The district stretched from El Paso in the west to San Antonio in the east, a distance of some 500 miles (800 km).

Rodriguez was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, but was raised and received his education in San Antonio, Texas.

After leaving Congress in January 2005, he joined with his former chief of staff, Jeff Mendelsohn, to create Rio Strategy Group LLC, a boutique government relations firm to assist clients at the local, state and national levels.

A special election to fill the remainder of his service was held in April, resulting in Rodriguez defeating his nearest rival Juan F. Solis III with 66.7% of the vote.

[3] In his capacity in Congress from 2006–2011, Congressman Rodriguez led as a champion of Veterans, farmers, law enforcement, and border security for the people of the 23rd District.

In July 2011, Congressman Rodriguez celebrated with El Paso County officials the groundbreaking of the Tornillo Port of Entry.

Rodriguez did support the Stimulus plan, Health Care Reform and Financial Regulation of Wall Street.

His campaign was under-financed, but gained significant momentum after a photographer with The Washington Post snapped a photo of Cuellar at the 2006 State of the Union address, on the Republican side of the aisle, smiling as President George W. Bush affectionately grabbed his face.

In June, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Texas Legislature had violated the Voting Rights Act when it drew most of Laredo out of the 23rd and replaced it with several heavily Republican San Antonio suburbs.

Rodriguez won against Republican nominee Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larson and Libertarian Lani Connolly.

The election was targeted by the Republican National Committee, which poured money in to support Canseco in an attempt to gain the seat for their party.

[7] Ciro Rodriguez announced in early summer 2011 that he would seek election to his former seat in the U.S. Congress in a rematch against Rep. Quico Canseco.

But, on November 29, 2011, Rodriguez announced he would campaign for election in the newly drawn, neighboring 35th District, which takes in eastern San Antonio, as well as portions of Atascosa, Comal and Hays counties.