Texas Democrat Bobby Pulido capped a remarkable week on Thursday, taking home a Latin Grammy just days after unseating Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz in the midterms. The Tejano singer, who will enter Congress in January, won the award for Best Tejano Album for Bobby Pulido & Friends: Una Tuya y Una Mía (Vol.2/En Vivo), his third career Latin Grammy.
Pulido's victory lap came after he attended new member orientation on Capitol Hill earlier in the week. According to The Washington Sun, he was among the freshmen lawmakers who skipped the traditional class photo because he was en route to the ceremony in Las Vegas.
During his acceptance speech, Pulido surprised fans by announcing his departure from the music industry. “I want to tell you that I'm retiring from music, and I'm leaving with so much gratitude,” he said in Spanish. “I'll see you soon, because we need to represent and we need to get to work to use our voices for something else.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) congratulated Pulido on social media, writing: “Last week @PulidoForTexas crushed his MAGA opponent and flipped a Republican House seat. This week he just won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album. Felicidades and what a month for Congressman-Elect Pulido.”
Pulido had said Tuesday he would leave the Grammy at home if he won, telling TMZ's Charlie Cotton, “This is a place for work.” He emphasized the weight of his new role: “It's a much bigger responsibility to be a public servant than it is to be a singer, for sure, no doubt. Your decisions really affect people, and as a singer you can influence people in a different way, but it's not the same.”
While stepping away from his solo career, Pulido hinted at a possible musical side project. He told TMZ he spoke with Florida Rep. Darren Soto (D) during orientation about joining a congressional band. “I think they're recruiting me,” Pulido said. “They need a vocalist, so we'll see.”
Pulido's win adds a cultural footnote to the broader Democratic gains in state legislatures and congressional races this cycle. His transition from stage to statehouse mirrors a trend of entertainers entering politics, though few have done so with a Grammy in hand.
As he prepares to take his seat, Pulido's focus is firmly on legislative work. “This is a place for work,” he reiterated, signaling that his musical career—at least for now—has taken a back seat to public service.
