# Video: Rep. Henry Cuellar Tells CNN Democrats Must Stop Making 'Fringe Issues' Their Platform and Be 'Pro-Oil and Gas' and 'Pro-Border Security'

The Texas Democrat says his party 'goes too far left' at times and needs a better national brand once it wins a majority. Breitbart posted the CNN clip with a transcript.

- Section: [Video](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/video/)
- Published: 2026-10-28
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/video-cuellar-cnn-democrats-fringe-issues-pro-oil-gas-pro-border-security-breitbart/

A Texas Democrat used a CNN appearance to warn his own party, Breitbart reports in a clip post.

The setting. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Tex., spoke Tuesday on "CNN News Central." We summarize the transcript Breitbart published and did not watch the video ourselves.

What he said. "A lot of times, the Democratic Party, it goes too far left," Cuellar said, and "once we win the majority, we need to go back there, and we need to make sure that we get a brand for Democrats where we can be pro-oil and gas, we can be pro-border security." He continued: "But if we continue looking at fringe issues and make that our platform, that is a mistake."

The names. He said he is "glad people like Gina Hinojosa and other Democrats are now talking [about] what I've been talking about a long time, that the Democratic national brand has not been very good." Breitbart's transcript does not say what office Hinojosa is seeking.

The program. He said the party should still "work with the working class" and protect Medicare and Social Security. He said he wants to tell his House leaders, "we've got to work on our brand, and it's got to be common sense, middle ground, instead of fringe ideas."

Both ways. Cuellar added that "the Democratic Party goes too far left or the Republican Party goes too far right," and said both need to "go where the American people are at."

Note for readers: these are one lawmaker's remarks on television, and he spoke as a Democrat who expects his party to win the House majority. He did not say which positions he considers fringe. To hear his words in full, watch the clip at the link below.

## Source

Original reporting: [Breitbart (clip from CNN)](https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/10/27/cuellar-once-dems-get-majority-they-cant-continue-looking-at-fringe-issues-and-making-them-platform/)