furthering innovation in the telecommunications space, protecting Americans’ privacy and security, helping Americans travel safely and more efficiently, and ensuring that the U.S. continues to lead the world in space exploration. The panel oversees a number of key White House appointments and a huge range of industries and agencies, including telecommunications, transportation, aviation and the broad category of interstate commerce.
In a massive victory for Texas, Ted has led the fight for the expansion and construction of new bridges in Laredo, Eagle Pass, and Brownsville, which was secured last year. These international bridges were being needlessly delayed, and now, ending those delays will provide immeasurable benefits to the communities of Eagle Pass, Laredo, and Brownsville, as well as to farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and small businesses across Texas. These bridges will facilitate the movement of goods and strengthen U.S.-Mexico supply chains, leading to lower prices for millions of American consumers. Building on this success, Ted recently introduced legislation to expedite the presidential permitting process for all international bridges and land ports of entry.
Together with the Mr. South Texas designation, Cruz becomes a WBCA Ambassador for the 2025-2026 Celebration; and, a member of Los Caballeros de la Republica del Rio Grande, a select group of national and international distinguished men and women who are honored for their dedication and countless hours of service and support to the Washington’s Birthday Celebration each year by an official induction ceremony and presentation of the Caballero Medallion.
One of the most celebrated and illustrious WBCA events is the Mr. South Texas Luncheon Hosted by Texas Community Bank, attended each year by dignitaries and honored guests from the United States and Mexico. This year’s luncheon will take place on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 12 p.m., at the Laredo Country Club. Texas Community Bank generously sponsors the event.
The Mr. South Texas Luncheon Hosted by Texas Community Bank is one of more than 30 events in the Washington’s Birthday Celebration Calendar. Throughout the years, the Celebration has grown to be over a month long and consists of parades, dazzling pageants, fireworks, a 12-day carnival, an air show, a sizzling 2-day jalapeño festival, and much more.
Save the Date for the 128th Washington’s Birthday Celebration, which takes place January 15 – February 28, 2026 and join us for the “Celebration with Something for Everyone!”
