Star GOP congressional candidate accused of abusing 14-year-old girl

Earlier this week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy selected Monica De La Cruz, a GOP congressional candidate in Texas, as one of his promising "young guns" ahead of the 2022 midterms.

On Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that De La Cruz, who's running in the 15th Congressional District, is accused by her estranged husband of "cruel and aggressive conduct" toward his 14-year-old daughter.

De La Cruz is going through a divorce from her husband, Johnny Hernandez.

"Hernandez, who has been married to De La Cruz since 2015, has accused her of mistreating him and his daughter in documents filed in the Hidalgo County district court," the Post reports. "In one incident described in the petition for divorce, Hernandez says that on a recent Sunday at church, his daughter began crying after some coffee was spilled. He alleges that De La Cruz took her to the bathroom and pinched her to stop her from crying, rather than try to console her."

Hernandez also accused De La Cruz of being verbally abusive toward his daughter. In August, she allegedly threatened to divorce him if he brought his daughter back to live at their home, after the teen had been hospitalized.

"Unfortunately it got to that point where I had to make a decision for the best sake of my daughter," Hernandez told the Post. "She didn't want to go to parenting classes and she didn't want to make things better for my daughter."

He also slammed De La Cruz for mentioning his daughter in a tweet last week, in which she announced she was going through a divorce.

"I believe that she is putting her campaign in front of our family," Hernandez said. "She is using my daughter for sympathy votes. My daughter is going through mental health issues and she should not be using that on her campaign page. She needs to take that down."

De La Cruz told the Post the allegations are "false, and I'm heartbroken that as we work through some mental health issues that involve a minor this deeply personal matter is now being exposed in the national press. My number one concern will always be the well-being of all of my children, and I would appreciate your prayers and continue to ask for privacy for our family."

De La Cruz is running for an open seat being vacated by Rep. Vicente Gonzalez Jr., who is switching districts.

On Monday, she attended a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser where former president Donald Trump spoke.

"Proud to represent #TX15 at the NRCC Countdown to the Majority dinner with special guest Donald J Trump," she wrote on Twitter. "I am humbled to lead this great district to #VICTORY in 2022! Together we will TAKE BACK THE HOUSE and #FIRE Nancy Pelosi. Let's Go Brandon!!"