Texas Democrat who criticized rival's Disney trip used campaign funds for Disney, UAE hotel, and spouse travel
Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, criticized Republican Mayra Flores in October 2025 for "living the good life on donor's resources" after her campaign reported payments to Disney World around the time she was photographed at an airport with Disney merchandise. Federal campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital show Gonzalez's own campaign reported more than $1,100 in payments to Walt Disney Resorts in March and May 2025, coinciding with social media posts of his own trip to Walt Disney World in April 2025.
Single source · Not corroborated
Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a fifth-term Democrat representing a South Texas district, made headlines for a social media post in October 2025 accusing Republican Mayra Flores of using donor money to fund a Disney World trip with her family. Gonzalez shared an airport photo of Flores and captioned it "living the good life on donor's resources again," citing her campaign's reported payments to the theme park.
Fox News Digital's review of Gonzalez's own Federal Election Commission filings found two Disney payments — $561.38 in March 2025 and $561.38 in May 2025 — that coincided with social media posts from Gonzalez showing a two-day Disney World visit in April 2025 with his wife and associates. Gonzalez captioned those posts "DC to Disney! What a fantastic 2 days."
Beyond the Disney payments, Fox News Digital reported nearly $20,000 in additional campaign expenditures tied to international and domestic travel where Gonzalez's wife was present or appeared to be present, based on his social media posts. These included roughly $13,000 in December 2024 for Emirates Airlines airfare and a stay at the five-star Emirates Towers hotel in Abu Dhabi, which Gonzalez described on social media as an "after campaign break." Campaign records also showed a $566.67 Swiss Air expense and $395 at a Michelin-starred Zurich restaurant in August 2025, the same week Gonzalez posted a photo with his wife in Switzerland. A $442.41 hotel charge at the five-star Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel in Rome coincided with a social media post of Gonzalez meeting with Pope Leo XIV in 2025.