WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again rally in Houston Monday night is being billed as a chance to boost U.S. Sen Ted Cruz and other Texas Republicans, but one GOP politician who will not be present is Houston U.S. Rep. John Culberson.

Culberson, a nine-term incumbent facing a tight race with Democratic challenger Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, has chosen to skip the event to attend a flood control event, according to campaign spokeswoman Catherine Kelly.

"Congressman Culberson is attending a previously scheduled neighborhood meeting that represents around 30 neighborhoods in west Houston, and he will be talking about his work to strengthen the area's flood-control network," Kelly said.

Fletcher's campaign said the move appeared to be an effort by Culberson to distance himself from a president who is not necessarily popular with independents and even some Republicans in Houston.

"John Culberson can run from Donald Trump but he can't hide from his nearly 20-year record in Washington where he has put a partisan agenda and his pet projects over what is best for Houston," said Fletcher campaign manager Erin Mincberg.

Culberson's Seventh Congressional District, which covers much of the city's west side and suburban Harris County, is one of three traditionally Republican districts in Texas that went to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Political analysts attribute Clinton's narrow win in Culberson's district in part to changing demographics and also to anti-Trump sentiment among some old-line Republicans such as George H.W. Bush, who lives in and once represented the district.

Both Culberson and Fletcher have sought to dial back ties to their respective national parties in the race. Fletcher did not attend any public events with Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi when she campaigned in Houston in August.